Beltrami Electric Cooperative held its 83rd annual meeting on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at the Beltrami County Fairgrounds. More than 1,600 members and guests attended Beltrami Electric’s Night at the Fair, which included a live high voltage safety demonstration and bucket truck rides for kids.

Members attended the business meeting at the Marilyn Shutter Country Stage, which featured a financial update from Director of Finance and Corporate Services Arlene Hogquist, as well as a cooperative update from President and CEO Jared Echternach. Beltrami Electric’s Youth Tour Delegate for 2023, Elena Harmsen, spoke about her trip to Washington, D.C. Communications Specialist Angela Lyseng presented on the success of the co-op’s Operation Round Up program.

The members of the cooperative elected three directors to the board, which included incumbents Charlie Perkins (District 2), Craig Gaasvig (District 4), and Rick Coe (District 6). In addition, the 2022 annual meeting minutes were approved by majority vote of the members.

Beltrami Electric sponsored a free concert in the grandstand, where fairgoers thoroughly enjoyed the Waddington Brothers, a versatile acoustic group who played a variety of bluegrass, cowboy songs and gospel music.