Less about power, more about keeping the lights on

There was a time not to long ago that the best way to elicit groans in the newsroom was with a phone message from someone wanting to discuss Matanuska Electric Association politics.

The MEA beat was for many years a place of warring factions. Keeping everything straight and trying to sort through the finger-pointing from both sides was an impossible political labyrinth. Neither side seemed to agree on even the basic facts being debated, and neither had a monopoly on name-calling and unproven accusations.

More than the longer days and melting snow, spring in Alaska has meant the ramping up of the vitriol on both sides of the MEA power struggle. It meant the din of the discontent would grow louder — by several decibels.

Each side would call the newsroom weekly — sometimes daily — alleging election improprieties or accusing the other of dirty, underhanded tricks.

It would have been comical if it weren’t so tragic to see adults in charge of a large organization bickering over an honest mistake that briefly misplaced $2,000 in campaign cash, or another honest mistake about $100 that wasn’t discharged at the end of a campaign.

Politics at MEA were bare-knuckled, and little was off limits — even people’s personal lives.

We published only a fraction of what we heard. Instead, we kept a file of the allegations and name-calling that we couldn’t print due to considerations such as libel.

For the past couple of election cycles at MEA we’ve kept our fingers crossed the peace will hold, but we can’t contain our glee any longer. It sure is nice that break-up season no longer elicits those phone calls from angry electrical co-op ratepayers.

Whatever you think of the current board and management team or the board and management it ousted, the election cycles have been much less contentious of late.

Slowly, steadily, we are pleased to see MEA elections grow to resemble elections at other cooperatives in the Valley.

Matanuska Telephone Association, for example, has similar elections. It’s been years since one of those made news until after it had already happened. Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union is similarly peaceful.

We would argue that’s the way it should be. Boards are there to be caretakers, to make sure these organizations run smoothly for the benefit of ratepayers.

We, of course, still get the occasional partisan, mean-spirited email on the topic, or take the occasional phone call. And MEA’s elections are still front-page news.

But one day, maybe one day soon, these elections will be less about power than they are about keeping the lights on.