Dakota Electric submitted a general rate case petition to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Sept. 19, 2019, requesting an overall annual revenue increase of about $8.7 million or 4.3%.

In early February, an administrative law judge accepted the formal written testimony of Dakota Electric and the state agencies into the record. After the end of the public comment period, the judge will prepare a report and recommendations for consideration by the Public Utilities Commission.

In accordance with Article III, Section 3, of the Bylaws of this Association, the Nominating Committee, in a meeting assembled on January 27, 2020, in the office of Dakota Electric Association, selected the following nominees for directorship of said Association to be on the ballot for the annual meeting, to be held on April 30, 2020.

District 1
John (Jack) DeYoe  (incumbent)

District 2
Janet Lekson (incumbent) | Bill Middlecamp

District 3
Margaret Schreiner (incumbent) | James (Jim) Wrobleski

District 4
Paul Bakken  (incumbent) | Paul Trapp

The 2020 Nominating Committee is made up of the following people: Buzz Anderson, Tim Burke, Derik Dautel, Wally Lyslo, Terry Merritt, Greg Oxley, Ray Yarwood and Jenny Zakoski.

Watch for more information about the 2020 annual meeting and director election in the April issue of Circuits.

PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGE

On this year’s election ballot, the board is proposing the following bylaw changes.

These bylaw changes allow Dakota Electric to provide a replacement ballot for those who may have lost, or never received, the original ballot that was mailed. Currently, the bylaws do not allow for a replacement ballot.

Adding new section:

Article II, Section 4, Subsection (e). Voting

Any member who cannot locate their original ballot may request a replacement ballot. The replacement ballot must be requested in writing at least two (2) business days before the annual meeting so the Association has sufficient time to provide the replacement ballot to the member. The member may then vote with the replacement ballot at the annual meeting, and the ballot shall be accepted and counted as the ballot. If a replacement ballot is requested, and a member votes both the original and the replacement ballot in the election, the first cast ballot will be counted.

Amending existing section:

Article III, Section 4, (second paragraph).

Voting by Mail for Directors

A member who claims that a ballot was not received by such member, or that the ballot received by such member was thereafter lost, damaged or destroyed, shall not be entitled to one a replacement ballot. At least fifty (50) days before the election date, each nominee shall be entitled to inspect and copy at the offices of Dakota Electric Association the names and addresses of as many of the members of the Dakota Electric Association as the nominee requests. All elections for the Board of Directors shall be under the supervision and review of a qualified firm selected by the Board of Directors. No employee or individual director of Dakota Electric Association shall participate in any aspect of the administration of the election process except as a candidate or to cast a vote as a member, or as set forth in Article III, Section 3 of these Bylaws.

Look for your election ballot to arrive in April.

Dakota Electric has hired the Morris Leatherman Company to conduct a residential member satisfaction survey on our behalf. Should you receive a call asking for your opinions about Dakota Electric’s service, we would sincerely appreciate your feedback. Calling is scheduled to begin late March.

We know your time is valuable, so rest assured, we will use the results to make decisions on matters important to the future of Dakota Electric. Thank you in advance for your time!