The two candidates in the race for a District 4 seat on the La Plata Electric Association Board of Directors engaged in short and relatively chilled virtual debate Tuesday at the La Plata County Democrats May Club Luncheon.
The elections in districts 1, 2 and 3 were canceled because candidates ran unopposed. LPEA members in District 4, which comprises the northern and eastern parts of La Plata County, must choose between David Luschen and John Purser.
Whoever fills the seat will join 11 other board members in overseeing and directing the co-op, which brings in $107 million in annual operating revenue.
The debate lasted just a half-hour as Luschen and Purser offered their perspectives on the association’s potential exit from its contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, their own qualifications and the performance of current leadership.
Purser is running on a platform advocating for fiscal and environmental sustainability.
He touts his lengthy residency in La Plata County – 19 years – as a virtue and took an offensive stance against Luschen’s proposal that the co-op invest in local solar energy production. He cited a lack of sustainability in the production process of necessary materials and potential inequity in the way financial benefits are shared in the community.
“I get very concerned when they talk about local production without backup,” Purser said.
Luschen, who would bring 26 years of experience at a municipally owned gas and electric utility in Texas, says his technical experience would be a virtue. He has been a county resident for just 1½ years and said part of the reason for his campaign is because “I want to grow roots.”
He argues that local solar and battery storage, with the potential for power-purchase agreements as a backup, meet both financial and environmental sustainability goals.
On the topic of local control, Purser went after CPS Energy, where Luschen was a senior director, and the utility’s performance during the 2021 winter storm that knocked out power across Texas. He called it a “failure of local control,” while Luschen deferred blame to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Public Utilities Commission.
The moderator opened a bit of a Pandora’s box by asking candidates about their opinion of LPEA’s current leadership. Purser has publicly clashed with directors during both this and past elections (he ran in 2021 as well).
Luschen gave a full-throated endorsement of the currently LPEA board and CEO, Jessica Matlock, and said both are “doing a great job.”
Purser reiterated concerns he has raised previously regarding transparency at the cooperative.
“I think it’s totally inappropriate that RFPs (requests for proposals) are not published,” he said.
He has also expressed consternation over perceived conflicts of interest within the board. He states on his website that Board Chair John Witchel, the CEO of King Energy, has a conflict of interest because “LPEA board meetings are literally run from the offices of King Energy.” Every meeting of the LPEA board that has taken place this year has the LPEA headquarters listed as the location of the agenda.
LPEA District 3 Director Joe Lewandowski slammed Purser in a letter to the editor, saying that Purser “blatantly lies.”
Purser fired back during the debate when arguing in favor of biannual in-person director meetings, noting Lewandowski would not come after him if the two had a personal relationship.
Ballots went out to all LPEA members on Wednesday. Eligible electors are urged to return mail-in ballots no later than May 31. Ballots can also be returned to numerous drop boxes by 4 p.m. June 7, or in person at the board meeting between 4 and 5 p.m. June 8.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
