Choices made now could have serious impacts on borough

To the editor:

My name is Jamey Duhamel and I would appreciate your support in my bid to join the Matanuska Electric Association Board of Directors in the Matanuska District. As many of you are aware, MEA has made many smart and productive changes in the last few years, and I am excited at the prospect of helping keep the ship moving in the right direction.

First, I will help create jobs and reliable energy sources by supporting the Eklutna natural gas power plant and affordable energy resources such as hydro, tidal and wind power when it makes sense. For the last couple years, I have dedicated my life to local energy and resource development issues. Our community is faced with some of the most critical development changes we have ever experienced. The choices we make now could have serious impacts on our entire borough, and the wrong choices could undo everything many families and businesses have worked hard to achieve.

Second, I will help strengthen Mat-Su families and businesses through leadership on energy efficiency programs. We can make electricity more affordable to people and extend our current resource supplies by as much as 3 percent a year by providing education and access to resources that promote weatherization and upgraded energy devices. I know exactly what our local generation options are and the limitations of our current supplies. While we have enough natural gas from the Cook Inlet fields to last for the next three to five years, we need to encourage new development in these fields for our growing needs. As a former state House candidate, I advocated heavily for the development of natural gas to increase our supplies and boost our state economy. I am confident that local utilities can provide a positive influence to make these development projects a reality.

Finally, I will bring fresh energy to the board and advocate for the best interests of hard-working Mat-Su families. I am a lifelong Alaskan homegrown right here in the Mat-Su Valley and I am raising four sons with my husband in Sutton. I spent most of my adult life dedicated to improving our community by working with people with disabilities as well as victims of child abuse. I am proud to have helped families overcome challenges to create healthy livable futures for themselves as productive members of our society.

Because of my career, I have either worked for or worked on many boards of directors over the years. In fact, I was the president of the board for a local nonprofit for several years and it was my pleasure to help guide the organization toward a better economic future. I know exactly what it means to make sound decisions for the good of an entire organization and for the benefit of the members it serves.

I look forward to applying these skills as well as my knowledge of local energy generation to the good decisions already being made by the board majority. I want to say thank you for the tremendous support and encouragement I have already received and I am honored you have faith in my abilities and character. Please remember to vote for me when your ballots arrive in the mail at the end of March!

One final note: This year you have the opportunity to vote online for the first time ever! Save your most recent electric bill to find your username and password. When you are ready to vote, log in with the username provided and follow the steps to register. It’s that easy!

Jamey Duhamel

Sutton