Kennedy Carroll County REMC Board of Directors decided to replace outgoing Chief Executive Officer Ron Kennedy with the CEO of the White County REMC as a move toward eventual consolidation of the two rural cooperatives. In a press release issued Aug. 29, it was announced Randy Price will assume the leadership of the Carroll County cooperative after the Oct. 31 retirement of Kennedy.

"In a mana gement agreement unanimously approved by both the White County and Carroll County boards of directors, Price will manage both cooperatives as well as oversee the investments made into subsidiaries such as Fairnet that is solely owned by Carroll County REMC," the release read.

"We're just sharing managers," Carroll County REMC Board President Tom Flora said Saturday. "The people underneath him will remain the same."

"Staff numbers were reduced through attrition when we were anticipating the consolidation," he continued. "But now there is hiring going on to bring the number of staff back up."

Flora said the board did not interview anyone beside Price for the position. He would not disclose the salary to be paid to Price, but said the position was not designed to be full-time. Although Carroll County REMC members voted against consolidation at the June 21 annual meeting, Flora said directors plan to bring the consolidation vote back "in a couple of years."

Flora said board meetings are the last Monday of every month. Any member can attend if they complete a form to be placed on the agenda. He added board members serve three-year terms and must be voted onto the board by the membership.