Petitions for DMEA board candidates available Monday

Robert Allen

Daily Press Writer

MONTROSE — Local residents have the opportunity Monday to begin petitioning to campaign for the Delta-Montrose Electric Association Board of Directors.

“A lot of people are surprised by the vigor and commitment these campaigns entail,” DMEA spokesman Tom Polikalas said. “Some of these board elections become almost as competitive as legislative seats.”

To campaign, potential candidates must obtain signatures from 25 local DMEA members. Anyone buying power through the company is a member. The candidates must be members who have lived in the district in which they are running for at least 45 days.

Three board positions will be available in districts one, two and three. The first district is in the west Montrose area. Incumbent Paul Gottlieb reaches his term limits this year, so he will not be running.

District two includes Paonia and extends to the east and north of the town, including Cedaredge and part of Grand Mesa’s southern slope. Incumbent Ed Marston will be seeking reelection for this district seat.

District three is in the North Fork area, which includes Hotchkiss, Crawford and part of Montrose County. Incumbent Charles Klaseen reaches his term limits this year, so he will not be running.

There are nine members on the DMEA board, with eight representing districts and one who is at large.

Responsibilities of board members include a monthly board meeting and monthly committee meeting. However, board members typically spend several hours each week getting up to speed on the wide array of issues, Polikalas said.

“Even when people come on as laypeople, within a short amount of time they become fairly expert on utility issues and renewable energy issues,” he said.

The board’s eight committees include finance, engineering and construction, policy, merger and shared services, marketing/public relations, manager review, subsidiaries and horizon committees.

In addition, the board members represent DMEA on eight others, such as the Tri-State Generation and Transmission and Colorado Rural Electric Association boards.

Board members are compensated $100 plus mileage for each local meeting they attend. They also receive about $750 per month in cash in lieu of health insurance benefits.

Petitions are due April 30, no later than 5 p.m. Members will be mailed election ballots, which include candidate bios, in late May. The election is June 14, where registration and voting will also take place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

An election credentials committee counts the ballots, and they are never handled by DMEA employees. In fact, ballots submitted with payments or at the DMEA drop box are invalid, Polikalas said.

Through public elections, the DMEA is able to maintain the “biggest degree of local control,” as the consumers choose who makes decisions, Polikalas said.

Contact Robert Allen via e-mail at roberta@montrosepress.com