I am writing in response to letters about the La Plata Electric Association board by Karen Pontius and Kim Martin (Herald, Sept. 2 and Sept. 4).
Social media is calling for a stop of the vitriol in Washington and more civility in politics. This will only happen if it starts with each of us. Our rural co-op should not be smeared with political rhetoric.
Every member of the board ran because he or she wanted to make a difference, though as a group they may not agree about the path forward. Meeting Kohler McInnis is to know he is an upstanding citizen, honest, forthright, full of integrity and cares deeply about this community. I know; I’ve been married to him for 25 years.
As a Tri-State board member, Kohler has access to information that the general public does not and, as such, makes informed decisions; every vote has been placed after hours of study. He does not take this responsibility lightly.
Most of us would agree that solar and renewables are an integral part of our future. We may disagree about the direction, but we should respect each other’s differences and challenge one another to think in new ways, without name calling and nastiness.
If you have questions about why individual board directors voted the way they did, contact LPEA to schedule a meeting and ask about it. Give each the chance to explain their rationale. You might learn something new, and better understand someone else’s point of view.
It is that kind of understanding that will bring civility back to politics locally and nationally.
Kathleen McInnis
Durango
