The Annual Meeting is held to elect board trustees, give reports covering the previous year and allow members to meet engage with their cooperative. At the Annual Meeting, trustees to succeed those whose terms have expired shall be elected by ballot.
In 2024, members voted to accept the proposed bylaw change to accept nominations for the board solely through petition. Before the change, Pioneer Electric utilized a “Committee on Nominations” to elect nominees for its board of trustees, voted on by the membership at the cooperative’s annual meeting. The approved bylaw change now stipulates that nominations be accepted by petition only.
Districts up for election in 2025 are Districts 5, 6, and 9.
District 6: James N. Bell (Incumbent), Misty Slemp (Nominee) and Blake A. Wiswell (Nominee)
James N. Bell was born in 1938 in Moscow, Kansas, the sixth of 10 children to William and Mary Bell. He has lived in Moscow his entire life. At the age of 21, he joined the U.S. Navy, where he proudly served for 4½ years before being honorably discharged in December 1963.
In 1978, he began working for Panhandle Eastern, which was later acquired by Duke Energy. He retired from there in 2002.
He has been married to his wife, Lorene, for 60 years, and together have raised their three children in Moscow. They are blessed with four wonderful grandchildren, three granddaughters and one grandson.
Community service has always been important to him. He has served on the Pioneer Electric Board since 2010, was a Stevens County Commissioner for four years, and currently serves as the president of the Stevens County Museum Board. For the past six years, He has also been a member of the Senior Citizen Board.
Misty Slemp was born on Aug. 14, 1965, in Guymon, Oklahoma. At the age of three, her family relocated to the small town of Moscow, Kansas, where she would grow up surrounded by open skies, close-knit community, and strong family values. The oldest of four children born to Doug and Patricia Bell, Misty quickly embraced her role as big sister and leader of the pack.
She attended Moscow schools from kindergarten all the way through her high school graduation, proudly walking across the stage as part of a graduating class of just 10 students — a true testament to small-town life.
In 1983, Misty married the love of her life, Kevin Slemp. Together they built a beautiful life, raising three wonderful children: Nicole, Ashley and Zac. While Kevin worked the land as a farmer for Ross and Beryl Teeter, Misty ran a licensed group daycare out of their home, creating a nurturing space not only for her own children, but for many others in the community.
Faith has always been a cornerstone in Misty’s life. She and Kevin were active members of the United Methodist Church in Moscow, where Misty served as president of the United Methodist Women (UMW) board for two years and found joy in teaching both youth group and vacation Bible school.
In 2002, Misty and Kevin took a leap of faith and started their own farming operation — KMS Farms. Misty took charge of the business side, handling paperwork, operations, and developing a keen interest in agricultural marketing. Her dedication and curiosity eventually led her to serve on the Farm Service Agency Board in Stevens County, where she proudly represented local farmers and helped shape agricultural policy.
The Slemps continued farming in Stevens County until 2018, when they decided to slow things down and see the country — one road trip at a time. Traveling across the U.S. has been a dream fulfilled, but what they love most is spending time with their nine cherished grandchildren and soaking in the beauty of life’s simple moments.
No matter where their travels take them, Misty and Kevin always find themselves drawn back to Moscow, Kansas — a place that will forever be home. Surrounded by lifelong friends, wonderful neighbors, and their ever-growing family, Misty knows in her heart: there truly is no place like home.
A lifelong resident of Sublette, Kansas, Blake Wiswell has always called the Sunflower State home. His deep roots in the community and connection to the land have shaped his values and his work. After graduating from Kansas State University in 2005, Blake returned to Sublette to assist with the family farming operation. Managing farm inputs, operating equipment, troubleshooting sprinkler breakdowns, and assessing year-to-year downfalls and successes have provided him with a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing rural electric customers.
Blake has served on the Sublette COOP Board of Directors for over a decade and has contributed his insights as the Chairman of the Board of the Haskell County Farm Service Agency (FSA) committee in recent years. These leadership roles have broadened his understanding of cooperative governance and regional agricultural issues, both vital perspectives for Pioneer Electric.
Outside of his professional commitments, Blake values family and faith. He and his wife, Shyree, are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary this fall and are the proud parents of three children—Macsen, Spencer, and Sylvie. Blake stays busy supporting his kids in their school activities and sporting events. He is an active member of his local church and currently serves as youth teacher.
Blake continues to be a committed farmer, community member, and family man, dedicated to both the land he stewards and the people he serves. His vision, leadership, and dedication make him a strong candidate for the Pioneer Electric Board of Trustees.