Members Elect New Trustees & Pass Bylaw Changes Following 2026 Annual Meeting

GREAT BEND–Members of Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC) have elected four incumbents to its 10-member board and passed bylaw revisions. 

Results were announced at this year’s 2026 Annual Meeting, held April 22, in Great Bend, Kan., and at seven remote meeting locations across southwest and central Kansas. 

Members of the electric cooperative have elected the following four individuals: Lynn Freese (2061 W. Road 230, Scott City, Kan.), District 1; Josh Young (112 S. Genesse, Leoti, Kan.), District 2; Stacey Addison-Howland (911 N. Norris, Syracuse, Kan.), District 4; and John Kleysteuber (6310 E. Old Post Road, Garden City, Kan.), District 5. 

All four WEC trustees were nominated by WEC’s nominating committee, comprised of seven co-op members, each representing one of the cooperative’s seven districts across southwest and central Kansas. 

This year’s election ballots received by mail represent a total of 6.53% of the co-op voting membership overall (1,274 returned ballots received from an eligible 19,515 voters). Survey and Ballot Systems, an independent third-party, conducted this year’s election. 

A total of 603 individuals (including co-op members, members by proxy, special guests, and other non-members) were in attendance at the April 22 meeting across eight locations: Scott City, Leoti, Tribune, Syracuse, Garden City, Great Bend, Harper, and Caldwell. This represents a 10% increase in attendance over last year. Of this year’s total, 423 attendees were registered WEC members. 

During the meeting, members voted 277-21in favor of approving proposed amendments to the cooperative’s bylaws. The WEC Board of Trustees had unanimously recommended a bylaw revision to create special rules for how capital credits are handled for very large electric loads — specifically accounts with loads larger than 50 MW. 

This revision would ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place that protect the payment of capital credits, so existing members are not exposed to undue risk. While very large loads are responsible for all upfront system upgrade costs, their size relative to WEC’s system introduces long-term financial and operational considerations. 

This year’s annual meeting theme, “This is Wheatland: A Defining Year, A Trusted Cooperative,” celebrated what makes the cooperative whole — every piece, every connection, every member. The past year was truly a defining one, shaped by the core elements of reliability, trust, service, community, and democracy — each essential, and each connected. Rooted in the Seven Cooperative Principles, WEC remains focused on serving its members while upholding its core values of service, innovation and community. 

Members at all meeting locations were able to ask questions and offer comments in real time as they viewed the primary meeting location in Great Bend. Attendees also enjoyed a catered meal at every location and took home an electric warming mat as a thank you. 

Director of Member Services and Corporate Communications Alli Conine also presented awards to 14 high school seniors from across WEC’s service territory who were recipients of $1,000 scholarships. High school juniors who were selected to attend the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington D.C., and Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in Steamboat Springs, Colo., later this year were also recognized. 

In addition, Mark Arnold, WEC trustee and board president, recognized several WEC employees and trustees for their dedication to the cooperative, ranging from five years to 35 years of service. 

The primary new business discussed at this year’s meeting was the announcement of trustee election results and voting for proposed bylaw changes. 

An annual meeting summary video, 2025 financial report, and the 2025 Annual Report, distributed to those in attendance, can now be viewed or downloaded at www.weci.net/annual-meetings. 

WEC thanks all members in attendance. Members with questions are free to contact their local office or send their questions to memberservices@weci.net.