Co-op board to hold special meeting to interview attorneys
Socorro Electric Cooperative’s board of trustees will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29, to interview four finalists for the position of co-op attorney.
The board is seeking to hire an attorney to replace Dennis Francish, whose contract expires at the end of the year.
The special meeting was set following the bid committee’s report during Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting.
Dave Wade, vice president of the board and chairman of the bid committee, said the committee met the day before to select finalists from a pool of 13 candidates mostly made up of Albuquerque law firms.
According to the minutes from that meeting, the committee, made up of trustees Wade, Leo Cordova, Prescilla Mauldin, Milton Ulibarri and Charlie Wagner, were first asked to rank their top three selections.
In the end, the committee settled on the top three selections of the co-op’s general manager, Joseph Herrera. When asked by Cordova his opinion, since he would be the one working most closely with the attorney, Herrera listed Robles, Rael & Anaya, P.C.; Wiggins, Williams & Wiggins; and Stelzner, Winter, Warburton, Flores, Sanchez & Dawes, P.A. — all Albuquerque law firms.
According to the meeting minutes, Herrera said that the first two firms had experience working with other utilities and the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. He said he preferred to hire attorneys who had knowledge of issues that affect co-ops, rather than someone he’d have to educate about them.
The board previously expressed a preference for hiring a local attorney, but only one attorney from the co-op’s service area, Roscoe A. Woods & Associates, LLC, applied.
Wade asked that Woods’ firm also be included as a finalist and the committee agreed.
Woods was the only candidate among the finalists to propose a flat monthly rate for his services. He’s asking for $7,000 for 40 hours of work each month. He would charge $175.00 per hour if he exceeded 40 hours.
Robles, Rael & Anaya offered the lowest rate at $150 per hour. Wiggins, Williams & Wiggins, which has represented Socorro Electric in lawsuits brought against the co-op by former managers, was next, with rates ranging from $160 to $175 per hour, depending on which attorney handled the co-op’s affairs. Stelzner, Winter, Warburton, Flores, Sanchez & Dawes charges $210 per hour.
The board plans to take action before the end of the year. The board’s final regular meeting of the year is scheduled for Dec. 28.