District Meetings & Elections

DISTRICT MEETINGS/ELECTIONS

SECO Energy’s service area is divided into nine geographic Districts. Each District is entitled to one Trustee to represent it in Cooperative affairs on the Board. Every year, three District Meetings are held to elect Trustees. SECO Energy is holding District Meetings/elections in Districts 1, 3, and 5. Drive-thru voting is available at each meeting – we hope you will join us! At the conclusion of each meeting, a drawing will be held from all registered attendees for three (3) $250 and twenty (20) $25 electric bill credits. Winners will be notified the following week based on their notification preferences set in StormCenter.

Cooperatives like SECO Energy that continue to hold District Meetings/elections require members to physically attend their District Meeting and cast a vote for a Trustee candidate, per Florida Statute. Due to the Statute and SECO’s Bylaws, members currently cannot cast a vote online, by phone or by mail.

DISTRICT MEETING AND ELECTION REQUIREMENTS

The following registration requirements ensure election compliance:

Only the person, or the spouse of the person, whose name appears on the official Cooperative records may register to vote at a District Meeting. Members with more than one account may only vote once.
Each member or member’s spouse must present identification at the time of registration.
Voting by members other than members who are natural persons (e.g. corporations or other entities) shall be allowed upon presentation of satisfactory evidence entitling the person to vote on behalf of the member.
Please bring this notice or your SECO bill and photo ID to the meeting. SECO Energy does not endorse any candidate.

Review your District Notice for candidacy information and for dates when candidate profiles will post below.

District 1 Notice

District 3 Notice

District 5 Notice

CANDIDATE PROFILES

District 4

James LaMotte

1. What are your qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees?

I have worked in public education in Marion County for 26 + years on the support side. I have worked my way up to an Area Coordinator position. I handle the custodial and grounds at 25 sites. I manage approximately 1oo employees and work with administrators to be sure we are delivering the best customer experience possible with limited resources, while working within my budget. I have worked with purchasing to write bids for our department. I create and provide management/employee training. I balance concerns from the public, administration, and employees to keep a productive environment that serves all. I have been the President of the SECO Foundation Board since it's inception. With these experiences I am confident that I meet the qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees. I have a clear understanding of foundation principles and I am passionate about SECO Energy's mission.

2. How long have you been a SECO member and what do you know about the cooperative business model?

I have been a SECO member for approximately 30 years. Additionally I was a member of Central Florida Electric Co-op for 6 years. Cooperative business models are non-profit organizations that serve their community as well as their members/customers. Their membership consists of autonomous individuals all of which hold a stake in the organization. An energy cooperative is entirely owned and governed by it's members. All members play a part in deciding on matters of governance and how the co-op delivers its services. As the cooperative evolves the customers/members benefit directly. Most cooperatives center around core values such as democratic member control, autonomy and independence, education/ training/information, and concern for the community. Energy co-ops account for over 33% of the U.S. electric industry establishing them as notable players in the renewable energy movement.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the energy industry will face over the next ten years?

There are several challenges facing the energy industry.

1) Increasing demand for energy.
2) Energy price volatility.
3) Grid security.
4) Technology-new power plants must incorporate the latest technology to be more efficient.
5) Financing of new power plants and substations.

4. As a Trustee, you may directly receive calls and complaints from members, how would you respond?

In my experiences with SECO Energy, the employees have always given excellent customer service. However, If I am called I would listen to the members concern in it's entirety and I would respond with a serving attitude. I would tell them I will look into the matter right away and follow up with them when I had answers. I would then contact the appropriate department with the concern and ask them to reach out to the member then call or email me the results. When that occurred I would follow up with the member. As an elected trustee I would work to find an acceptable resolution for SECO and the member.

Richard McGinley

1. What are your qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees?

I have an engineering background. I have worked for several utilities in the production of electricity at nuclear plants.

2. How long have you been a SECO member and what do you know about the cooperative business model?

My family has had a SECO account since 1964 – 60 years. I have been a member since 2000.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the energy industry will face over the next ten years?

Supply of affordable energy. Protection of our energy grid. Keep up with the demands of growth in our area.

4. As a Trustee, you may directly receive calls and complaints from members, how would you respond?

With respect to the caller and consideration to their problems.

