Letters to the Editor
Impact on the small business
Editor:
Our Congressman, Harry Teague, has always looked after his constituents. Even little ol’ us here in Socorro.
So I hope that he is paying attention to the opposition of the health care bill. I am frightened that this bill will pass, because it will affect many small businesses here.
The reform has been compromised so much that small businesses will actually be unable to afford health care. This will result in less hiring, and ultimately, more unemployment.
This bill needs to keep small businesses in mind, and right now it does not do that. I know Congressman Teague has strong principles. I hope he uses them in opposing the president’s agenda of jamming this bill through Congress.
P.S. Love the Chieftain!
Jean Varonti
Socorro
‘Details’ need to be heard
Editor:
After moving to Socorro in 1997, we maintained our old home in southwest Florida for a number of years and were members of Socorro Electric Co-op and Lee County Electric Co-op at the same time.
Each spring, we received our equity distribution check from Florida. I asked my friends if they had received their check from SEC and was told they had never received one. We have never received a check from SEC.
We eventually sold our home in Florida and bought a small commercial building in Socorro. We owned it for six years, and then sold it. We received a substantial equity buyout check from LCEC, but to date have received nothing from SEC.
This is a clear indication that our co-op is not being run in an appropriate way.
The LCEC has 10 trustees serving 172,000 members over 6,000 miles of energized lines. That equals 17,200 members being served by each trustee.
Since our entire county is less populated than that served by one LCEC trustee, it is apparent that we need fewer trustees. One trustee for the City of Socorro would be more than adequate.
The LCEC board meets once a month at 9:30 a.m. These trustees drive much farther than our trustees, because their service district covers several counties. If one of the largest co-ops in the country runs efficiently on one meeting a month, SEC could easily run on one meeting a month.
The LCEC Web site proudly proclaims: “The founding visionaries who built LCEC from the ground up were determined to grow an organization with a heart and a conscience. That idealism has not disappeared with time. Since 1940, LCEC employees, guided by the board of trustees, have made a supreme effort to balance fiscal responsibility with the goal of improving the lives of those whom they serve.”
Sadly, the vision and idealism found in that well-run electric co-op is lacking in Socorro. Greed and personal gain seem to be the goal of our board.
The saturday, April 17, annual meeting is going to be a very important moment in the history of SEC. Unfortunately, the “informational meeting” being held Saturday, March 27, seems to be shaping up as a last-ditch attempt by the remaining old guard to cloud the reforms that are so badly needed.
I will be requesting, on March 27, that SEC release the following information to both our local newspapers before the annual meeting on April 17:
• A detailed accounting of all money received by each trustee from the SEC over the past five years.
• Who authorized the hiring of an attorney to attend all the meetings of the board, and why was an attorney needed?
• A detailed accounting of all money paid to attorneys by the SEC starting two years before Trustee (Charlie) Wagner was elected, including the frivolous lawsuits filed against member-owner Charlene West and attendance at events such as the trip to Las Vegas.
• A detailed accounting of all money spent on each of the district elections over the past five years, including the cost of employees, trustees, facility, judges, refreshments and the fistful of cash each trustee hands out.
• Why isn’t there an equity distribution — ever? When are equity buyouts made?
As member-owners we have the right to this information.
Cindy Kessler
Socorro
SEC still gives good service
Editor:
The Socorro Electric Cooperative has been in the local media recently for the board of trustees doings or undoings. The SEC overall does an outstanding job for our community by providing reliable electrical service and a fair rate. If the rates were extremely expensive or we experienced “black- or brown-outs” all the time, I could understand the negativity towards the SEC’s board of trustees.
The fact is that the SEC provides safe reliable electrical energy to our homes and businesses. The SEC also has many programs to help its members save money. The SEC offers subsidized priced electric water heaters and heating systems. The SEC staff can also assist members with receiving cash rebates on energy star rated electric appliances.
The SEC will accept used compact fluorescent light bulbs to avoid heavy metal pollution, and assist many of the government agencies by donating or recycling their used power poles.
The SEC is well known for their support of our community and assisting our youth activities, especially scholastic and athletic programs.
Currently, the SEC is one of the many community orientated businesses that have donated to the Socorro’s youth fishing derby at Escondida Lake and is assisting with the establishment of a Community Commercial Kitchen.
The SEC employees work night and day to ensure that no one loses power, or restores power as soon as possible after an outage.
Our local crew members put their lives on the line each and every time they make a repair and improvement to our electrical system. Our SEC employees are always there to protect and serve us.
After talking to a few of the trustees, they recognize the need for improvements so I am very confident that they will make positive changes to the SEC rules to make the Cooperative more available to the membership, reduce board expenditures and review redistricting.
Change is hard and it takes time, so let’s give the trustees time to make good solid decisions for positive changes.
I wish to express my thanks to the employees of the Socorro Electric Cooperative for all they do for our communities.
Terry Tadano
Socorro