MEA incumbents win re election

Matanuska Electric Association election on Saturday resulted in the re-election of incumbents Kit Jones and Lois Lester to the Board of Directors.  They both received 3-year terms.

Jones and Lester paired together to run their campaign for re-election.  It appeared to work well, with Lester receiving 3, 377 votes and Jones receiving 3,366 votes. 

The two are part of a new board majority that took power last July when board member Janet Kincaid was seated. The majority has been making changes that have become contentious within MEA’s staff hierarchy.  This month the board requested General Manager Wayne Carmony fire two long time employees and the MEA attorney has been directed to prepare a motion to replace Carmony himself.

There were 25 proposed bylaw amendments on the ballot. Only 7 of those amendments failed.  Residents voted down the elimination of a member advisory committee, which was covered in three separate propositions.  Members also voted down an increase in campaign contribution limits and campaign disclosures as well as voting against eliminating the board member drug test policy.  MEA is the only cooperative in the state that requires board members to go through drug testing.

The Board meets Monday (tonight) to officially accept the results of the election.