Flathead Electric Co-op announces election results

Hungry Horse News

Results from the Flathead Electric Co-op election have been announced.

In District No. 2 Jake Van Houten (Lower Valley, Somers, Lakeside, Creston, Rollins, and Cooke City) won the seat receiving 3,254 votes over incumbent Charlotte Housel who received 2,760 votes. Challenger Mark Liechti received 649 votes. In District No. 3 (Whitefish, Big Mountain, Olney) incumbent Jay Downen received 4,589 votes to challenger Curran Edland’s 2,076. Alan Ruby of District No. 5  (Kalispell, North of U.S. Highway 2) ran unopposed with 6,224 votes.

Voters overwhelmingly passed a series of amendments to the bylaws, with 5,101- 356. Passing these amendments will allow for technological progress (such as the option of electronic voting) and flexibility on when the annual meeting is held, among other advancements.

The bylaws also curtailed voting by corporations.

In a separate matter, Trustees have filled a vacancy on the Co-op Board.

Steve Streich of Kalispell was selected to fill the District No. 4  (Helena Flats, Columbia Falls Stage) vacancy following the February resignation of Trustee Doug Grob. The board accepted applications for a representative, and after a series of interviews, selected Streich, who owns and operates Streich Farms, a Montana seed potato farm that has been family owned and operated for nearly 70 years. He has also served as a board member for cooperative businesses for many years, including CHS-Mountain West Cooperative and Flathead Farm Mutual. Streich will serve as Trustee until the 2022 Annual Meeting, at which time a District No. 4 Trustee will be elected by the members. 

For more information about the Co-op’s Board of Trustees and their districts, visit https://www.flatheadelectric.com/about/board/.