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mailing them in. The co-op’s 50,000 members are given two options: to sign over their proxies to the sitting board or attend the meeting in person.
The co-op president, Lindsey Gordon III of Orange, called for a voice vote, and the measure passed overwhelmingly. But the co-op’s attorney, Bob Yeaman, immediately stepped in, saying the 9,000 proxies would have to be used on a bylaw amendment.
So the affirmative vote was cast out and, with the proxies, board members defeated the measure in a second vote.
Mr. Irvine said he is seeking legal advice about the double vote.
A second proposal by Mr. Irvine, giving co-op board members the power to censure or remove other board members for “just cause” also passed, as did a measure eliminating age discrimination for board eligibility.
But the motion to reduce consumer rates by five percent within the year was never voted on.
After Mr. Irvine made the motion, Mr. Gordon allowed Mr. Yeaman to run the meeting as, in Mr. Yeaman’s word, “parliamentarian.” He said he took over because Mr. Gordon was “having difficulty hearing.”
Mr. Yeaman proceeded to rule that, because rates are set by the State Corporation Commission, the motion was out of order.
Mr. Irvine said Tuesday that the Powell Valley Electric Co-op lowered its rates this year, and that the motion was in order. He said he is also seeking legal advise on that issue.
“I think the ball is still rolling,” said Mr. Irvine. “I think members of the co-op deserve a choice. The board nominates and elects themselves — that choice is gone. The old system has stagnated the system as a whole.”
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