MEA board member wants bylaws change

The full Matanuska Electric Association Board of Directors has been negligent in following the explicit directions in Article XII Section 2 of its bylaws as amended in 2006. Section 2 gives explicit directions for creating a bylaws committee.

It sets the number of committee members (seven), term length (three years) and the requirement that those terms must be staggered in three-year cycles. This means that each year the board must vote to appoint members to this committee.

Was there a vote to appoint members in 2004, 2005 or 2006? Check the board minutes. The year 2007 and January 2008 passed without a vote. The three-year staggered provision of the bylaws committee has been overlooked. Due to this oversight, an illegal committee has recommended a “no” vote on a member-owner petition signed by those who believe newly elected directors should not wait a full quarter year to be seated. Five members of this bylaws committee signed the report. Is this also a breach of Section 2 that dictates a seven-member committee?  

Unlike board president Lee Jordan, I urge a”yes” vote on this bylaw change.

On another note, member-owners should know that board candidates make several financial reports, the first being the last month of the previous year. Seven of these are made before the annual meeting on March 1, one on annual meeting day, plus three post-election reports. I doubt a four-month time period is necessary to view or analyze them.

Lois Lester,

Eagle River

MEA board director

since 2000