Members checked in at school auditoriums in Artesia, Cloudcroft and Hondo. More people were in those rooms than last year. Total attendance reached 214, compared with 177 in 2025. More neighbors showed up because the work they have been hearing about is now visible in the ground and on utility poles.
Fiber construction has moved from planning into active build. Members have started to see it along roads and near homes.
During the meeting, PVT CEO James D. Meyers told members the cooperative doubled its fiber investment during the past year. He said the change reflects a long‑term commitment to finish the job quickly.
Meyers tied the investment to progress members can measure. When he joined the cooperative more than three years ago, fiber served only a small portion of the network. He said fiber‑to‑the‑home coverage stood at about 1.5%. By the end of this year, the cooperative expects that figure to reach about 60%.
The update answered a question many members carried into the meeting. Fiber is no longer a future plan. Construction is underway across much of the service area.
Meyers also addressed those who are still waiting. He said demand for bandwidth continues to grow and that some members want better service right now. He encouraged those members to contact the cooperative and ask about their specific location. In many cases, he said, the timeline is shorter than people assume.
The setting of the meeting reinforced the cooperative’s local role. This year marked another use of multiple meeting locations so members could attend closer to home. PVT thanked Artesia, Cloudcroft and Hondo public schools for providing space.
After an invocation by Dan Spencer and presentation of colors by local Boy Scout Troop 228, the cooperative confirmed a quorum and moved into official business.
The nominating committee presented candidates for open board seats. The cooperative’s attorney Jeff Bowman reported that each position had a single nominee. Under the bylaws, those candidates were approved by acclamation. Mark Kincaid, Mike Casabonne and Stetson Elkins were named to new terms on the board.
Two bylaw changes were voted on by the membership.
The first reduced the size of the board from nine directors to seven, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The change reduced the number of at‑large seats. Leaders announced a vote tally of 107 in favor and eight opposed.
The second amendment updated the bylaws to allow member meetings to be held electronically, in person, or through a combination of both. Leaders said the change will allow more members to participate when travel is difficult. The announced tally was 106 in favor and seven opposed.
The cooperative closed the meeting by recognizing scholarship recipients through its education foundation. Students were introduced along with their planned colleges. More information on the scholarship winners can be found here: pvt.com/2026-pvt-scholarship-awardees/
It is clear, attendance rose because members are seeing progress. Construction activity has turned a long‑range goal into something tangible. For a cooperative built on local participation, this is a mission fulfilled.
Fiber is being built for members. It is an intense process that will not arrive everywhere at once. The next step for anyone unsure about their location is to ask.
Members are encouraged to check their address at pvt.com/fiber-construction to see whether fiber has been built to their location or when construction is scheduled to arrive.
