ORECA’s 70th Anniversary is fast approaching. Incorporated in 1942, the association has been the political arm of Oregon’s electric cooperatives since the beginning. In honor of its 70th birthday, a committee has been established to make recommendations on how best to celebrate the occasion. Some preliminary ideas include publication of a history of ORECA, development of various historical collections to be housed at ORECA’s office, including: photographs and brief bios of the pioneers responsible for the electrification of rural Oregon—think of this as your co-op’s Founder(s); photos from each co-op reflecting their unique ‘personalities’ (think people and geography, communities served and the co-op’s involvement in those communities, along with anything special about the area and its people).
Beginnings... On June 6, 1942 individuals representing five member cooperatives signed ORECA’s Articles of Incorporation. These ORECA Founders were: V.A. Parker, Blachly-Lane Electric; James E. Paddock, Lane Electric; Ivan C. Laird, Coos-Curry Electric; George W. Hendrix, Benton-Lincoln Electric and J.B. Rader, Douglas Electric.
ORECA’s first Annual meeting was held at The Marion Hotel in Salem on March 16, 1943. All but one of the original incorporators attended the meeting. Paddock, from Lane, wasn’t there, but the co-op was represented by Ronald W. Buford (the minutes inform us that he was late in arriving). Parker from Blachly was joined by Frank Savage, Benton-Lincoln’s Hendrix was there along with Guy Thomas, Mr. Adams joined J.B. Rader from Douglas and Mr. Connarn joined Ivan Laird from Coos- Curry.
Other co-ops and their representatives were: Mr. Briles and Mr. Johnson from N.E. Clackamas Co-op; by Eric Johnson and Mr. Meyer for Wasco and Ray Wooley represented Umatilla Electric. Also in attendance were REA staffers Mr. Keffer and Clark Johnson (who would serve as Manager of Salem Electric from 1965-68)
At that first meeting, V.A. Parker of Blachly-Lane was elected to serve a second year as President—telling us that he was our George Washington. Mr. Meyer of Wasco was elected Vice President (it’s unclear if it was his first election) and Phoebe Hocken was elected to replace Ronald Buford as Secretary Treasurer.
It appears the biggest political issue of the day was achieving tax exemption from the state, which appears to have been met with success. This was presumably state income tax and was replaced by a 2% tax which was probably on gross revenue. There had been a meeting with and correspondence between ORECA and Governor Earl Snell on the tax issue which was reported on during the meeting. The State Grange and the League of Oregon Cities had been helpful in getting legislation passed. Action was taken to approve paying board members, who worked on the legislation, $10 a day plus $5 a day for expenses and 5 cents/mile.
Mr. Hendrix of Benton-Lincoln Co-op "talked of the necessity of educating the people of the State as to what the Cooperative is doing so that our position in state affairs will be much more secure." Doesn’t that sound kind of familiar?
Dues for the coming year were set at 10 cents/consumer served in the state on the last day of the year.
Other issues covered included the effort to get all of the state’s electric co-ops to join the statewide, a report on REA’s "Unelectrified Farm Survey," Ivan Laird said he believed managers should have a vote in the organization as well as board members, and the importance of getting co-op board members to serve on County War Boards.
Three co-op representatives had attended the NRECA Annual Meeting in St. Louis and they made a pitch for each co-op Manager, along with a board member, attending future meetings. The three were Mr. Adams of Douglas, Mr. Connern of Coos-Curry and Mr. Meyers of Wasco. Just prior to adjournment, action was taken to ask that Mr. Parker and Mr. Savage "stay over in Salem for the night and see Governor Snell in the morning, urging him to sign our Bill No. 393" (the tax bill).
Bob Speckman, CEO Salem Electric