SEPT. 26, 2024
The 2024 Annual Meeting of the membership of the Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation was held at the Porter County Fairgrounds in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, on the 26th day of September 2024. A catered meal was served to the members beginning at 4: 30 p.m. CST by REMC employees and board members. Live music was presented on the indoor stage from beginning at 5 p. m. The business meeting was scheduled to begin at 7: 30 p. m. CST, pursuant to notice provided to each member of the cooperative. The business meeting included the announcement of board members for a new three-year term and prizes as awarded.
A copy of the proof of mailing of the Notices and Secretarys Affidavit is appended as EXHIBIT A, at the end of these minutes, and was included in the member program distributed to each member who appeared and registered at the meeting.
The business meeting opened, and the first matter of business was the consideration of the notice of the meeting. The reading of the Notice of the Meeting to Members as provided in Bylaw Art. III Sec. 3, was waived and dispensed after a motion duly made and seconded carried on a unanimous vote. The next item on the agenda was the reading of the minutes of the 2023 Annual Meeting. On motion duly made and seconded, the membership resolved to waive reading of the minutes. Then, on motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of the 2023 Annual Meeting were approved as printed in the program, on vote. A count of the members presents for the meeting showed that a quorum was reached pursuant to Bylaw Art. IV Sec. 4(d). A total of 695 members appeared in person at the Annual Meeting.
During the meeting, Board President Mike Yankauskas highlighted key achievements from the past year, including the return of $1.7 million in capital credits, progress on the fiber loop project, and the vital support of state and federal legislators for cooperative initiatives.
John Cassady, CEO of Indiana Electric Cooperatives, provided a state-level industry update, highlighting trends across the utility industry and key policy discussions that their government relations team is working on to assist all cooperative members in the state.
The Junior Board of Directors was acknowledged for the successful completion of the program by being awarded a scholarship.
CEO Scott Sears delivered a cooperative update and introduced the new time-of-use rate structure, set to take effect in March 2025. This change reflects members growing interest in greater control over energy use and monthly savings.
Corporate Counsel Tim Krsak advised the membership during the meeting that three director seats up for election at this annual meeting for terms of three years each or until their successor shall be duly elected and qualified. The candidates were selected by obtaining nominations by petition pursuant to the bylaws of the cooperative.
All members had been given instructions to carry out the membership voting. Voting could be accomplished online in advance of the Annual Meeting and in person at the Annual Meeting.
In accordance with Bylaw Art. IV the following candidates were nominated for election by petition in Districts 3 and 5 and At-Large (7).
- DISTRICT 3: Bill Bohling, Chet Hunsley
- DISTRICT 5: Katrina Harper (unopposed)
- AT-LARGE (7): David Janney (unopposed)
Because there was only one eligible member running for two (2) of the board seats, in accordance with Bylaw Art. IV, Section IV no vote was held and board candidates for District 5 and the At-Large District were elected by motion made and duly seconded by the members at the Annual Meeting. On motion duly made and seconded, Katrina Harper was duly elected to the position of Director of District 5 for the ensuing three years. On motion duly made and seconded, Dave Janney was duly elected to the position of Director At Large for the ensuing three years.
Attorney Krsak called the members appointed to serve as election inspectors to gather and begin the count of the votes and certify the election.
The members appointed to serve as election inspectors were Sherri Bartoli, Richard Arndt, and Brittany Travis.
The election inspectors, aided by KVREMC employees, counted the votes cast for the election for the District 3 position, where Bill Bohling and Chet Hunsley were on the ballot by virtue of their nomination. Ballots were counted and added to the pre-meeting voting and the total results showed: Bohling with 667 votes and Hunsley with 430 votes. Thus, Bohling was duly elected to the board of directors for District 3 for the ensuing three years or until his successor has been elected and qualified. The results of the election to the board for Districts 3 and 5 and the At-Large District were duly certified by the Election Inspectors, and the prevailing candidates are as reported above.
The Certificate of Election Inspectors is available to the member-consumers upon request at the Kankakee Valley REMC office.
CEO Sears announced prize winners, including anyone whose registration card was selected, regardless of whether or not the member was present at the time of the drawing.
The chairman called for any other business or new business to be brought to the attention of the membership; there being none, the meeting was duly adjourned.
EXHIBIT A
Secretary’s Affidavit of Mailing of the Notice of the 2024 Annual Meeting
STATE OF INDIANA, COUNTY OF LAPORTE
I, Bill Bohling, being first duly sworn, upon his oath deposes and says: That I am the duly elected and qualified Secretary of the Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation, hereinafter called the Cooperative.
That on the 5th day of August 2024,
I had mailed to each member-consumer of the cooperative, to the addresses as they appear on the records of the Cooperative, a notice of the Annual Meeting of the member-consumers to be held on Sept.
26,2024, by deposing such notice with postage prepaid thereon and addressed as aforesaid in the United States mail. The total number of member-consumers receiving notice of the Annual Meeting on said date was 17,074.
Subscribed and sworn to Bill Bohling, Secretary, before me this 5th day of August.
Alissa Tucker Notary Public County of Resident, LaPorte My commission expires February 2030.
