I live in La Plata Electric Association District 4 and have net-metering with battery backup. LPEA does a good job keeping the grid up and for that, I am grateful. I have 30-plus years of experience in board governance and will be careful with my words as I don’t want them labeled “hysterical.”
I have known John Purser for many years, and find him intelligent and thoughtful. We both have a background in economics. I agree with him on some viewpoints, but not all. I don’t know the person who wrote the guest column, “Don’t ‘fall for Purser’s hysterical, untruthful claims.’ ”
That column strengthened my belief that Purser should be the District 4 board representative.
Regarding the guest columnist’s bullet points: 1) I welcome more transparency at LPEA. 2) Witchel does have a conflict of interest, but a conflict of interest does not imply corruption. In 2018 LPEA changed its bylaws (elimination of Article III, Section 2c) to loosen conflict of interest guidance. It was unwise. Purser would have been an important voice on this change. 3) I’m not worried about Zoom meeting locations. 4) LPEA board members do have conflicts of interest. Again, that does not imply corruption. It just means they have a conflict of interest, which should be reviewed regularly, possibly eliminated and publicly acknowledged. 5) I welcome a review and update of LPEA purchasing policies.
Purser will add an important voice to the board, not hysterical, but certainly confrontational. That’s good for LPEA and the customers they serve.
Mark Fackler
Durango
