Board of Trustees

Duties:

• Duty of Care: Act in good faith and with ordinary care and in reliance on adequate information.
• Duty of Loyalty: Act in the best interest of the purpose of the organization, not in the interest of oneself.
• Duty of Obedience: Act in accordance with law and the organization's governing documents.

Responsibilities:

• Policy Making: Establish policies that guide the cooperative's operations and long-term direction.
• Financial Oversight: Monitor the cooperative's financial health and review budgets and major expenditures.
• CEO Designation: Appoint the Chief Executive Officer and provide oversight of the position.
• Strategic Planning: Help set long-term goals and priorities for the cooperative.
• Professional Services Oversight: Select and engage the cooperative's auditing firm and board legal counsel.
• Member Representation: Represent the interests of the members in board discussions and decision-making.

Trustees must be SVEC members in good standing for at least five years, reside within the cooperative's service territory and the district they represent, and meet additional eligibility requirements outlined in the cooperative's bylaws. Certain employment, business interests, and public offices may disqualify an individual from serving as a trustee.

SVEC holds trustee elections every year. Trustees are elected by the members they represent and serve three-year terms, with elections conducted on a rotating basis. Each year, three of the cooperative's nine districts are up for election. This means Districts 1-3 are elected in one year, Districts 4-6 the next year, and Districts 7-9 the following year before the cycle begins again.

As a co-op, members have the opportunity to participate in the cooperative's democratic process through various meetings and elections.

• District Meetings: District meetings are held on a rotating basis in accordance with scheduled elections. At these meetings, members can engage with co-op leadership, receive updates on co-op business, and nominate a candidate from their district. Members are notified via letter by the board secretary of the meeting's time, location, and other meeting details.
• Annual Meeting: The annual meeting invites all SVEC members to interact with co-op leadership and receive updates on cooperative business. Members also receive reports on the co-op's activities and performance like our annual audit, and vote for trustees when applicable.
• Monthly Board Meetings: SVEC's Board of Trustees meet regularly each month to oversee co-op operations, review financial and operational reports, establish policies, and discuss strategic initiatives. These meetings help ensure the cooperative continues to serve its community effectively. Members who would like to address the board may do so in accordance with board policy. 

SVEC trustees do not receive a salary or employee benefits for their service. Instead, trustees receive a fixed per diem for each regularly scheduled meeting they attend. When trustees are authorized to travel on behalf of the cooperative for cooperative business (such as fulfilling their duty to vote on the co-op's behalf), a fixed allowance is provided for their attendance, and any other travel expenses are provided in accordance with the same policies and expense guidelines applicable to SVEC employees. Trustees appointed or elected after April 27, 2019 are not eligible to participate in SVEC's employee medical insurance program. Currently there are 0 Trustees participating.