What Is the Oakdale Electric Cooperative?

Oakdale Electric Cooperative operates and maintains more than 2,507 miles of electric distribution line, providing power to more than 14,265 services. Your cooperative averages 5.3 service locations per mile of line. Approximately one-quarter of our services are to seasonal residences and accounts.

You've got power, and it's not just electricity!

Cooperatives are examples of democracy in action. Cooperatives succeed because of the power of people working together. As a member of a cooperative, you join the one out of every four Americans who belong to these consumer-owned organizations. A cooperative is formed by joining together to accomplish a goal that cannot be done as well individually. In our case, this started with providing central station electric service and has since branched out into a variety of other services.

At Oakdale Electric Cooperative, you are not "just a customer." Instead, you are a member-owner of this private, nonprofit business. Unlike customers of investor-owned utilities, you, as a cooperative member, have a say in determining the leadership of the cooperative, how it will operate and which services it will provide.

The members, customers like you, elect fellow members to serve as directors of the cooperative. Each member has one vote in the directors' election, which takes place at the annual membership meeting held in April. The directors set policy and oversee the general operation of the cooperative. They also hire the general manager, who implements the policies and is responsible for the daily operation of the cooperative through the actions of its employees. The employees provide service to the members, thus completing the "circle of cooperation."

The Seven Cooperative Principles

1) Voluntary and open membership. Because cooperatives are voluntary organizations, membership is open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.
2) Democratic member control. Oakdale Electic members have equal voting rights. It doesn't matter how much electricity a member consumes. When it comes to electing directors, each member has one vote.
3) Member economic participation. Members contribute equitably to the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative.
4) Autonomy and independence. Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations, controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.
5) Education, training and information. New challenges and new technologies affect your cooperative and the entire utility industry. Ensuring our continuing effectiveness can only be accomplished by providing information and training to the members and public, our employees, staff and directors.
6) Cooperation among cooperatives. We are "working together, working for you," on many levels. Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-op movement by participating in local, state, regional, national and international cooperative organizations.
7) Concern for community. This principle focuses on members' needs and prompts cooperatives to work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.

Director, Duties and Districts

One director is elected from each of the seven geographic districts we service. The directors are elected to serve for three-year terms. The terms are staggered so that no more than three director terms expire at any annual meeting. Director duties include:

• Determining classifications of service and the rates to be charged.
• Rates and regulations governing service to members.
• Selection of representatives to various meetings.
• General oversight of all powers and authorities, as well as financial actions of the cooperative. Director qualifications: As well as possessing leadership qualities, being dedicated to the cooperative ideals, and showing a willingness to serve, directors must meet some specific qualifications, as outlined in our bylaws. These qualifications are:
• No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold any position of trust in the cooperative who:

Where membership in the cooperative is held by a partnership, only one partner, as designated in writing by the partnership, may be elected as a director. In this situation, all partners, including the designated candidate, shall meet the qualifications explained above.

Where membership in the cooperative is held by a corporation, only one of the corporate officers, as designated in writing by the corporation, may be elected as a director. The designated candidate, as well as all officers of the corporation, must meet the bylaw qualifications as previously noted.

Copies of the Oakdale Electric Cooperative bylaws are available from our office.

Nomination procedures

A three-member nominating committee is appointed for each district from which a director is slated to be elected. The committee is appointed by the board of directors, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days, prior to the annual meeting date. Members of each district nominating committee must reside within that district. The committee is responsible for choosing at least one director nominee from the membership of that district. Their nominations must be filed with the cooperative's secretary not less than 21 days prior to the annual meeting.

Nominations may also be made by petition of members. This requires the signatures of 15 or more members residing in the particular director district. Nominations made in this manner must also be filed with the cooperative secretary not less than 21 days prior to the annual meeting. Nominations may also be made from the floor during the annual meeting election procedures.

Capital Credits

Capital credits are a widely recognized benefit of belonging to a not-for-profit electric cooperative. To achieve this status, any profit made by the cooperative, called margins, is returned to the members in the form of capital credit patronage refunds.

Capital credit allocations are based on the annual amount of patronage in electric service each individual member has had with the cooperative.

A percentage of the member's total capital credit allocation amount (usually between two and five percent) is refunded annually. Members are eligible for capital credit refunds following three consecutive years of receiving electric service from the cooperative. Capital credits are usually returned during the October-Coop Month celebration. Capital credits are also returned to the estates of deceased members.

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