CANDIDATE PROFILES

District 1

Scott Boyatt

1. What are your qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees?

I currently serve as the board Vice President and have been on the board for 12 years.

2. How long have you been a SECO member and what do you know about the cooperative business model?

I have been a SECO member since 2004. I am very familiar with the cooperative business model. The cooperative business model allows all of us to be members and not just customers. The democratic voting process allows us to elect our district trustees and participate in the annual meeting voting process. Also, the cooperative is a not-for-profit organization and provides capital credits to its members.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the energy industry will face over the next ten years?

The biggest challenge to the energy industry is to maintain the safety required to operate in a very dangerous business. The other challenges are storm restoration and keeping the energy cost low.

4. As a Trustee, you may directly receive calls and complaints from members, how would you respond?

As a trustee, I would speak to each member and respond to the complaints by directing them to the appropriate member of the SECO team. I would follow up to make sure their issue has been addressed.

William Petersen

1. What are your qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees?

I have served on the board for the local ambulance corp and now serve on the city council of Clermont.

2. How long have you been a SECO member and what do you know about the cooperative business model?

I have been a member of SECO for 20 years. There are five principles of the model: 1-Membership Ownership, 2-Non-Profit Orientation, 3-Democratic Control, 4-Local Focus, and 5-Service Reliability.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the energy industry will face over the next ten years?

1-Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation; 2-Energy Storage and Technological Innovation.

4. As a Trustee, you may directly receive calls and complaints from members, how would you respond?

I would want to have transparency in all communication.

District 5

Joseph Wendt

1. What are your qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees?

I am a member and willing to help my fellow members.

2. How long have you been a SECO member and what do you know about the cooperative business model?

Since 2020 - I know SECO Energy is a co-op and is member-owned.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the energy industry will face over the next ten years?

Keeping energy costs down while providing enough energy for our members.

4. As a Trustee, you may directly receive calls and complaints from members, how would you respond?

Address their concerns as politely as possible and see what I can do to help them.

Leslie Shannon Wright

1. What are your qualifications to serve on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees?

I am a SECO member and a resident in District 5. It was an honor to be elected in 2022 by the District 5 members to serve as their Trustee. In my first year, I completed all levels of certification required of Trustees, achieving Director Gold status. I have maintained this status through advanced continuing education. I have gained a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the operations of SECO Energy and have the highest respect for all employees. As a Trustee, I have been given the opportunity to serve as a member of the statewide Florida Electric Cooperatives Association (FECA). I currently serve as the Vice-Chair of the Finance and Administrative Committee and was recently elected to serve on the FECA Executive Committee. My commitment to accountability and responsiveness is still priority ONE to ensure member satisfaction, not only to District 5 members but to ALL members of SECO Energy.

2. How long have you been a SECO member and what do you know about the cooperative business model?

I have been a SECO member since March 2014. SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that is owned and governed by its members. SECO rates are designed to meet local needs, cover operating expenses and purchased power costs. After all operating costs are satisfied, any existing profits are returned to members in the form of capital credits.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the energy industry will face over the next ten years?

In one word, sustainability. Population growth in our state and nationally will continue to challenge every option for energy production. There have been and will continue to be increases in fuel costs for energy production. Even with renewable resources, such as wind and solar, problematic challenges will still exist, as residential/commercial development will consume land uses prohibiting renewable resources. SECO Energy and all electric cooperatives in Florida advocate for providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity, in addition to offering resources for efficient use of power in homes and businesses. We must keep open lines of communication and continue to work together as a team to make every energy option affordable for all.

4. As a Trustee, you may directly receive calls and complaints from members, how would you respond?

As I have done and will continue to do in the future, I will contact the member to listen to their complaint first. Having the complaint information, I would contact the appropriate SECO personnel to have them contact the member in order to resolve the complaint. I would then follow up with both the member and SECO personnel to assure the complaint was resolved.

District Map

SECO’s service territory is divided into nine Districts. Each District has a member-elected Trustee. Use our interactive map to determine this by entering your service address in the color-coded map below. If you’re a member who is interested in serving on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees, please complete the application for candidacy. Applicants must meet the qualifications to become a Trustee.

Trustee Candidate Application Form

District Meetings and Elections