Burnet County to pick new PEC director

Three candidates are running for the District 5 seat on the Pedernales Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Voting is open from May 21 to 5 p.m. June 13. 

Alice Price, Douglas A. Vandiford II, and Milton Scott Powell are vying for the District 5 seat, which represents Burnet County and is currently held by former Burnet County Judge James Oakley, who has termed out.

PEC members can vote for candidates online by logging in, in-person in the Marble Falls office at 4302 U.S. 281 North, or by mail via a ballot sent to their home address. Learn more about voting on the PEC website. 

The PEC Board of Directors oversees the co-op’s budget and sets the rates and terms for electric service for members. Each director serves three-year terms, with a limit of four consecutive terms. 

DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES

The following candidates will appear in the same order on the ballot. The information presented for each candidate was collected by PEC. Bios have been edited for space. The candidates’ complete responses to questions follow. 

ALICE PRICE

Price recently served an assistant district attorney specializing in Asset and Bond Forfeiture Law for the 424th/33rd District Attorney’s Office, which serves Burnet, Llano, San Saba, and Blanco counties. She lives on her family’s ranch in Burnet County, where she and her husband raise cattle.

Price earned a degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin in 1989 and a law degree in 1992. She previously worked with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Special Prosecution Unit, handling cases related to violent crimes across multiple counties.

Price served as a commissioner for Burnet County’s Emergency Services District No. 8, overseeing policy, budgeting, and regulatory compliance. She has also contributed to local organizations, including the Clear Lake Library Board, American Cancer Society, Clear Lake Little League Baseball, Central Texas Youth Football League, Burnet Youth Football League, Parent-Teacher Association, and Lions Club of Burnet.

Her stated goals include maintaining low electric rates, improving public engagement through PEC’s HUB app, expanding scholarship and vocational programs, promoting financial transparency, and educating members about infrastructure costs. Read her full bio here.

QUESTION 1: What makes PEC’s mission meaningful to you, and what interests you about serving on the PEC Board of Directors?

PRICE: I have a deep commitment to secure affordable and reliable energy for our community, inspired by my grandparents’ experiences during the early days of electrification. I believe that electricity is a privilege, not an entitlement. I am seeking a PEC directorship to continue democratic governance, strengthen vital community programs, and promote continuous education for a sustainable future.

QUESTION 2: What education, skills, strengths or life experiences do you have that would benefit PEC?

PRICE: I grew up in Burnet County, which gave me a deep connection to our community and a strong sense of responsibility for its well-being. Earning my law degree gave me the tools to tackle tough challenges and navigate complex laws and regulations. As an assistant district attorney, I’ve honed my skills in making fair, transparent decisions and handling pressure. Plus, my role as a commissioner for ESD No. 8 has helped me better understand how to serve our region and plan strategically for the future. I am your hometown candidate, and I care for these members and their families.

QUESTION 3: What other boards or committees have you served on or leadership positions have you held in the past?

PRICE: I have had the honor of serving as a commissioner on the Northeast Burnet County Emergency Services District No. 8 board for the past three years. This role has provided me with direct experience in budgeting, strategic planning, and overseeing the policies and procedures of the department.

QUESTION 4: Are you familiar with the elements of the cooperative business model?

PRICE: Yes. The cooperative business model in Texas ensures electricity in historically underserved areas. Member-owned nonprofits reinvest proceeds to provide reliable power, infrastructure, education, and community programs. Our parents and grandparents built these co-ops to guarantee that even rural areas would always have access to electricity, securing a stable future for generations.

QUESTION 5: How would you approach working with your fellow PEC directors to achieve collaboration and consensus?

PRICE: I would start by listening to the current board members to understand their perspectives, priorities, and concerns. Building on that, I’d focus on open communication, collaboration, and aligning our efforts with shared goals to serve the co-op effectively. I’d aim to foster trust and teamwork while ensuring decisions are data-driven and in the best interest of the members.

DOUGLAS A. VANDIFORD II

Vandiford is an attorney based in Marble Falls, currently working with one of the state’s largest firms. He represents Texas-based businesses with domestic and international interests. He lives in the city with his wife and two daughters.

Vandiford has over 20 years of legal experience advising businesses of various sizes. One of his daughters is studying engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and is expected to graduate in 2025. The other daughter participates in theater, choir, and tennis at Marble Falls High School. Read his full bio here. 

QUESTION 1: What makes PEC’s mission meaningful to you, and what interests you about serving on the PEC Board of Directors?

VANDIFORD: I am passionate about citizens as the bedrock of American democracy. I am committed preserving and advancing the quality of life in our Hill Country communities.

