DATO CLAVE: Gobernanza del Consejo
Understanding fiduciary responsibilities, accountability, and the role of your elected OPALCO Board.
The Board governs, the General Manager manages, and independent professionals provide checks and balances. The OPALCO Board is elected by the membership to serve 3-year terms on a rotating basis by district. All members vote for all districts.
OPALCO’s seven elected Board members have a fiduciary responsibility to protect the interests of the cooperative and its entire membership. The Board establishes policies, sets strategic direction, oversees financial performance, and manages the General Manager.
The Board relies on qualified professionals, including the General Manager, independent external auditor, legal counsel, and federal lender oversight, to provide the expertise, independent review, and accountability necessary to operate a complex utility organization. The General Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.
The Board’s primary responsibilities include:
- Establishing the cooperative’s strategic direction, policies, and priorities
- Hiring, overseeing, and evaluating the General Manager
- Reviewing financial performance, budgets, and major capital investments
- Monitoring organizational performance, risks, and financial stability
- Ensuring appropriate legal, financial, and operational accountability
- Maintaining access to independent professional advice and oversight
- Protecting the long-term interests of the entire membership
The Board delegates day-to-day operational responsibility to the General Manager, who is accountable for managing OPALCO and Rock Island in accordance with the Board’s policies and strategic direction.
This separation of responsibilities is fundamental to effective cooperative governance.
The Board establishes what the cooperative is expected to accomplish and holds management accountable for results. The General Manager determines how to accomplish those objectives within the authority delegated by the Board.
OPALCO operates under a layered set of governing authorities as follows: Washington State Law, Articles of Incorporation, OPALCO Estatutos, y OPALCO policies.