La Plata Electric Association board members want to get their collective opinion on energy issues to the cooperative’s 30,000 customers in their own words.
They voted Wednesday to contribute articles four times a year to Colorado Country Life, the 30-page monthly magazine produced by the Colorado Rural Electric Association. The magazine is mailed at the first of the month to cooperative members.
Up to now, the four pages that each of the 44 electric association members may fill with their own local news has been prepared by LPEA staff.
Current LPEA projects such as the creation of solar gardens, employee doings, hirings or retirements and a Q&A corner are typical fodder, said Indiana Reed, LPEA spokeswoman who coordinates the effort.
The idea of having board members contribute articles was brought up by Jeff Berman, who has been critical of the overall tone of Colorado Country Life. Berman says the magazine contains articles not in line with LPEA opinions.
After lengthy debate, it was decided that the board president, currently Michael Rendon, would write an article. Berman, the board representative to the CREA, and Joe Wheeling, who represents LPEA at meetings of Tri-State Generation and Transmission, also would contribute. The fourth article would come from a board member chosen by the board president.
Tri-State is the power wholesaler that supplies association members.
All contributions would be reviewed by the board to assure consensus. Davin Montoya and Tom Compton worried that personal bias would creep in otherwise.
Montoya said personal points of view could “get political” and “get nasty.” Compton said personal bias could “stir up trouble.”
In reaching a decision, others said controversy is not the objective of Colorado Country Life.
Montoya and Compton voted “no.”
daler@duangoherald.com
