PLYMOUTH, NH – Members of New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) have returned four incumbents to the company’s board of directors.

A total of seven candidates were running to fill four seats on the 11-member board of directors. Five candidates ran for election to three, 3-year terms on the Board, while two candidates ran for election to one, 1-year term. Election results were announced at NHEC’s Annual Meeting, held June 7 in Plymouth.

Reelected to three-year terms on the board were William Darcy of Benton, Madeline McElaney of Plymouth and Harry Viens of Center Harbor. Reelected to a one-year term on the board was incumbent member Leo Dwyer of Sandwich.

Additionally, NHEC members approved one proposed amendment to the NHEC Code of Bylaws, but a second proposed amendment failed to reach the required supermajority approval of 66% of the votes cast. The first proposed amendment gives the board additional flexibility to efficiently receive, process and count NHEC membership votes that are cast electronically. The second proposed amendment would have eliminated the use of gendered language when referring to individuals in the bylaws.

As a member-owned cooperative, NHEC relies on the active participation of its members to govern and sustain the business. NHEC wishes to thank all members who voted or stood for election. Below are the full results of the 2023 Board of Directors Election.

FOR THREE-YEAR TERM (*elected)

*William Darcy                   4,478
*Madeline McElaney          4,270
*Harry Viens                       3,712
Patricia Barbour                 3,266
John Simonelli                    2,953

FOR ONE-YEAR TERM (*elected)

*Leo Dwyer                        4,439
Leon (Lee) Pierhal             2,392

 

BYLAW AMENDMENT #1
(requires two-thirds majority for passage)

YES    5,373 (77.9%)
NO     1,521 (22.1%)

 

BYLAW AMENDMENT #2
(requires two-thirds majority for passage)

YES    4,017 (57.9%)
NO     2,924 (42.1%)

At NHEC’s Board Organizational Meeting on June 7, 2023 the Board of Directors elected the following officers to serve one-year terms:

Chair of the Board – Sharon Davis

Vice Chair of the Board – Madeline McElaney

Treasurer – Edward French

Assistant Treasurer – Carolyn Kedersha

Secretary – Brenda Boisvert