Bandera Electric Cooperative held its 80th Annual Meeting on May 18 at Mansfield Park in Bandera, and 350 member-owners and 128 guests attended.
At the meeting, attendees visited several booths and learned about:
- BEC’s charitable giving through the new BEC Foundation
- New energy efficiency rebates for solar energy systems and outdoor LED lights
- Electrical lineman safety
- BEC Solar’s renewable energy options
- BEC Fiber’s broadband internet network growth and new offerings
- Nissan Leaf electric vehicle test drives from Nissan of Boerne
In his presentation to the members, BEC CEO Bill Hetherington highlighted several areas of growth in 2018 for the cooperative. He shared that membership grew by 10 percent along with a 9.56 percent rise in electricity sales, and BEC accommodated this growth while keeping its electric rates stable. Hetherington also stated BEC residential electric rates continue to be below the average residential cost of electricity statewide.
In addition, the expansion of BEC’s fiber network continues to grow, showing a steady upward trend. Hetherington noted, in 2018 there was a near 200 percent increase in fiber broadband members.
This year, BEC conducted the election for directors from districts seven, eight and nine, and Zeda Alvarado, Michael Edwards and Kurt Solis were re-elected, respectively.
The BEC Foundation presented donations to three charitable organizations in its service territory. The Frontier Times Museum in Bandera and the Comfort Golden Age Center each received $5,000. Boerne resident Hunter Beaton received $2,500 for his organization, Day 1 Bags, which provides duffel bags and backpacks to foster children.
Additionally, more than $2,500 of prizes and gift cards were distributed. Member Daniel Schmidt from Bandera won the grand prize Bad Boy ZT Elite zero-turn lawnmower donated by James Power Line Construction and DAS Underground Utilities.