SNUBBED BOARD MEMBER RE-ELECTED TO OZARK CO-OP

POPLAR BLUFF -- With the Stoddard County contingent leading the way, the general membership of Ozark Border Electric Cooperative Saturday afternoon re-elected a Dexter-area man to the agency's board of directors.

The overwhelming re-election of Bill Silliman -- and the election of three others on an alternate slate -- was seen by many as a reflection of the general membership's shaken confidence in the cooperative's policy makers.

The board's Nominating Committee had opted not to include Silliman with the three other incumbents up for re-election at Saturday's annual meeting, held in the Bess Activity Center on the campus of Three Rivers Community College.

Silliman earned the second-highest number of votes with 1,326. Getting the most votes was Mark Yarbro of Butler County, who received 1,409. Curtis Webb of Ripley County received 1,324 and Tim Yates of Wayne County tallied 1,310.

By electing the alternate slate of candidates, the general membership removed one-fourth of the 12-member board, including Chairman Bob Griffin, longtime board member Ray Thomas, and Maxine Duckett, the only woman on the panel. Thomas leaves the board after 39 years.

Running eighth in the vote total was Gerald Malin, who was on the slate with the three incumbents.

Silliman was surrounded by supporters after the meeting ended. He said the show of support was gratifying. "They sure turned out, didn't they?" he said.

A record number of Ozark Border customers -- who make up the general membership -- turned out for the event. Ozark General Manager Stan Estes said most annual meetings only attract about 1,300 members. On Saturday, 2,234 members registered to cast ballots in the directors' race and on an amendment to the cooperative's bylaws.

Estes said the large crowd arrived early for the day's activities. "It's quite a few, especially for this time of day," he said, referring to the full house at 1:10 p.m.

Indeed, cooperative members would drift in and out of the activities for the next few hours. some were arriving after 3 p.m., asking if there was still time to vote.

Estes estimated that as many as 4,000 people were crammed into the activity center.

In addition to casting their votes in the directors' race, many of the cooperative's members attended the meeting to voice their concern about the proposed territory swap between Ozark Border and AmerenUE. The controversial deal even brought out some Stoddard Countians who would not be affected by the customer swap.

"I'm not in the area, but my parents are," said Kim Cook, the daughter of Linda and Gary Davis. "Nine years ago, they paid Ozark Border to run power to their place and now they (Ozark) are wanting to trade (territory). It's wrong; it's just wrong."