If you are like me and need affordable electricity, you do not want Jeff Berman on the La Plata Electric board of directors. The LPEA board is known for providing affordable electricity by using cost-efficient renewable as well as traditional energy resources. Then along comes Jeff Berman and the unrealistic board members that he helped to elect – the “gang of six” – and the word “affordable” is no longer appropriate. They could not care less about what electricity costs you and me. Additionally,
LPEA has many dedicated employees, but this gang of six treats them like second-class citizens, even in public meetings. I think they are trying to force these employees to quit so they can hire their own people.
To hear Jeff Berman, you would think that he walks on water, but that is not the case. Jeff Berman was the promoter and CEO of San Juan Bioenergy in the Dove Creek area. He convinced lots of farmer friends of mine like Grant Allen, investors like Paul Lemon, Bill Garland and Michael Fury, banks like the Community Banks of Colorado, and government agencies like the Region 9 Economic Development District and the federal Rural Development Agency, to commit their resources to this biodiesel plant. The business was a disaster from the beginning, and the first thing that Berman did was turn the business finances over to one of his friends. He also did some legal maneuvering so he could not be sued. You guessed it, San Juan Bioenergy failed. Jeff Berman made a huge salary, and everyone else got the shaft. If you don’t believe this, just ask some of these folks.
We cannot afford to have Jeff Berman on the La Plata Electric Association board! Please vote for Bill Waters and Joe Wheeling.
J. Paul Brown
