Kenneth Hill: Co-op needs directors who understand electricity markets, innovation

To The Daily Sun,

The New Hampshire Electric Cooperative is owned by its members, that is, us. It has an 11-person, elected board of directors that, in theory, has a fiduciary responsibility for policy decisions that affect all users, such as setting the prices we consumers pay.

However, until the last few years the board has been a largely passive body rubber-stamping management decisions. Recently, some activist board members have pushed management to undertake new initiatives, notably the provision of high-speed internet (though the roll-out of this service has been slow), to moderate price increases and to increase transparency.

Board members are elected or re-elected on a revolving basis, roughly three members per year. The election is coming up soon. The co-op needs directors who understand electricity markets and can push management towards innovation.

I urge all members to vote for innovation, expertise and transparency by voting for Dwyer, Stringham and Morrill for the board of directors, and by voting “Yes” for the amendment to the bylaws ensuring more transparency on the part of management to provide needed information to the board.

Kenneth Hill

Moultonborough