DEC to Host 82nd Annual Meeting

Delaware Electric Cooperative will hold its annual community fair and business meeting on Tuesday, August 7th at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. Members will be treated to a free chicken dinner, have a chance to visit with various community organizations and hear an update on the state of the Cooperative from President and CEO Bill Andrew.

Included again this year is a utility demonstration, where Co-op crews will show members how they restore power and rescue those who are injured without the help of a bucket truck.

Dinner, voting for the board of directors and the community fair begin at 3 p.m. in the Centre Ice Rink, and the business meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Dover Building. Members will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed amendment to DEC’s bylaws that will prevent conflicts of interest on the board of directors.

Our board is responsible for representing our members’ interests, not the interests of any person or organization that has been paid by or provided services to DEC or its employees. The bylaw change will ensure that former employees, contractors, vendors and those who have directly represented DEC’s organized workforce are not elected to our board until a reasonable period of time has elapsed. Electric co-ops across the nation have implemented similar policies to allow for fair and impartial governance. The full text of the proposed bylaw amendment is below.

Amend Article III ("Directors"), Section 1 ("Number, Power and Qualifications") by inserting the following:

"(5) is, becomes, or shall have been, at any time during the (10) years preceding the election or appointment as a Director, an employee of the Cooperative, a director or employee of a firm, vendor or contractor competing for services provided by the Cooperative, having performed or

sold services to or on behalf of the Cooperative or an employee of a labor union that represents or has endeavored to represent any Employee of the Cooperative."

Members will also be able to vote in our board elections. Below is a list of the candidates and their biographies.

District 3: William J. Wells, Incumbent

District 3 incumbent and Board Chairman William J. Wells is a native Delawarean and owner of White Oak Farm, a dairy operation west of Felton. He belongs to several statewide organizations including the Delaware Dairy Herd Improvement Association and the Delaware Farm Bureau. A graduate of Milton High School, Bill is also the recipient of the Governor’s 2012 Agricultural Award. Bill and his wife Janet, have a daughter, Sharon, and attend the Manship Chapel Church.

District 6: Laura T. Phillips, Incumbent

Laura T. Phillips is the incumbent in District 6. She is a native Delawarean and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Wilmington University.  She is a Vice President with WSFS Bank and is active in several local organizations.  Mrs. Phillips resides near Seaford with her husband Ben and their son Cole.

District 9: Dean C. Belt, Incumbent

Dean C. Belt is the incumbent in District 9.  After graduating from Penn State University, Dean worked for the GLF Farm Cooperative in New Jersey.  After completing military service in the Army, Dean moved to Delaware in 1961 and earned a Master’s Degree in horticulture.  He then worked for the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Service.  Dean is an active member of St. Peter’s Church in Lewes.

Director At-Large (3-year term): Michael K. Brown, Incumbent

Incumbent Board Member Michael K. Brown is a resident of Hartly and a veteran of state service, working for both the Delaware Department of Agriculture and the Division of Soil and Water Conservation, serving in management positions at both agencies. Michael has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University and a Bachelor’s Degree from West Virginia University.

Director At-Large (2-year-term): Blaine M. Daisey, Incumbent

Blaine M. Daisey, Sr., interim At-Large Director, was selected by DEC’s Board to fill the seat vacated by longtime board member Howard Clendaniel, who passed away in March. Daisey retired in June as a Master Corporal with the Delaware State Police and served Delawareans as a Trooper since 1988. Daisey has worked on the Delaware State Police conflict management team, in the intelligence unit and in the special investigations unit.  He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, sits on the board of the Delaware State Police Federal Credit Union and has volunteered as a swim and basketball coach.  Daisey graduated from Frostburg State College with a Bachelors in Business Management and Finance. According to Daisey, “I have been honored to protect and serve the great people of Delaware as a Trooper for the past 30 years. Joining the Co-op’s board is another opportunity for me to give back to my community.”

Director At-Large (2-year-term): Cotton Collins, Challenger

Cotton Collins has been a journeyman lineman since 1999. He has been a member of the IBEW Local Union 126 for the past 16 years, was a member of IBEW Local Union 1307 while employed with Choptank Electric Co-op in Maryland, and IBEW Local Union 777 while employed as a trouble serviceman for MetEd in York, PA.  Mr. Collins will be awarded his Diploma of Completion and Certification as a Master Instructor/Trainer of Electrical Apprenticeship later this summer when he completes his 4-year school through the IBEW, NJATC, and NTI at the University of Michigan. Mr. Collins has been a member of the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Company since 1984, is the Task Force Leader of the Sussex County Technical Rescue Team and team member since its inception in 2006. Mr. Collins is also in his third year as a Delaware State Fire School Field Instructor, as well as an IMAT Level 3 Incident Manager for DEMA and FEMA. Mr. Collins is a Delaware native. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Collins of Bridgeville, DE. He resides in Greenwood, Del. with his wife, Suzanne and son Cotton Collins, Jr (CJ).