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December 28, 2006
Dear Sir or Madam:
The
fact that Petit Jean Electric Cooperative excludes its member/owners from
attending the meetings of the board of directors recently came to my
attention. I found it alarming that no press, members or visitors are
allowed to observe the board meetings of OUR cooperative electric service.
After one of our neighbors, and Petit Jean Electric Co-op member Christine
Beems made a due process request to Mr. Dave Fuggit, Petit Jean’s general
manager, and was granted time on the agenda. she was told that two of
the group could address the board in a 20 minute time slot concerning the
issue of closed meetings, at the beginning of the meeting. I was one of
the five.
Ms.
Beems addressed the board, requesting that they immediately vote to open
the meetings to include members as simple observers. I then addressed the
board with the comments attachedtot he point that the Petit Jean Electric
board makes decisions that affect the lives, health, safety and
livelihoods of the cooperative members, like you and me. It was on this
basis that I respectfully requested that they open the board meetings to
the membership, as well as for other reasons stated in my attached
comments. After our presentation, we were told that we could contact Mr.
Fuggit to learn of the board’s decision concerning our request, then we
were escorted to the door, which was locked behind us members, as the
board prepared to carry on with its secret business.
The next day I called Mr. Fuggit and he informed me that no board member
would even make a motion to vote on our request for open meetings, so the
issue was dead and the policy would remain as it is now. Closed board
meetings shrouded in secrecy.
These members of the Petit Jean Board are our neighbors, Terry Kirkendoll
of Clinton, Donnie Collins of Leslie, James Story of Clinton, Darrell
Allen, of Clinton, Carroll Bradford, of Morganton, Charles Wood of Bee
Branch, Bill Derickson of Leslie, Jerel Brown of Shirley, and Fred Herman
of Fairfield Bay.
Dear Neighbors and fellow member/owners of
the Petit Jean Electric Cooperative, I must say that when all nine of
these people, our neighbors and fellow cooperative members, elected by us
to positions of trust refused to even consider our request worthy of a
vote, I began to seriously wonder “What are they hiding?” There’s a
principle I have learned in life that teaches “Men loved darkness rather
than light because their deeds are evil. For everyone that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may
be made manifest (known), that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:19-21)
On the basis of human reasoning and God’s expressed opinion, I wonder what
these ELECTED member board members are afraid of us dues paying, rate
paying members finding out. Why have they denied YOU and me the right to
know what policies are being made concerning their probable pollution of
the environment, how our money is being spent (I’ve heard this little coop
is over $36 million in debt, (see: Electric Cooperative Annual Report of
the Petit Jean Electric Cooperative Corporation to the Arkansas Public
Service Commission for the year ending December 31, 2005, page attached)
and who knows what other hidden agenda items.
The Quorum Court, City Council and School Board meetings are all open to
the public and attended and reported to the public by the press. Why do
these elected officials operate openly and above board, and why don’t the
elected officials of the Petit Jean Electric COOPERATIVE? There is a
statement at the end of our by-laws which suggests that Petit Jean
receives federal tax money. If so, their closed meetings are probably
very illegal as well as suspicious.
This secrecy is not right according to anything I have ever been taught in
my many years on this planet. I think it should stop. The only tool we
have to leverage a change is member opinion and agreement among the
members, and members crying out in large numbers for openness. You can
become more informed by reading the website Local Energy Matters.info and
by subscribing to receive the free email newsletters there.
Neighbor, on December 18, when the Petit Jean Board effectively slammed
their door in my face, they also slammed their door in your face. I am
just a member rate payer like you. Let’s not keep quiet and let their
oppression, hidden spending and possible other hidden agenda items oppress
us completely. Let’s use our phones, computers and votes to say enough is
enough. We asked politely for openness and were denied that basic
member's right. Let us all now demand openness and transparency
concerning our money, our environment and our electric service.
Sincerely,
Bob Carpenter
Neighbor, Petit Jean Electric Member & Rate Payer
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