MEA candidates field questions at Wasilla Chamber forum

April 1, 2005

DAWN DE BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Four of the five candidates running for two seats on the Matanuska Electric Association board answered questions about alternative energy, drug testing and the co-op's legal battles, during a political forum at the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce's weekly luncheon.

One of the candidates, John D. Glass, could not make it to Tuesday's gathering at the Best Western Lake Lucille Inn because he had a scheduling conflict.

The other four candidates - John Alexander of Palmer, Peter Burchell of Wasilla, Lee Jordan of Chugiak/Eagle River and Tom Staudenmaier of Eagle River - answered questions provided by people in the audience, who jotted questions on pieces of paper before the luncheon began. With the co-op's annual meeting less than one week away, each candidate had roughly one minute to state his opinion.

Chamber member Bert Hall emceed the event.

Those competing for the board seats addressed the need for alternative energy sources. With the all-energy-purchase contract ending in 2014, MEA will be seeking solutions for renewable energy.

One of the questions thrown the way of the candidates was how MEA would keep up with Mat-Su's growth.

"MEA has no business running a power plant. They're incompetent," said Staudenmaier, citing other energy-generating projects in which he said MEA had failed, such as the purchase of a $20-million gas-fired turbine called Soldotna No. 1, which sat idle for 15 years and ended up at Nikiski's Agrium plant.

Jordan said MEA is working hard in struggling to keep up with growth.

"I agree with Lee," said Alexander, suggesting hydro-electric or coal-fired generators as two alternative sources.

"The EPA granted $1.5 million to make zero emissions possible. There's the old idea that London became black from coal. We need to get with the 21st century. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. We need to check out coal-fired generators," Alexander said.

"What is the best source of energy? Is it a $500-million coal plant?" Burchell responded, adding that it's best to look at the options, then look at the long term and work toward it.

Candidates were asked their opinions regarding the recent conflict between MEA and the Mat-Su Borough, which occurred after MEA tried to prepare to put transmission lines through the borough's landfill in an effort to provide a second source of electricity to the under-construction Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

MEA contended it went through the proper procedure at the borough in filing for permits to clear easements where the power lines would go, and that the borough violated its own ordinance by refusing to grant the permits long after its allotted time for response to MEA's request had elapsed.

The borough countered that its action was legal because MEA did not comply with a part of the ordinance that required MEA to solicit public comment on its proposal.

After a flurry of court filings on both sides, a Palmer Superior Court judge ruled MEA could not show enough evidence that delays would cause irreparable harm to the co-op or the hospital.

The borough held an open house in February to allow the public to review three proposals for a transmission line route. Then, less than a week later, MEA and the borough came to an agreement on a route though Crevasse Moraine, and both parties bowed out of the legal battle.

"It's a moot question. It ended with a settlement that was a win-win-win situation," Jordan said.

"The event was apologized for at the board meeting," Burchell said. "But I was disappointed not to see MEA employees at the open house at the college."

"MEA should have taken more public input," Alexander said.

"It's a trivial issue. MEA has a brute attitude of doing what they want," Staudenmaier said.

A related question claimed that MEA's business-as-usual activities are being involved in time-consuming, expensive court battles. The candidates were asked a two-part question: Where does the problem lie? What is to be done about it?

"The biggest problem is the newspaper: If we can get the editors to write about MEA without making it synonymous with 'battling' and 'fighting,'" Jordan said.

"I attend MEA board meetings, and very seldom do I see the public there. We need more public involvement at meetings," Alexander said.

Burchell cited his own history of working with groups of very diverse people. He said the ability to mediate would empower him as a board member to help avoid involving MEA with the courts.

MEA is always battling the unions, according to Staudenmaier.

"[MEA general manager] Wayne Carmony and [MEA director of information technology] Bruce Scott are running MEA like Enron," he said, claiming they paid contempt-of-court fines with MEA funds.

"MEA's official position is responding to anything Tom Staudenmaier says is a waste of time," said Tuckerman Babcock, MEA manager of government and strategic affairs, in a later interview.

Basically Scott was found in contempt of court after he failed to delete all references to a recall effort of the board, Babcock said. On the MEA Web site for its newsletter, Scott had left a photo of a board member standing on a street corner, holding a "recall the board" sign. The fines totaled $800, according to Babcock.

One of the questions that injected a dose of humor into the forum was whether the candidates would agree to submit to drug testing.

"I'm pretty boring. I quit drinking years ago. If MEA needs to take a hair sample, they'll have to get one from the side of my head," Burchell joked, referring to the baldness on the top of his head.

"I lost my hair a long time ago," said Jordan, explaining that drug testing was a member-initiated request and he had no problems submitting to it.

"I support it. We need all our senses together," Alexander said.

"I don't smoke or do drugs," said Staudenmaier, explaining that MEA introduced the drug-testing requirement as a means of removing former board member Mike Janecek from the board.

Candidates were asked whether they supported granting small rate reductions instead of capital credit checks.

"MEA offers both low rates and capital credit. There's a surplus," Jordan said.

"It's a publicity stunt to get more PR. They're ripping you off to give you some back," Staudenmaier said.

"Instead of capital credit, we should use the money to generate our own power," Alexander said.

"We need to look at the long-range plan, like 10 years. If we want to spend $500 million on a coal plant, we better start saving now," Burchell said.

The candidates also touted their beliefs during their opening and ending statements.

Jordan, who currently serves as MEA board president, stated the importance of curbing misinformation that has been circulating.

He encouraged co-op members to gather information by going to the annual meeting this Saturday and reading "Powerlines," MEA's newsletter.

"I've made contributions to the MEA board, and I hope you'll let me continue," he said. "You pay the lowest electrical bills of any Railbelt utility. I'd like to keep it that way."

Staudenmaier, who has served on the board before, is aiming to create a new co-op, and compared the job he did shaping up the National Guard to cleaning up what he claims to be corruption at MEA.

"I want to unveil a new concept of a new co-op with a 15-member board. We need to set the pace," Staudenmaier said.

"My main concern is getting an alternative energy source. We need tok get with the program," Alexander said.

"I'm an independent candidate not with any special-interest groups," Alexander said.

Burchell, who founded several alternative schools, including a high school bearing his name, not only advocated that people participate in the annual meeting, but suggested more people attend board meetings.

"We need to increase public input. We shouldn't do things in the dark," he said. "I'd like to see half of you come to board meetings. And don't give up your right to vote. The postage is free."

Co-op members will be given a chance to elect two board members to the vacant three-year-term seats during MEA's annual meeting Saturday at Colony High School in Palmer.

Registration for voters begins at 12:30 p.m.; voting begins at 2 p.m.