A follow-up from my Feb 2012 blog on transparency.  I was waiting for the minutes to become available from the May 21, 2012 meeting.

The GVEA board voted at that meeting to endorse roughly half of my proposals:
1. Post complete meeting packet and maintain historically (they agreed for 3 years)
2. Post a list of GVEA committees and membership
3. Post a list of external committee members (of board and CEO, my intent)
4. Post meeting agendas and minutes of subsidiaries (and Good Cents, the board's idea)
5. Post historical minutes of Membership Advisory Committee (MAC)  (instead of just the last meeting)
6. Post Form 7 (GVEA's financial statement to the Rural Utilities System)  - the board also will post the IRS Form 990 on their website.

And finally, CEO Newton agreed to find a way to set up a notification system for when GVEA is heading into expensive peak power and see if we can get members to reduce and thus save us all high cost energy.

With Newton's departure, I hope the implementation of these items won't be delayed as more than competent staff remain to carry forth the board's request.

It took me a nearly 5 year effort to get the board to agree to post the meeting agendas and minutes.  I'd been working on these other items for several years as well, but consolidating them into a single readable document for the board seemed to resonate.   One of the interesting side facts is that I caught some flack for handing out the very same issues on transparency to the MAC board in May.  I think they have worked that out, but most amazing to me that it was an issue at all.

Finally, I welcome my new District 4 board member Frank Eagle to the GVEA board and thank outgoing District 4 board member Ward Merdes for his efforts on the board the last 3years.   Ward's main issue when running was 'Susitna Now'.  I opined to him that he would soon be inundated with an incredible amount of work on the GVEA board.  He now agrees, but was still surprised how much.   And Susitna-Watana  remains a long ways off.

Public Embarrassment - David vs. Goliath

For some reason, GVEA President-CEO Brian Newton, perhaps a result of his 'for shame' comment at the Annual Meeting, decided it would be a good idea to organize a protest/rally outside the Northern Alaska Environmental Center (NAEC).  The NAEC  is one of the 4 organizations who oppose restarting the Healy 2 coal fired powerplant without some conditions GVEA didn't like.     The board found out some days before and required Newton to be open about his and GVEA's involvement, which he then followed.   Chena Hot Springs and Chena Power owner Bernie Karl was the featured speaker.

The rally of about 75 was outnumbered 2:1 by Northern Alaska Environmental Center very enthusiastic counter-rally attendees and became quite the happening. (This article isn't exactly correct).  A generally friendly event, as the GVEA sponsored rally faded out, people on both sides mixed in the side street to share opinions.

A couple weeks later, the GVEA Board of Directors held a special board meeting at Sophie Station with the one executive session topic - Personnel Matters.    A few days later, GVEA issued a press release that Brian Newton had resigned from GVEA effective immediately to 'pursue other opportunities in the Lower 48'. 

It seems logical that this resignation is the result of the bungled rally, but more deeply, I believe, the result on escalating board dissatisfaction with Newton's performance on a number of issues of late.   There has been lots of negative press besides about his high salary and benefits ($450,000 though that likely includes some travel costs).

GVEA local counsel Cory Borgeson was announced to be acting CEO.  Perhaps his long time legal partner John Burns (recently Alaska Attorney General) will be taking Cory's place as local counsel.  While John seems a straight up guy, this might be a bit of a conflict of interest.   GVEA said they will be doing a nationwide search for a new CEO.

As a side note, Chena Power (see Bernie Karl above) apparently owes GVEA over $56,000 in past due electricity charges.   Unlike most consumers, Chena Power has not had their power cut for delinquency as is required by tariff.   I would hope that Chena Power can make payment so they don't get cut off.

For the record, this is the first time a head of GVEA has left under such circumstances.   It's hard on an organization and the board when this happens.   I hope they can find a replacement who is able to work with the various constituencies to bring affordable and environmental sound energy to GVEA members/ratepayers.