Board deserves proper action

This summer, after the new Matanuska Electric Association Board of Directors was seated, one of the first orders of business for the board was to restrict the decisions MEA’s general manager can make without board approval. Recently, the board felt the backlash.

At the board meeting Sept. 8, the board directed Wayne Carmony, MEA’s long-time general manager, to stop spending money on a campaign to promote an MEA-sponsored ballot initiative to repeal a Borough ordinance that requires utilities to submit reports and obtain a permit before constructing a power plant that generates 50 megawatts or more. The ordinance was written in response to MEA plans to build two 100-megawatt plants, one coal-fired and the other gas-fired. MEA later shelved the coal plant plans.

It seems some of the MEA board members got flak from members who don’t like their money being used to tell them how to vote.

So the board asked Carmony to cease initiatives — in house, outside media, etc. — on which MEA is spending money to promote the ballot initiative, which will appear on the Oct. 7 ballot.

The problem was that while MEA could stop print ads running in newspapers, it could not halt inserts printed and stuffed in envelopes going out with bills this week. Nor would radio stations let the utility back out of its commitment for air time.

When new MEA President Lois Lester learned of the snag, she e-mailed Carmony and asked him to change the message that will run during that air time. Carmony replied that he doesn’t have the authorization or the authority to do that. Claiming his hands were tied by the board, Carmony worked against the spirit and intention of the MEA board by claiming the board only asked him not to spend any more money on the campaign, not to rein in what was already planned.

MEA spends a great deal of money advertising each year. There are many important messages the cooperative must share, including safety information. We are fairly confident that there are relevant radio messages “in the can” at MEA or the radio stations that could easily be substituted for the controversial ballot initiative ads.

But like a teenager who’s privileges have been curtailed, Carmony is splitting hairs to get what he wants — messages on the air that could help kill that Borough ordinance — and make a point. Using the board’s words against it, Carmony, no doubt still stinging from the board’s earlier action, has found a way to circumvent the board’s wishes.

His action, which he has couched in terms that make him sound like the model, conscientious employee, is setting up a collision course with the board. No board can word every measure in such a way as to direct its top management’s every move. It shouldn’t have to. It’s management’s job to operate in coordination with the majority wishes of the board, and to ask for guidance where needed.

Clearly the majority stance on the board changed with the last election, and Carmony can expect to be sent in new directions. If he has difficulty knowing what those directions are, we suggest he asks the board at their meetings and develop a working rapport with Lester.

Thwarting the board’s wishes, however politely and circumspectly, is not good for the cooperative. And we are the cooperative. All of us.