I have a friend who is an executive in the company that sells coal to Tri-State, the wholesaler that supplies La Plata Electric Association. He wants to run for the LPEA board. That isn’t a conflict of interest, is it?

So, will the “greenies” be bringing in outside money and help to buy another LPEA election? In a previous election, I was called by a far-left acquaintance who insisted I vote for one of the “green” candidates. He later admitted he was being paid to do so.

Really, it doesn’t matter to me. My electricity consumption has declined, while my electric bill has skyrocketed, so I’m taking action. I’m building a coal-fired generator just for my house. I’ll use lead-zinc batteries mined at Silverton for storage. Because I’m a “little guy” and not an evil capitalist, I’m not regulated by federal clean air regulations.

By mining, and thus recovering those heavy metals from the Animas watershed, I’m improving water quality. Soon, I’ll be free of the eco-fascists.

Mark Mahlum

Bayfield