Committee Holds Hearing on Governance and Financial Accountability of Rural Cooperatives: The Pedernales Experience

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing titled, “Governance and Financial Accountability of Rural Cooperatives: The Pedernales Experience” on Thursday, June 26, 2008, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.

The hearing examined questionable practices at the Pedernales Electric Cooperative and whether the Pedernales experience provides insight into the practices employed by other electric cooperatives around the country. A preliminary transcript of this hearing is now available.

• The Honorable Troy Fraser, Chair, Business and Commerce Committee, Texas Senate
• The Honorable Patrick Rose, Texas House of Representatives
• Mr. John Watson, member of Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Mr. Carlos Higgins, member of Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Mr. Juan Garza, current General Manager of Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Mr. Glenn English, CEO of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

In addition, the following two witnesses have been subpoenaed to appear before the Committee:

• Mr. Bennie Fuelberg, former General Manager of Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Mr. W.W. "Bud" Burnett, former President of the Board of Pedernales Electric Cooperative