Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative 83rd Annual Meeting of Members Canceled

Currently, Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative’s offices remain closed to the public with most of our employees working remotely. Based on current circumstances, the state’s stay at home order, and the ban on large gatherings, and factoring in the amount of time we need to plan for it, we are canceling our 83rd Annual Meeting of Members that had been scheduled for June 8, 2020. This is the first time that Sussex Rural has had to cancel its annual meeting dating back to the incorporation of the Co-op in 1937.

Since we cannot be certain what fall will bring, postponement is not an option and so the Board of Directors has canceled the meeting entirely. The purpose of our annual meeting is to report to the members the condition of the cooperative for the previous fiscal year and to announce the election results of board directors. Although we will not be meeting, our Annual Report will still arrive to all members with the May bill or it can be viewed on our website. We will announce the results of the election by social media and encourage you to send in your ballots by May 29, 2020 to complete our election process.

Electric service is not optional. Like a sufficient supply of food and water, reliable electricity is critical, especially in times like this. Not only to ensure your health and safety but also to provide power to your virtual classrooms and offices as we stay in our homes. Please know that Sussex Rural Electric has taken all safety precautions and follows all federal and state guidance in protecting its employees and its members while continuing to stay open and in business, keeping the lights on.

We would not have believed it if we were told in January that in two months we would be spending weeks under orders to stay at home, local businesses and all schools would be closed, travel would grind to a halt, and that our 83rd Annual Meeting would be canceled. But the unbelievable has become our shared reality. Our families, our community, and our Cooperative will no doubt feel the effects of this pandemic for a long time to come, in ways we have not yet even anticipated.

Your electric cooperative is working diligently with respect for you in mind. We will continue evaluating the pandemic status to determine our future decisions and course of action. We know you rely on safe, reliable electric service, and we will continue doing our best to serve you. Please stay safe and stay healthy.