Keep Lester, Jones on MEA board

To the editor:

Last year, MEA ratepayers spoke loud and clear. We spoke for open, honest leadership. We spoke for transparency and no more secrets. We spoke for having all options on the table for low cost, clean, reliable power. We spoke against the building of a coal-fired plant anywhere in the Valley. We spoke for ending the political intrigue and for focusing on the one thing our board of directors should be doing — keeping our electric rates low while we build for the future.

Now, a group of former directors, whom we’ve had the good sense to vote out over the years, have come together to oppose this progress, circle the wagons around the general manager with his golden parachute, and work for candidates they think will best serve their purpose. We cannot take the chance on these candidates.

Board President Lois Lester, who retired after over 20 years of teaching as a full professor of chemistry at UAA, has served on the board for nine years. Director Lester has worked hard that whole time for us, often against great odds. Kit Jones, appointed last fall by the board, was a licensed CPA and the CFO for a multimillion dollar aircraft sales business for over 30 years. She hit the ground running, and, along with Lester, demands real answers and actual cost estimates before making important decisions, is constantly reminding the general manager that he works for the board — not the other way around. This scares management.

We, the ratepayers, finally have the votes on the board for real progress. Please vote to keep Lois Lester and Kit Jones on the board. We know we can trust them to do the right thing in these important times.

Abby Kellner-Rode

Wasilla