About Bailey County Electric         Cooperative Association

 BCEC had its beginning in June, 1938, when our country was coming out of the "great depression" and suffering drought conditions on a local basis. William G. Kennedy, Walter Damson, I.F. Willman, and Levi Churchill     contacted attorney, Cecil Tate of Muleshoe, to ask him to check into the Rural Electrification laws that had been enacted by Congress. The local leaders got a group of interested citizens together and, soon, plans were formulated to operate a self-service electric utility as a cooperative.        

The Articles of Incorporation were drawn up and signed on August 30, of the same year. The application was approved by the Secretary of the State of Texas on September 7, 1938-thus, the organization was chartered to do business under the cooperative's laws of Texas.

On September 21, local people met and accepted the "Articles of Incorporation" and "By-Laws", and elected a Board of Directors. William G. Kennedy, Walter Damson, I.F. Willman, Levi Churchill, Otto Treider, Walter Damron, Mrs. M.A. Snider, and Mrs. Walter Rector were the first Board of Directors for Bailey County Electric.

At a Board meeting on November 7, 1938, Cecil Tate was appointed attorney for the Cooperative and remained their legal counsel until his death on  September 15, 1966. At the same Board meeting, an application was made to REA to rent an office, buy furniture, and set bonds and insurance.

Cecil McLaury was hired as project superintendent on September 15, 1938. The first load contract was executed in November, 1938 for $178,000.00. Mortgage notes and a deed of trust were signed for up to $1,500,000.00. The Muleshoe State Bank was named as depository and W.G. Morrison of Waco, Texas was appointed as consulting engineer.        

Plans and specifications for the first section of line to be built were approved in December of 1938. The first construction contract was awarded to J.D. Morgan & Sons of El Paso, Texas. The first wholesale power contract was with Texas-New Mexico utilities.

    The old Panhandle Lumber Company building in Muleshoe was used as the first Co-op office and a 1938 Chevrolet 3/4 ton pickup was purchased as the first Co-op vehicle. Tom Berry was hired in August of 1939 as the first Lineman.                        

    In October of 1939, the first 100 miles of line had been erected. 362 members saw a dream come true  on November 10, 1939 ,when 249 miles of line were energized for the first time.    

From this humble beginning, Bailey County Electric Cooperative has grown and expanded to 2,700 miles of line serving about 1,800 members in Bailey, Castro, Cochran, Lamb and Parmer Counties.

Our current membership list still carries five members who put up their $5.00 membership fee in 1938 and whose lines were constructed with the first loan funds.