Response to Aaron Downing’s letter to the editor (April 3)

Following are responses to Aaron Downing’s misleading information in his letter to the editor in the April 3 issue of the Frontiersman:

A. Present board Actions:

Board Expenses. Aaron Downing’s statement that the MEA Board of Directors has increased board expenses by 350 percent provides no basis for his accusation. Downing fails to identify the actual dollar amount on which he bases his accusation. Carmony’s own actions have placed the board in a position of having to spend money for advice from a consultant.

Board Management of MEA. Former MEA board members Aaron Downing, Bill Folsom, Tammy Miller and Lee Jordan failed to fulfill their responsibility to member owners by allowing General Manager Carmony unprecedented control of MEA in matters that should have remained fully within board control. These same former members, were responsible for agreeing to Carmony’s perpetual, self-renewing five-year contract. The present board was successful in reducing Carmony’s contract to four years with a potential savings of $325,000 to the members.

Clearly, from listening to the audio recordings posted on MEA’s website and attending board meetings, the present board has been forced to disregard Carmony’s information after learning in meetings with the state and other utilities that Carmony has been less than forthcoming with accurate information. The board was intentionally misled by Carmony and one can only conclude he has done so to pursue a path divergent from the present board’s, or to make a grievous error in an attempt to embarrass the board. Based on these unscrupulous actions by Carmony, the board has taken reasonable and legal steps to take back control of MEA on behalf of member owners.

Board Attorney. Prior board members Aaron Downing, Bill Folsom, Tammy Miller, and Lee Jordan have used a “board attorney” to instruct the board on matters before the board. Steve Elliss was the board’s attorney for several years. The current MEA board attorney, Brenna, has provided the present board with appropriate legal advice to take back control of MEA.

Disputes Against MEA. No dispute involving a co-op member, business or another utility has been settled amicably since Carmony has been general manager. Carmony has a reputation for suing anyone who disagrees with him. Since Carmony was hired, more money has been spent on lawsuits and attorney fees than by any previous manager. Actual costs may never be known without a management audit.

Whistle Blower Program. Downing fails to tell you that Carmony is responsible for many of the Whistle Blower submissions. The present board has tried to provide a safe avenue for co-op members and employees to identify illegal or retaliatory acts on the part of MEA management and/or employees, and to submit information without fear of retaliation by MEA management. Carmony and his cronies took unconscionable advantage of a loophole in the proposed policy. A professional GM would have worked with the board to refine and improve the policy. Instead, the board had to ask the board attorney to revise the policy so that co-op members, and employees have an avenue to identify suspicious, retaliatory, or illegal acts without fear of retribution.

Petition for a Bylaw Change. Board President Lois Lester was correct in initially rejecting the petition submitted by Aaron Downing’s and Bill Folsom. Their process of submitting the petition was clearly in violation of existing MEA bylaws. Unfortunately, prior practices established by previous board members Folsom, Downing, Jordan and Miller were in violation of MEA Bylaws. Prior board practice had allowed petitions to be submitted in violation of bylaws. To deny members an opportunity to file a petition based on the former board ’s error was not fair to member owners. That is why the present board was advised to retract their decision not to accept the petition.

Coal Generation. With Carmony’s direction, the former board ignored the will of the membership and tried to force a coal-fired plant on members. Folsom was also on the former board when plans were approved for a coal-fired generation plant. This was done in secret without input from owner members. These are the same former board members who are now telling you to vote for candidates who would support Carmony, not the will of the membership. Voters in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough supported restrictions on power plants that make them comply with emission standards. MEA members spoke loud and clear about not wanting a coal-fired power generating plant in the Mat-Su Borough.

Outside Consultants Hired. Tensions created by Carmony’s choice not to work cooperatively, contributed to the present board seeking professional consultants for advice on how to establish better relations between the board of directors and general manager.

IBEW Contract. Here again, Downing uses erroneous figures to make an absurd point. These figures supplied to Downing are wrong. An average lineman’s regular wage is about $70,000 per year plus benefits. That places their annual salary plus benefits at approximately $100,000. Some linemen may make $150,000 a year but that is because they have taken over 1,000 hours of call-outs to restore power. Membership expects to compensate workers for a job well done for restoring power to our homes during extreme, hazardous and sub-zero conditions.

The general manager signed off on all IBEW contract items, including pay increases over a five-year period, except one. That item was to retain 16 linemen through the winter months. It was part of Carmony’s own implemented contract written by MEA attorneys at Carmony’s direction in 1999. The contract language has not changed since then.

In the mid-1980s there were approximately 22,000 MEA members. There are now approximately 57,000 MEA members. The number of linemen has not increased commensurate with the increase in membership, and in fact MEA needs to hire more linemen.

Voting in support of Lois Lester and Kit Jones means voting to take back ownership of our member owned co-op, and that means a better future for MEA.

Mike Musgrove is a ratepayer who lives in Palmer.