[Amy.Anna]

Originally Posted by Leo Dwyer

Amy, you fail to point out that the previous board chair, Jeff Morrill, cosigned the 5/28 letter in the Laconia Daily Sun. In fact, five of the current board members agree with me that the Bylaw amendment which guarantees directors access to information is a good idea.

As for specifics, NHEC spends on the order of $70 million purchasing power each year. Getting access to read power purchase contracts has been like pulling teeth. I tried six years ago and was shut down. Recently a director took up that mission and was faced with resistance and I don’t think to date he has gotten what he is after in a manner that makes it easily digestible. Mind you, if NHEC were a for profit utility, the analogous documents would all be readily accessible to the Public Utility Commissioners who provide regulatory oversight. At NHEC it is the directors who supply that oversight, so they need access to the same information as PUC Commissioners.

As for the resume, it wasn’t for an employee, it was for a candidate who was potentially going to be given great responsibility in the organization. You are correct that the board only has one employee – the CEO – but looking at the qualifications of the team the CEO is pulling together helps a director judge the performance of the CEO. Note that the bylaw amendment excludes director access to personnel files and requires that a minimum of three directors join in making an information request. Seems reasonable to me.

As for billing for legal services, NHEC spends a lot of money on lawyers. Legal services are provided in support of both board and management. Directors should have access to scrutinize those bills. Of course, some of the information is sensitive, but directors have the same, or perhaps higher, duty of confidentiality than employees.

Members elect the directors to oversee the management of the business. If you want a board of directors that just nods and votes yes on every proposal put in front of them without question, then don’t vote for the amendment and don’t vote for me.

But if you want to ensure that directors have access to the information needed to look after your interests and that those directors are motivated to ask questions, I suggest you vote YES for the amendment for and check the box for Stringham, Morrill, and Dwyer (that’s me) the only three candidates (out of nine) who support the amendment.

You can vote online at NHEC's SmartHub HERE or look for a paper ballot in yesterdays’ (5/28) US Mail. I attach a Sample Ballot including pro and con statements regarding the bylaw amendment.

Leo Dwyer
Sandwich

PS – I note that Amy Anna is from Sandwich and just joined the Forum last week. I know most of the folks in town and never happened upon her acquaintance. I’d be happy to catch up and chat for a coffee at the Foothills Café and welcome her to town – that is if Amy is a real person and not disguising their true identity for some reason.

What I’m reading here is that you think your job is to do some forensic accounting. Not sure that’s really in the board’s job description? If you want to change day jobs, by all means feel free, but I think at a vital electric utility your resume isn’t exactly fitting that bill. You just seem like you want to create a bunch of busywork for the rest of the board, none of which will amount to anything actionable. I’m not willing to alter the bylaws just so you have an evening hobby after you wrap up bingo. None of this is worth the risk, especially with the minimal vetting that seems to occur with board members.

Also: you want resumes for people even before they are hired? Again, waaaayy beyond the purview of what is appropriate at any organization with this structure. Your job is to evaluate the CEO and the overall performance of the cooperative — not the individual members of the staff.

Board members do not have a higher duty of confidentiality than staff. Remember, some are paid professionals, some are elected part-timers. You all sign the same confidentiality agreements. Let’s keep that inflated sense of self in check.

I want a board that does what is within their purview. If you want to be a part of managing the day-to-day of an electric utility, then you should apply for the next opening. Maybe then the board can vet your resume; maybe even interrogate your references. Wouldn’t want to make a bad hire!

PS: I am in Sandwich, but you do not know everyone. You’re an elected public figure, while I am not. Grow up.