Date set for co-op president’s recall election
A special meeting for District 2 members of Socorro Electric Cooperative has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, at Midway Elementary School. The purpose of the meeting, scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m., is to decide whether to recall District 2 trustee and co-op president Paul Bustamante.
The announcement was made by Bustamante himself during Wednesday’s regular meeting of the board of trustees.
Richard “Arf” Epstein, who made the request for a recall in October, presenting a petition bearing 115 signatures, stood up to inquire why the meeting was going to be put off another seven weeks.
“Why so long?” he asked.
Bustamante responded by saying it would take time to prepare notices to inform people of the meeting.
He went on to say that Epstein, who lost a district election to Bustamante two years ago, and his supporters would have a chance to present their arguments.
“And I’ll say my defense before voting. There’s been a lot of misinformation out there,” he said.
The petition states the reason for the recall was “breach of fiduciary duty and no confidence.”
Bustamante, who has served on the co-op board for 10 years, the last five as president, has been under fire for his leadership of a co-op that suffered through a turbulent year in 2010 and is off to a rough start in 2011 (see story Page A1).
Bustamante has been accused by District 5 trustee Charlie Wagner of covering up a scandal that led to the firing of two co-op managers, who allegedly abused an employee loan policy.
Wagner was also critical of Bustamante’s handling of the agenda item at Wednesday’s meeting.
“This is ridiculous,” he said. “You are making decisions (about the meeting) when you are the accused.”
At the request of trustee Prescilla Mauldin, co-op attorney Dennis Francish read the bylaw pertaining to the recall of a trustee. It describes the procedure — both sides given the opportunity to state their case before a vote is taken — but gives no time frame for when the meeting should be held.
Wagner wanted to know who would serve as chairman at the meeting. He argued that the chairman should be appointed by the members present.
Francish assured him the meeting would follow the guidelines of a district meeting.
After the board approved the time and date of the meeting, with Wagner casting the lone “no” vote, Wagner made a motion to have a registered parliamentarian assist the chairman. The motion died for lack of a second.
— T.S. Last