Board Elections Coming Up
The Wasco Electric Cooperative nominating committee, consisting of members from each director district, met September 7 to nominate candidates for election at this year’s annual meeting.
This year’s candidates for election to three-year terms as directors are:
District 1: Lissa Biehn; Neal Harth, incumbent; David Ortega.
District 2: Ron Holmes, incumbent. Three nominees declined nomination.
District 3: DeOra Patton, incumbent. Two nominees declined nomination.
These candidates will be up for election at the 72nd Annual Meeting of Wasco Electric Cooperative, which is Saturday, November 19. I would like to invite each of you to attend.
If you are unable to attend, absentee ballots will be mailed, along with the annual meeting booklet, at the end of October. I encourage each member to vote on the leadership of your cooperative.
Roger Harwood Retires
Wasco Electric Cooperative employee Roger Harwood retired September 9 after 25 years of service.
Roger began with the co-op in July 1986 as a groundman/equipment operator with our Maupin crew, and was a part of that crew and the community of Maupin throughout his career with the co-op.
Throughout his years of employment, Roger has been a true asset to the co-op and its members. His knowledge of the trade, the co-op’s system and his dedication to helping restore power during outages, day or night, have been invaluable.
In addition to his work with the cooperative, Roger and his wife, Jody, have been an active part of the Maupin community and raised two daughters, both who graduated from South Wasco County High School.
Roger’s plans for retirement include keeping active with projects in Maupin, working on the family cabin in Montana and spending time with the grandkids.
The crew and staff at Wasco Electric will miss Roger’s humor and generosity, but wish him the best in his retirement.
We Remember Benson Heath
Former director Benson Heath died August 19. Benson served on the Wasco Electric Cooperative board for 18 years, from 1989 to 2006.
He was an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and was employed by the tribe for more than 34 years. He held the position of personnel director at the time of his death.
In addition to serving on the co-op board, Benson had served on the Jefferson County Education Service District board and the Warm Springs Power Enterprise board.
During his years of service on the cooperative board, Benson was involved with tribal/utility groups throughout the region, and helped continue the strong relationship between Wasco Electric and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
He was an avid Oregon Ducks fan.
We all will miss Benson and his infinite wisdom, and offer our condolences to the Heath family.
—General Manager Jeff Davis
