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Four LPEA candidates sound off on energy at forum

Four of eight candidates for the

District 1 candidate and incumbent Mark Garcia, District 2 candidate Lori Schell and District 4 candidates John Beebe and incumbent Jack Turner attended the forum, which was hosted by the Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado and held at the Durango Public Library.

Candidates not in attendance were Mike Alley and Calum McNeil in District 1, Dan Huntington in District 2 and Ron Bishop in District 4.

District 1 covers Archuleta County. District 2 covers south and west La Plata County. District 4 covers north and east La Plata County.

Durango School District 9-R board member Kim Martin moderated, asking questions prepared in advance and submitted by the audience of about 40.

LPEA, a membership-based cooperative, is contractually bound to purchase 90 percent of its power from Tri-State through 2050. Most candidates agreed they would like a greater percentage for other power sources, but had different opinions on the contract.

“I think we all agree we’d like to source local power, but our ability to do so is a contractual limit,” said Schell, a 30-year energy economist. “Can we buy ourselves out? That would be a costly endeavor.”

Garcia, who is interim town manager of Ignacio and a mechanical engineer, said there are “enormous economic benefits” to growing local power, like community solar gardens.

Turner, a three-year board member, also pointed to the vast array of energy source opportunities constrained by the 5 percent cap.

“With the way the industry is changing, the co-op is saying we need independence to protect ourselves,” he said. “We have solar, wind, micro-turbines, the geothermal project – the number is countless of what is available for us to develop our economies.”

But Beebe, a longtime businessman, said he was glad the contract is in place.

“We have $80 million invested in Tri-State,” he said. “This agreement is in place to protect that investment. If we raise the 5 percent limit, we dilute capability to buy power from Tri-State and reduce the security of the investment.”

Asked about the co-op’s disagreements in the past over Tri-State’s rate structure, Garcia said he believes more are likely in the future.

“Co-ops are different. In winter, we peak in energy use. There are some in New Mexico that peak in summer,” he said. “As Tri-State develops rates, they have one for all of us. That is part of the problem. We’re going to see unrest on future rates with Tri-State.”

According to Schell, the proper rate structure “gets you where you want to go,” and finding the correct one means continued development of the board’s strategic plan. Right now, it doesn’t provide clear guidance, she said.

Board politics were called into question by one audience member, who asked candidates to describe an “appropriate amount” an individual board director should be able to spend on travel.

Beebe said he specifically requested expenditure information from the board, and found averages around $18,000 but as high as $32,600.

“There is a wide discrepancy, and the board, which has complete control over it, is not controlling it,” he said.

Schell said the board has executive decision-making power, and if an expenditure is made without a budgeted line item, that is “unacceptable.”

But Garcia and Turner said the subject of board expenditures has become a politicized issue, and all travel expenditures need the board’s approval.

Each of the four LPEA districts is governed by three board members. One from each is district is elected yearly on a rotating basis.

A District 3 election was canceled this year as there was only one candidate, Doug Lyon, who will serve that district, which encompasses the city of Durango.

Board members Tom Compton, District 2, and Michael Rendon, District 3, did not seek re-election.

LPEA districts 1, 2, and 4 have contested elections for a single board seat in each district.

Mail ballots went out to LPEA members Friday, and they must be returned by 4 p.m. May 6.

jpace@durangoherald.com

Candidates

District 1 (Archuleta County)

Mike Alley

Mark Garcia (incumbent)

Calum McNeil

District 2 (south and west La Plata County)

Dan Huntington

Lori Schell

District 4 (north and east La Plata County)

John Beebe

Ron Bishop

Jack Turner (incumbent)

May 5, 2016
Time running out to cast ballots for LPEA board


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