USA - Pedernales joins American Wind Energy Association

The Pedernales Electric Board voted to continue moving toward its previously adopted conservation and renewable energy goals by joining the American Wind Energy Association.

A national trade organization, the American Wind Energy Association provides its members information on topics such as new projects, companies working in the wind energy field and technology and policy development within the growing wind power industry. PEC will join the organization at the utility level, with annual dues of $4,000.

“This is a very complicated subject, and you need to be informed,” said Pedernales Electric General Manager Juan Garza during discussion of the proposal. “The board is going to be weighing decisions involving renewable energy, specifically wind. A well-educated board will make better decisions, and the better informed you are, the better off the membership will be.”

PEC’s board also discussed proposed policies covering conflicts of interest and whistle-blower protection for employees. The proposed policies, according to District 7 Director Patrick Cox, are modeled after those recommended by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade group for electric co-ops. Pedernales Electric’s proposed policies also reflect the requirements of state and federal law and are aligned with PEC’s bylaws.

Using a system of voluntary disclosure, the proposed conflict of interest policy would apply to both board members and management of the cooperative. The whistle-blower protection provisions provide a mechanism for employees to raise concerns without fear of reprisal. After discussion, board members voted to table the items until its Dec. 16 meeting to study the proposals more thoroughly.

The board members also heard a report on Texland Electric Cooperative from District 3 Director Kathryn Scanlon. Legal proceedings in the case continue, with a hearing scheduled for Jan. 30 in Blanco County Court. This hearing will discuss the transfer of the Texland funds previously held at Cattleman’s National Bank into an account specified by the court.

Scanlon also noted that a Texland board meeting will be held soon to bring the other members of the organization’s board up to speed on developments.

Deputy General Manager Paul Hilgers provided an update on the Cooperative’s Member Assistance Program, which helps PEC members unable to pay their electric bills. Hilgers asked for renewal of the program for 2009 in the amount of $500,000, noting that a staff review of the program currently is underway, and new options would be proposed to the board in January or February.

“We’d like to have more opportunities to coordinate with aid agencies and the state of Texas to better leverage the dollars contributed,” Hilgers said. “We’re also looking at ways to get our members more involved, finding ways to have them contribute to the programs and give them a chance to help neighbors in need.”

After discussion, board members voted to renew the program with suggested revisions to be presented in February.

The board also considered and approved committee charters, adopted a modified per diem procedure for board travel and expense reimbursements to bring it in line with Internal Revenue Service guidelines and adopted staff recommendations regarding the cooperative’s defined benefit plan investment portfolio. The holiday policy was revised to close all offices on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday and provide employees with an additional floating holiday to use at their discretion.

Board members voted to renew the contract with Election Services Corporation to handle board elections for the next two years, reviewed the time line for the 2009 election process and also heard briefings on North American Electric Reliability Corporation requirements and the status of the KPMG audit of 2007 financial statements.

In the last item of business in the general manager’s report, Garza gave a brief overview of PEC’s performance over the last year.

“As I look at the results of operations this year, I can tell you that reliability in 2008 is outstanding, and among the best for cooperatives in the country. For 2008, interruption hours were less than one hour per member,” he said.

A special meeting was announced for Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. in the PEC Headquarters auditorium to hear the report on the Navigant Consulting, Inc. investigation.

For more information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net