PEC Board of Directors vote to leave District 4 director seat vacant until 2020 election cycle
Board will operate with six members until 2020 election cycle concludes
Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors took action at its regular October meeting to address the District 4 vacancy left by the resignation of Jim Powers. In a unanimous vote taken during open session, the board chose to leave the seat vacant until the 2020 election cycle, at which point members interested in running may begin the process.
“The 2020 election cycle actually begins in January, with final results announced in June,” said Paul Graf, PEC board president and District 6 Director. “Next year, elections will be held for directors in districts 2 and 3; those seats are currently held by Emily Pataki and Randy Klaus, respectively. At that same time, there will be a special election to fill the District 4 vacancy. The board believes this is the best course of action to help minimize costs and allow PEC’s members to choose from a field of qualified candidates.”
PEC’s District 4 covers a wide swath of Hays County, including Dripping Springs. Powers was first elected to the PEC Board in 2016 and won reelection in June 2019. He resigned effective Oct. 1, 2019, to devote more time to his business activities. Powers’ resignation left the board with three choices for filling his vacancy: appoint someone to fill the seat, hold a special election in 2019, or leave the seat vacant until the 2020 election cycle.
The PEC Board of Directors will continue to operate with six members until the election concludes in June 2020. PEC directors are elected from single-member districts, but each director is responsible to the entire PEC membership.