QUESTION 2: What education, skills, strengths or life experiences do you have that would benefit PEC?

VANDIFORD: As an attorney at one of Texas’ oldest and largest law firms, I have the honor of representing and advising some of Texas’ vital employers in a variety of essential fields, including energy and technology. Our firm even represents the State of Texas in civil matters at the request of the Texas (Attorney General’s) office.

QUESTION 3: What other boards or committees have you served on or leadership positions have you held in the past?

VANDIFORD: I am an Eagle Scout. I served on (Boy Scouts) troop committee boards.

QUESTION 4: Are you familiar with the elements of the cooperative business model?

VANDIFORD: Yes.

QUESTION 5: How would you approach working with your fellow PEC directors to achieve collaboration and consensus?

VANDIFORD: I believe we were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. I endeavor to ask questions and to be an active listener, first. I will see to understand before seeking to be understood.

MILTON SCOTT POWELL

Powell is a retired division vice president of a Fortune 500 company, where he held full profit and loss responsibilities and managed energy sector projects with budgets up to $750 million. He lives in Horseshoe Bay and has been a PEC member for 14 years.

Powell graduated from the Texas A&M Maritime Academy with degrees in marine engineering and business administration and later earned a master’s degree in industrial safety from the University of Houston. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master Mariner’s License and has completed professional development programs at institutions such as Harvard Business School, University of St. Thomas, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and Villanova School of Law.

Early in his career, Powell sailed tankers internationally. He later worked on disaster responses, infrastructure development, and well control in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and the Arctic. He has experience in contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, safety management, and risk assessment. He has conducted infrastructure security reviews post-9/11 and developed related protocols.

Powell has published in trade journals and presented at international conferences. He has been recognized with honorary designations from the Texas Navy and the Naval Order of the United States. He is affiliated with the National Eagle Scout Association and supports the Sea Scouts program. Read his full bio here.

QUESTION 1: What makes PEC’s mission meaningful to you, and what interests you about serving on the PEC Board of Directors?

POWELL: With a career spanning over 45 years in the energy and energy transportation industries as a problem solver in senior management roles, I have the proven management skills and working within a board environment to represent the desires of the membership and help guide the co-op to deliver low-cost, reliable energy, while meeting safety and environmental considerations while making sure the PEC continues to improve as a leader in the electrical service provider industry.

QUESTION 2: What education, skills, strengths or life experiences do you have that would benefit PEC?

POWELL: Professional credentials include honest with integrity, good listener and respectful to all. Degrees in marine engineering and business administration. Master’s degree in industrial safety. Holds a highly respected United States Coast Guard master mariner’s license. Continuing professional development courses included The Harvard School of Business in Contract Negotiations, The University of St. Thomas in International Trade and Finance, MMA School of Environmental Studies environmental management program, and Villanova School of Law’s program in government contracts.  The combination of engineering, business and management skills formed a solid basis for transition into corporate leadership and the management of interfaces with and expectations of major energy company clients as well as local, state and federal governmental entities. Major projects have required interactions with governmental agencies, working with mayors, governors, members of Congress and political appointees, all who had a stake in the success of multi-million dollar projects.  

QUESTION 3: What other boards or committees have you served on or leadership positions have you held in the past?

POWELL: 

• President and chairman of the board—Texas Navy Association—1,250-member Association
• Division vice president and general manager—Superior Energy/Wild Well Control a 1,000-man Division
• Chairman—Bayside Technical Solutions and Engineering
• Managing director—Marine Response Alliance—worldwide responsibility
• Director—Marine Response Alliance
• Director—Arctic Salvage Research Foundation
• 10 years on Shell Oil international Safety Advisory Committee
• 7 years on EXXON Safety Advisory Committee
• DOE Pipeline and Energy Threat Assessment and Protection review Subcommittee

QUESTION 4: Are you familiar with the elements of the cooperative business model?

POWELL: Yes.

QUESTION 5: How would you approach working with your fellow PEC directors to achieve collaboration and consensus?

POWELL: Each director is elected by the members from the district in which they reside for the purpose of representing their membership and the specific needs of their districts. The makeup of the districts varies from urban, suburban to rural, and understanding the differing needs of their district members is vital to use as a decision-making platform when collaborating within the collective board. To achieve consensus through collaboration involves being able to clearly represent your members’ needs in the decision-making process and finding the correct final answer that fits the PEC as a whole.

To learn more about the PEC Board of Directors District 5 election, contact 830-868-4967 or email election@peci.com.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said James Oakley chose not to run for re-election. Oakley has actually reached the limit of terms for a PEC director and cannot run again. DailyTrib.com apologizes for the error.

elizabeth@thepicayune.com