On the morning of September 23, 2023, 151 San Patricio Electric Cooperative members and their guests gathered at the Bee County Exposition Center to attend the co-op’s Annual Members Meeting.
Before the business meeting began, members were invited to take part in a free health fair, conducted by Christus Spohn Health Services. Attendees were served a complimentary breakfast of muffins and beverages and were given the opportunity to learn about the co-op through informational displays.
During the business meeting, Tom Mayo, SPEC board president, explained that SPEC’s general manager, Ron Hughes, was recovering from surgery and was not in attendance. In his place, Rose Lujan, SPEC’s financial services manager, addressed the membership. Mrs. Lujan began by thanking members for their patronage to San Patricio Electric Cooperative and for attending the Annual Meeting.
Mrs. Lujan went on to explain that temperatures over the summer have been very hot and thanked the co-op’s linemen for their efforts to keep the lights on for members regardless of weather conditions.
She then explained that SPEC members received a power cost adjustment credit of 1.5 cents per kWh on their last bill. However, she cautioned that may not continue through the rest of the year. Power costs may increase and the co-op will continue to monitor that.
Mrs. Lujan explained that SPEC’s margins are looking good and the co-op is hopeful it will return capital credits to members toward the end of the year. She further explained that the co-op now has the ability to apply capital credit refunds directly to a member’s account, but the co-op needs to know before November if a member would like to apply their allocated funds in that way.
Mrs. Lujan then addressed questions asked by the members.
SPEC concluded the meeting by giving away more than 50 door prizes to members in attendance. A seperate prize drawing for children yielded 10 young prizewinners.
Annual Meeting Prizewinners
A total of 58 members won door prizes at SPEC’s annual meeting on September 23. Prizes were donated by San Patricio Electric Cooperative, Texas Electric Cooperatives, Schneider Engineering, Lamar Technical Services Inc., Asplundh, Urban Electrical Services, the Nitche Group, Hilti, Osmose, LogoStore USA and M&A Technology.
Members who won prizes were: Ernest Perez, Jaime Garza, Elizabeth Ballew, W. Patrick Gorman, Robert Suniga, Gary Besancon, Jesusa Garcia, H.J. Timon Jr., Benny Chavarria Jr., Robbin Reininger, Carlton Moss, Melissa Cherry, Conrad Conrad, Sijefredo Loa, Margarita Ramos, Nathan Kime, Douglas McIntosh, Adela Meredith, Charity Cook, Richard Garcia, Felipa Ochoa, Jessica Burkett, Ermila Franco, Rindle Wilson, Lin Chandler, Larry Jones, Carrie Brockwell, Christel Varnon, Pedro Garcia, Ruben Ramirez, Michelle Perez, Ida Hansen, Olga Marvin, Omarie Kinman, Gregg Babot, Alton Luedke, Russell Wyatt, Rene Cantu, Hector De La Garza, Anna Garcia, Ramiro Romero, Juan Cantu, Toribio Tavarez, Kathryn Reyna, Mario Martinez, Cynthia Ayer, Edwin Arandela, Alejandro Martinez, Rebecca Herschberger, Daniel Smythe, Charlene Parker, Robert Doyle, Robert Valdez, Gus Kaase, Lon Messer, L.J. Lyne, Roy Russell, and Oscar Lopez.