2023 Rural Telephone Annual Meeting

May 23, 2023

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The Bylaws of the Cooperative provide for the nomination of Directors and election at the Annual Meeting of the Members. The Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at the Nex-Tech Community Gymnasium, 235 S. Chapman, Lenora, Kansas, with a live streaming option.

In May, Cooperative Members will receive official notice of the Annual Membership Meeting. The past practice of mailing this notice is transitioning to electronic communication. Please visit www.nex-tech.com/meeting to provide your email address to receive the latest communication and updates.

Election of Directors:

In accordance with Article IV, Section 4.2 of the Bylaws (www.nex-tech.com/about), the Cooperative exchange areas shall be divided into zones for the purpose of election and representation by the Board of Directors. The Directors will serve a full term of three (3) years.

Zones slated for election at the 2023 Annual Meeting and the current Board representatives are:

•  Zone 2:    Kirk Johnston – WaKeeney, Victoria, Galatia, Olmitz
•  Zone 6:    Ron Rahjes – Agra, Kensington, Athol, Gaylord, Lebanon, Esbon, Burr Oak, Ionia, Webber, Republic, Courtland

Nominations may be made as stated in Article IV, Section 4.4. Nomination of Directors: It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to appoint, not less than sixty (60) days before the date of the Annual Meeting of the Members at which Directors are to be elected, a committee on nominations consisting of at least three (3) members.

The committee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the Cooperative, not less than thirty (30) days before the meeting, a list of nominations for Directors. At least one (1) candidate shall be nominated for each open position.

Any fifteen (15) or more members acting together may make other nominations by petition, not less than 10 (ten) days prior to the meeting, and the Secretary shall post such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations made by the committee is posted.

The Secretary shall be responsible for sending with the notice of the meeting, or separately, but at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, a statement of the number of Board members to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates nominated by the committee on nominations.

To be qualified and serve as a Director, a person must:

1. Be a member of the Cooperative; and
2. Maintain his/her principal address within the zone represented, or to be represented, by him or her, and have done so for at least two (2) consecutive years immediately prior to nomination, and reside in his/her principal residence at least nine (9) months per year; and
3. Not be an employee of the Cooperative; and
4. Not be closely related to an incumbent Director or an employee of the Cooperative; and
5. Not have been convicted of a felony or of any criminal offense involving dishonesty or breach of trust; and
6. Not be in any way employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise or a business engaged in selling competing service or supplies, or constructing or maintaining competing facilities. Ownership of stock traded on a major stock exchange shall not be a violation of this subsection.