Valley frontiersman., 1952-04-10
Double Present.

NaSiiia. ANuEtaks the bNtip, ana Sutton will each have one repre- sentative, Palmer will have two. and there will be one representa- tive at large. Lines of dcmarka- ton for the different areas were not defined Past experience re- veals a strong tradition for area representation on the MEA board. but this change establishes the practice for the record.
 The third proposition empower ing directors Co set the annual meeting within the first two weeks of April passed 2l9 to six.
 MEA Building Tabled
 The membership voted favor ably on a motion that the MEA building program be tabled f1r the coming year This motion fol- low ed immediately after a report by George Small in which facts and figures revealed that it would be impractical for MEA to sup port a new building at this time According to Small's figures, the cost of maintenance would be too high for present income.
 The financial report as eX- plained by Stewart Hamilton of the REA regional management division showed that MEA has been operating at an extremely low margin of profit. For each one dollar of MEA receipts, 60.9 cents went for power pur- chased, Fl cents went for taxes and interest, 10.3 cents was charged off for depreciation, 21.2 cents went for operation and maintenance, and patronage capi- tai or the profit amounted to one-half mil of the dollar.
 l.200 Members by 1853
 The report of Mrs. Justine Parks, president of the MEA Board highlighted the growth of the association. Her report show ed an increase of 250 members, representing an increase of one- third over the membership of a year ago. Before the year 1852 is over, she said, MEA member ship will reach the 1,200 mark.
 Mrs. Parks reported on the for nation last fall of the Alaska Rural Electric Cooperative As sociation, which at the present time is trying to forward the pro- posed Devils Canyon project on the Susitna River because 4n 1854, when the Eklutna Project is completed, Alaska, if growth continues as it has in the past two years, will be at the same point it is now in respect to need for added power"
 The president also acknoW- ledged with thanks the response and cooperation received by MEA during the "brownout emer- 
 gency last winter.
 In his report, Manager C. A. Brewer revealed MEA 1852 plans for building approximately 20 miles of lines to serve 50 new members. New taps will be at Goat Creek and a Lazy Noun tain extension along Huntley Road. The 1852 plans also call for mobile radio equipment be- tween trucks and office for more efficient service in outages.
 Regarding rates the MEA man ager said, "The financial position of MEA is not in jeopardy, al though we are feeling the strain of paying high rates for energy and selling for low; that is, low for this country and the lowest in this area. We probably should not intend to produce any large revenue over our needs for oper- ating and payment of interest plus principal. We should more likely subscribe to the policy that inasmuch as we are a mutual utility, our income should tread course between having suttlc- tent revenue to operate satisfact- orily. but not have a large excess.
 Rather we should encourage bv as low rates as feasible, the
 .;locnroad usa nf energy and