Published by Chugach Electric Association, Anchorage.  Chugach is a not-for-profit member-owed electric cooperative and Alaska's largest electricity supplier.

Costs, Elections, Special Interests, Current Issues

You may wonder why we are starting to give away prizes to those who read the Outlet carefully enough to find their hidden member numbers (see details below).

Last month I listed several initiatives identified by your board as priorities. Among the most important is increasing communication between the co-op and the membership on the major business issues facing Chugach. I said YOU must be better informed to participate more knowledgeably in the affairs of YOUR co-op. Why is this important?

• COSTS - The business decisions that affect the price of electricity and service reliability are made by your board of directors (elected each April).

• ELECTIONS - Director campaigns should be based on the discussion of current issues. In recent years co-op elections have become highly politicized, costly struggles involving large amounts of media advertising. The public harm this process has had was highlighted several years ago by the following advice received from a management consultant retained by the Chugach board:
  "I would strongly suggest that you consider reforming the election process which obligates board members to special

• interests. The kind of money now spent on elections is obscene and is making this board look like the US Congress. It should be halted as soon as possible so that you can get back to the business of governing for the greatest good of all association members. "

• SPECIAL INTERESTS - A number of proposals designed to reduce the role of special interests in our elections will be evaluated (campaign contribution and conflict of interest disclosure etc.). Your board intends to make recommendations to the membership on which reforms should take place.

• CURRENT ISSUES - You need sufficient information on current issues to evaluate the performance of the board of directors and the positions of the candidates. The Outlet will provide you with more of this information.

READ THE OUTLET. JOIN THE FUN. WIN A PRIZE. Together we can have a better-informed and managed co-op!