Guest commentary
Management distrust cited as reason for failed consolidation
By Keith Mullin

The recent vote against consolidation of Carroll County REMC with White County sent a message of no confidence to the management from the membership. It was not so much a matter of distrusting mergers but rather distrusting management who have become out of touch with the general membership, at least from a fiduciary standpoint.

Obviously, immediate and urgent corrective action is required:

• Increase the size of the board for better membership contact.

• The directors must learn to ask a lot of hard questions.

Set reasonable term limits, say two, for directors.

• Find a new audit firm.

• Peruse every line item of cost in each annual budget with a goal of reducing overhead by at least 5% annually. Do not be satisfied with average numbers. Assume there is competition out there. Strive to be the best in the state!

• Find a way to reduce or better yet eliminate the onerous $20 per month meter charge which was doubled in 2006, mainly to cover Fairnet losses which have so far amounted to over $5 million. This charge is disproportionate to small use accounts and highly unfair.

• Improve financial transparency to members - for example, mail out the annual report with the meeting announcement. Include more footnotes and detailed explanations of unusual items (for example, losses and source of debt).

• Allow each member to cast a registered vote by mail or in person on important matters instead of requiring actual physical presence at annual meeting.

Finally, the published remarks attributed to a White County board person in regard to the Carroll County membership were, if true, insulting, condescending, arrogant and uncalled for. At least we now know what they think of us!

Keith Mullin is a Camden resident.