Mid-Ohio Energy's Board of Trustees are elected by the members, and play an important role in guiding your cooperative! They're responsible for cooperative policies, rates, and contracts.
The board is made up of one trustee from each of the cooperative’s nine districts. Read more about the annual trustee nomination and election process.
Board members are responsible for cooperative policies, rates, and contracts. They represent the cooperative’s rural community and are tasked with focusing on the needs of the membership.
While day-to-day decisions are made by co-op staff, major decisions are made by the board, whose mission is to look out for the vitality of the co-op and the community it serves. The board typically provides input on:
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co-op goals, finances, and general direction
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co-op’s community/charitable contributions
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capital investments and upgrades in equipment and technology
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co-op’s role and involvement in community development
Meetings & Trainings
Trustees meet at regularly scheduled monthly board meetings to conduct cooperative business, such as reviewing new members, pay estates, review departmental reports, review and approve policies and more!
In addition to monthly meetings, trustees are occasionally asked to attend cooperative member events, such as the annual meeting or member appreciation days. Special committees may be formed by the board for purposes like reviewing rates, the Code of Regulations, annual budgets, and board policies.
The cooperative provides fair and equitable per diem for trustees to deal with cooperative business at regular and special meetings of the Board of Trustees; for attendance at other meetings, conferences, and training programs; or while performing committee assignments for the cooperative. Mid-Ohio Energy also covers approved expenses for travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred while involved in official duties or when in attendance at authorized meetings.
It's important for directors to understand their roles and responsibilities and to have the knowledge and skills to govern today’s cooperatives. A number director education programs are available to co-op trustees, and are specifically designed to address the learning needs of electric cooperative directors. Training courses offered address board governance, financial decision-making, strategic planning, and current and emerging issues.
Examples of such programs include the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) Credentialed Cooperative Director program, paired with additional skill based courses as part of a Board Leadership Certificate program. Additionally, the statewide association for electric cooperatives provides ongoing trainings relevant to the role of a cooperative director, and hosts annual conferences for networking and education.