Letters to the Editor
Member-owners demand their rights
Editor:
Socorro Electric Cooperative recently raised their customer rates to meet the margin (collateral) requirements of the Rural Utilities Service.
Technically, since we defaulted on this two of the last three years, RUS should be running the co-op and this board should be gone. It appears that the RUS is letting us continue at least partly because we voted to reduce board compensation. The members had the foresight to staunch that red ink.
Now we have Leroy Anaya, one of the board members with the highest co-op related income, saying to just ignore the member-owners wishes and exceed the limits put in place at the 2010 meeting (Video online, informedcynic.com). The everyday SEC customer knows that $493,000 paid to the board in 2009 was excessive and the current limit of $10,000 per trustee is plenty.
Some of the board members use their money to pay for a $10,000 health insurance policy (Bruton, Wade and Ulibarri). while others take it piecemeal as per diem for attending meetings. Many expenses have been reimbursed without receipts, contrary to all good accounting practices, yet Mr. Anaya thinks by whining about it being insufficient this board can just ignore reality and spend more.
Mr. Anaya “serves“ as Socorro Electric’s representative to the Tri-State board of directors. This is the company that generates the power SEC buys. We have no other choice; they are the local monopoly. For two days of meetings per month he receives $1,600 in per diem monthly, as well as meals, hotel and travel mileage. If there are committee meetings or extra events this amount is raised. This is on top of the $10,000 he receives here at home from Socorro Electric.
True, Tri-State pays for the expenses of their meetings, but that money comes from us anyway, as Tri-State raises the cost of the electricity bought from them.
Many of the changes that the member-owners demanded last year are still being ignored. Co-op records are still a dark secret and the requirement that the board be reduced to five members has been ignored. The proposal at the last annual meeting was gerrymandered to retain control even after the reduction takes place.
If you don’t like the debt this board has gotten us into, the arrogance with which they sued us all and the rates that will continue to climb, you must show up at the court hearing next Wednesday, May 18. Staring at 9:30 a.m. at the Socorro County Courthouse on Church Street, you can show both the board and the presiding judge that current practices by this crew are unacceptable and we demand the rights we voted on.
Marie Watkins, San Antonio
Funds raised for spay/neuter van
Editor:
I am writing to thank our community for your support of the APAS yard sale. This year’s annual yard sale and silent auction was a big success. Your donations and your purchases have again put us over our previous years sales. APAS has voted to bring a special spay/neuter van to town in October. With the proceeds from our yard sale we are now able to provide this low-cost spay/neuter clinic. APAS is happy to provide this assistance to the residents of Socorro county to help keep animal overpopulation under control.
Another big thanks goes to the outstanding volunteers of APAS. We had 24 APAS volunteers giving their time and talents to bring this huge sale to you. I do not think you could find a more generous and congenial group to work with.
Thanks to everyone who participated in making this annual event a big success.
Carmen Soleas, APAS