Over 750 members attended Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative‘s 90th annual meeting on July 14, held virtually over Zoom for the sixth year in a row. Meeting attendees heard annual co-op updates from LMRE’s president/CEO and board, along with the announcement of contested election results for two of the cooperative’s districts.
Nicholas Mencl of Rochester Township and Michael Sword of Wellington Township officially joined the LMRE board as new directors following a member-elected vote to represent districts 1 and 4, respectively. Mencl and Sword will take over tenured roles previously held by Gary Rowland and John Eaton. Additionally, Brenda Wolfe was re-elected to the District 7 seat following an uncontested race.
This year’s annual meeting celebrated 90 years of service to LMRE members while also highlighting the present with outgoing Board Chair Eaton celebrating co-op wins and the community impact programs like the LMRE People Fund and America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC have had in the last year. He also highlighted one of the foundational Seven Cooperative Principles that LMRE operates by: Democratic Member Control. Sharing his belief that through a transparent, open election process, the cooperative continues to operate fairly, sensibly, and in the best interest of its members.
Additionally, Eaton took time to recognize Rowland for his retirement and many years of service to LMRE, highlighted his role in guiding the cooperative through transitions that strengthened both the service and value that members receive from LMRE every day.
Eaton concluded his remarks by thanking the members and other LMRE directors for the privilege of serving on the board and his fellow directors for the honor of entrusting him as board chair since 2013.
“The most valuable lesson I have learned as a board director,” Eaton stated, “is that you must listen to other people, even if you don’t agree. Use your common sense, and most importantly of all, remember that no one is right all of the time.”
LMRE President/CEO Ed VanHoose presented Eaton with a proclamation recognizing his many years of service and dedication to the LMRE board of directors before beginning his portion of the meeting. VanHoose then reflected on what a milestone 90 years of service represents. Remarking on how LMRE came to be, through neighbors coming together to build something themselves, and how equipment may look different, but the mission hasn’t changed, despite current and future challenges the co-op may face.
“As I look ahead, I’m optimistic,” he said. “The electric industry will continue changing. Technology will continue evolving. Regulations will come and go. The challenges facing electric cooperatives twenty years from now will almost certainly be different from the ones we face today. But throughout all of those changes, one thing will remain constant. LMRE exists to serve its members.”
If members missed the meeting, a recording of it will be available on the Lorain-Medina website, www.lmre.org, in the coming weeks. For more information, members can go online or contact the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric office at 440-647-2133.