Covington Electric Co-op takes great pride in the success of its annual meeting. The meeting is an opportunity for members to hear from co-op leaders, fellowship with each other and CEC employees, and participate in board elections among other activities.

 

Last year was the first time CEC has cancelled an annual meeting due to a national crisis. That difficult decision was necessary due to the rapidly emerging COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that followed.

 

Preparations for CEC’s annual meeting begin many months before the actual event; therefore, decisions have to be made early. With this in mind, CEC leaders did not see a safe way to hold a large in-person event again this year, especially considering a vast majority of annual meeting attendees represent those who are most vulnerable to the virus. As we all know, the pandemic was surging in late December and January when plans were being considered.

 

Like last year, CEC members can still make their voices heard when it comes to choosing their cooperative leadership. Each member should have already received an annual meeting packet in the mail that contains a ballot for the election of trustees to represent Districts I and II. This packet gives members the option to vote online using a specified website (not the CEC website) and a personal identification number, or they can cast their vote by mail using the pre-paid, self-addressed envelope. Ballots will not be accepted at any CEC office. The confidential ballot process is being conducted through an independent tabulator.

 

Financial information related to the previous year can be found in CEC’s annual report that will be inserted in the April issue of Alabama Living magazine. A survey will also be included in the annual report. Members who complete the annual report survey and submit it to CEC by the stated deadline will receive an additional $5 bill credit. This survey can also be completed online at the CEC website covington.coop.

 

In place of door prizes, each member that votes in the board election will receive a $15 credit on their April bill and be entered into a drawing for bill credits ranging from $50 to $600, and three grand prizes of $2,500 each.

 

The winners of CEC’s board election and the top six prize winners will be announced during a virtual business meeting that will be posted online at covington.coop on Thursday, April 1 at 3 p.m. Annual meeting reports will be presented by CEC’s Board Chairman Willie Smith and the CEC General Manager Ed Short.

 

CEC will attempt to notify all prize winners by phone during normal business hours on April 2. A full list of prize winners will also be posted on the co-op’s website that day.