Had that communication been better, LPEA s leadership would not have had to spend so much time in heated defense of its actions and another initiative, and the merger with the similar cooperative serving Montezuma County might have occurred. For 60 years the La Plata Electric Association has delivered only electricity to its members. To move into the financially risky roller-coaster world of new communications required much more information than LPEA provided. But more importantly, the use of for-profit companies, and the operating secrecy they are allowed, was new to both the board and the membership. Overlay those conditions with a natural defensiveness when the critics surfaced, and communication has been a disaster.
Communication has to improve if the utility is to continue to do more than just deliver electricity.
Watts, Gardella and Brodsky have able challengers in Jerry McCaw, William Siapno and Bud Deering. McCaw wants more openness. Siapno s background gives him the ability to interpret technical subjects for laymen. Deering wants to be certain the low-tax cooperative status is protected and would not compete with private enterprise. All talk about the need for better communication.