Members to vote MEA board April 2

March 27, 2005

DAWN DE BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Five candidates who are competing for two seats on the Matanuska Electric Association board of directors will have the opportunity to voice their opinions and appeal to potential voters during a political forum hosted Tuesday by the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Best Western Lake Lucille Inn in Wasilla.

Members of the electric co-op will have a chance to vote for board members during MEA's annual meeting April 2 at 2 p.m. at Colony High School in Palmer.

The two seats, which have three-year terms, are currently occupied by K. Scott Daugharty of Wasilla and Lee Jordan of Eagle River. Daugharty will not seek re-election. Jordan, who now serves as board president, will be running for another term.

Also vying for the places on the board are John D. Alexander of Palmer, Peter Burchell of Wasilla, John D. Glass of Palmer and Tom Staudenmaier of Eagle River.

Bert Hall, of the Wasilla Chamber, will moderate the forum, as he has done for a decade.

As has been the format in the past, Hall allows the candidates to draw straws to see who goes first. Each candidate makes his or her opening statements and then, during wrap-up time, the candidates go in the reverse order of the opening statements and make their closing statements.

The candidates are allowed to use their closing time however they wish, Hall said.

"We try to run a fair event, give equal opportunity for everyone to speak," he said.

The audience members will bring forward their questions and the candidates each will have one minute or less to address the concerns of community members.

One of the issues candidates have already addressed, in MEA's election ballot packet, is the importance of finding alternative energy sources before 2014, when MEA's all-energy contract with Chugach Electric Association ends.

"Whatever recommendations (for alternative power that) MEA management thinks would be turned over to the board and then the board will determine which direction MEA takes," said MEA spokesman Tuckerman Babcock.

Some of the big decisions coming up for the board will be to review and approve a budget, as well as set new rates to charge MEA members, Babcock said.

The board will also be responsible for how high the capital credit check will be, he said.

"The board members elected this year will be involved in the next round of negotiations with the union," Babcock said.

In addition to the chamber luncheon in Wasilla on Tuesday, the Chugiak/Eagle River Chamber of Commerce will hold a candidate forum during its noon luncheon Wednesday in the North Slope Restaurant banquet room.

"We just let them have time to introduce themselves, talk about their position and why they are running. Then, let the public ask questions," said Susan Gorski, that chamber's executive director.

Even though it's for Eagle River residents, the Wednesday forum will provide people from the Valley yet another opportunity to see how the candidates think on their feet. To attend, call the Eagle River chamber office, 694-4702, and make reservations so they can get an appropriate head count.

On voting day, co-operative members may register as early as 12:30 p.m. at MEA's annual meeting April 2 at Colony High School, but the voting booths will close at 2:30 p.m.

Other activities will be offered during the yearly event, such as safety poster winners autographing the 2005 calendars, door prizes and a presentation on coal-fired generators by Steve Denton, Usibelli Coal Mine Inc.'s vice president of business development.