Wayne Overton Resigns From OTEC Board of Directors

Baker City, Oregon — Wayne Overton has resigned from the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) Board of Directors. He had represented Baker County in Position 5 since 2015 and served as the board’s vice president in 2020. A general contractor and auctioneer, he has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Baker County youth programs and families.
In his September 8 resignation letter, Overton said he is stepping down to take on his family’s cattle ranch and help care for his father.
“The decision to resign did not come easy, however at this time I feel it’s in the best interest of OTEC and the members that I respect and represent,” Overton wrote. “I am genuinely grateful for the eleven and a half years I have been able to serve as director and look forward to what possibilities the future might hold.”

Under OTEC’s bylaws, the board has the duty to appoint a director to fill the remainder of the term for Position 5, which ends in 2027. Article III, Section 6 states: “Vacancies, other than those occurring as the result of expiration of term, in the Board shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining directors. The term of the member thus appointed to the Board shall be the unexpired portion of the term of the director he or she is appointed to fill. The member thus appointed as director to fill a vacancy must be qualified for election as a director from that district.”

The board will accept applications from Baker County member-owners beginning Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
An applicant must be an OTEC member, and membership follows the name on the OTEC bill. If the bill is in a spouse’s name only, the spouse is the member, not the applicant. A membership can be converted to a joint membership in both names on written request, so anyone unsure whose name is on the bill should check with OTEC before applying.

Starting September 22, the application and director qualifications will be posted at otec.coop, and the application can be completed and submitted online. Paper applications can be mailed to OTEC, 4005 23rd Street, Baker City, OR 97814, or dropped off at any OTEC office. For questions, call OTEC’s office at 541-524-2827.

The board will review every application and expects the new director to join the board at its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

OTEC’s bylaws are posted under Bylaws & Tariffs at www.otec.coop/about-otec#board.