SMECO Board Members Elected at Annual Meeting

Members attend the SMECO annual m embers’ meeting August 21, 2024, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall. (SMECO photo)

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative held its 86th Annual Meeting on August 21, 2024, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall in Mechanicsville, Md.

The following SMECO members were elected to serve on SMECO’s board for three years: Susan Hance-Wells of Calvert County; Kenneth W. Cross and Edward Holland of Charles County; and Walter Rayner Blair III and William R. Cullins III of St. Mary’s County.

More than 7,400 members voted in the SMECO election and results were announced at the meeting. SMECO’s election was conducted by mail and members could also vote electronically by casting their ballots online. Ballots were mailed to members July 15. The deadline for submitting ballots by mail or electronically was August 14. Seventy-three percent of the ballots were returned by mail and 27% were cast online. Members who returned their ballots or voted online were eligible to win one of 30 electric bill credits of $50 each.

Mr. Blair, chairman of the SMECO Board of Directors, welcomed SMECO’s members to the event and called the meeting to order. SMECO’s president and CEO Sonja Cox introduced the video version of the cooperative’s 2023 annual report.

The video underscored the impact of the cooperative’s longstanding relationship with Southern Maryland, highlighting the cooperative’s dedication to supporting local businesses, advancing charitable initiatives, and protecting the environment, while also maintaining its high standards of reliability even in the face of quickly rising costs.

“In 2023, the cooperative continued its efforts to upgrade and enhance the system’s infrastructure, taking care to maximize the value of every dollar spent, while still maintaining the level of reliability and quality customer service SMECO members expect and deserve.” Ms. Cox said.

Ms. Cox also answered questions about Rider-G, a Standard Offer Service option available to cooperative members who choose to have 100% of their electricity supplied from renewable sources.

“SMECO was built by this community for this community, and we will continue to take the steps necessary to ensure the sustained financial wellbeing of the cooperative while remaining committed to our mission of providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions for our members,” Ms. Cox said. “We love our community, and we want to see it thrive.”

Here are the results of the voting.

• Susan Hance-Wells 4,000 votes
• Ronald Nahas 509 votes
• Terry W. Schroepfer 1,036 votes
• Timothy P. Twigg 1,040 votes

Charles County (two elected)

• Kenneth W. Cross 5,950 votes
• Edward Holland 5,772 votes

St. Mary’s County (two elected)

• Walter Rayner Blair III 5,579 votes
• William R. Cullins III 6,005 votes

SMECO – The Cooperative Difference

SMECO was incorporated in 1937 and is one of the 15 largest electric cooperatives in the United States with more than 170,000 member accounts in Charles County, St. Mary’s County, southern Prince George’s County, and most of Calvert County.

Electric cooperatives are shaped by the communities they serve, because co-ops are owned by their customers.  Co-op members elect the men and women who serve on the Board of Directors. Members share the responsibility of ownership by financing the cooperative’s operations, but they also share its rewards.

At the end of each year, SMECO’s margins (profits) are allocated to members’ capital credit accounts. SMECO uses its profits to invest in new construction, system improvements, and facility upgrades. The Board of Directors regularly evaluates the financial condition of the co-op and determines when members will receive a refund. Since 1937, SMECO has refunded more than $128 million.

As a cooperative, SMECO will always put its members first and be responsive, reliable, and resourceful—the power you can count on.

Follow SMECO on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SMECO.coop and on X at www.twitter.com/somdelectric.

The SMECO 24/7 mobile app is available at www.smeco.coop/247. To learn more about SMECO, please visit their Leader Member Page.