New MEA board director leaves

November 13, 2005

DAWN DE BUSK\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Less than two months after being seated on the Matanuska Electric Association board, John Alexander stepped down from his seat after he discovered he was breaking a bylaw, and now board members must select someone to fill that vacant seat, according to MEA spokesperson Michael Pauley.

Alexander resigned when he learned he no longer qualified for his seat according to Article IV, Section 3, of the MEA bylaws, which states &#8220No person shall be eligible to become or remain a board member of the association who is a member, officer, director or employee of any union local currently acting as a bargaining agent for any group of association employees, or lives in the same household with and is financially interdependent with any such person,” Pauley said Friday.

Alexander's daughter, Evangela, who lives in the same home as Alexander and his wife, recently accepted a job as a ward clerk with Valley Hospital and was required to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547, Alexander said Friday.

It wasn't until Evangela received a receipt for her union dues in the mail that Alexander realized there might be a problem.

&#8220Fifteen minutes later, I was on the phone with MEA. It was a total surprise, but we want to abide by the rules. The bylaws are the bylaws,” Alexander said.

&#8220If I am going to be a reputable person in this community, then I must abide by the rules,” he said.

Alexander joined the directors' table Sept. 12. When William Folsom resigned, he recommended that the board appoint Alexander to his seat, with its term ending in July 2006. The board honored Folsom's parting request, and seated Alexander,

Alexander was the third-highest vote-getter during MEA board elections in April.

&#8220I am hopeful I can be helpful to MEA in other ways, like being on the membership advisory committee. I will continue to attend meetings,” Alexander said.

Pauley said there are no bylaws that prevent Alexander from sitting on committees.

&#8220He understand the bylaws and why they are necessary. I think Mr. Alexander acted honorably and disclosed the situation,” Pauley said.

Co-op members voted to pass that bylaw to reduce conflicts of interest that occurred on the board in the past, according to board president Lee Jordan.

The rules regarding the process for filling a vacant seat aren't quite as specific as they are for people serving on the board.

According to Article IV, Section 7, a vacancy is filled by the remaining board members.

&#8220The bylaws don't set up a procedure. It's up to the board,” Pauley said.

Anyone interested in serving on the board may contact the MEA general manager's office at 761-9212. Applications may also be picked up or dropped off at MEA headquarters, 163 E. Industrial Way, Palmer.

The deadline for applications is Nov. 23 at 5 p.m., according to an MEA press release.

The selected candidate must be willing to submit a hair sample for drug testing, the media release said.

Jordan scheduled a special meeting for Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. to review the candidates.

Is there any possibility that this open seat could remain vacant until elections in April?

Pauley said that has never happened in the past because someone always applies, while Jordan said there are too many important issues to have a short-handed board.

&#8220We've got a lot of interests coming up that need to be taken care of - like the budget and committee assignments. We need to be up to full strength,” Jordan said.

Contact Dawn De Busk at 352-2252 or dawn.debusk@

frontiersman.com.