Valley Rural Electric Cooperative Re-Elects Three Directors

Valley Rural Electric Cooperative members re-elected three incumbent directors to the co-op board during the annual meeting April 9.

In a first for the co-op, a drive-through meeting was held at the Huntingdon County fairgrounds to minimize the likelihood of COVID-19 spread among participants.

Normally, the co-op holds its annual meeting in a high school auditorium, either in Huntingdon or Mount Union. But ongoing restrictions on the size of gatherings led the co-op to come up with an alternate event for 2021 after the pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 annual meeting.

"Our main concern is the safety of our members and employees and preventing further spread of the coronavirus" said Valley REC Board Chairman James Stauffer of McVeytown, Mifflin County. "A drive-through meeting provided a way to hold the membership meeting and election while minimizing the danger of COVID."

More than 2,000 members and guests participated in this year's event and cast ballots to fill three seats on the nine-person board of directors that represents the utility's more than 22,000 consumers. There were no contested races this year.

Those directors reelected to three-year terms on the board are:

• Stauffer, District 2;

• Joanne Whitsel of Mapleton Depot, Huntingdon County, District 4; and

• Leroy Barnes of Portage, Cambria County, District 6

Located among the ridges and valleys of south-central Pennsylvania, Valley REC's service territory includes parts of Bedford, Blair, Centre, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, and Mifflin counties.

Valley REC is one of several electricity cooperatives serving the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Valley REC serves members with accounts in the municipalities listed below within these counties:

Bedford County

Bloomfield Township

Kimmel Township

Liberty Township

Pavia Township

Woodbury Township

Blair County

Allegheny Township

Blair Township

Catharine Township

Frankstown Township

Freedom Township

Greenfield Township

Huston Township

Juniata Township

N. Woodbury Township

Taylor Township

Tyrone Township

Woodbury Township