Richard Knox: Vote for bylaws change to resolve NHEC power struggle

To The Daily Sun,

New Hampshire Electric Co-op board Chair Sharon Davis misleads the co-op’s members when she takes issue with my May 20 column in the Union Leader.

When it comes to assuring co-op directors’ access to company information relevant to policy decisions, she confuses board policy with current NHEC bylaws. The bylaws have no such guarantee. And lately board policy stating directors “shall have access to all NHEC contracts and documents, other than personnel policies” has been selectively enforced. That’s why there’s a need for the bylaws amendment on this year’s election ballot.

I did not write that “directors are required to come” to NHEC headquarters to look at documents. I said sometimes they have been, and often they’ve been offered view-only access (no copying), with no way to search thousands of pages or do meaningful analysis.

Ms. Davis emphasizes the proposed amendment would expose members' “private information” to the public. This is a classic red herring — something used to divert attention away from the main issues. Directors have never sought access to members’ data, it would have no relevance to policy-making, and it’s inconceivable that three or more directors would demand member information, as the proposed amendment requires.

Ms. Davis declares it is “not good governance to adopt a bylaws amendment NHEC’s directors are powerless to change.” This reveals a basic misconception about the relationship between NHEC directors and members. Members own the company, they elect the directors, and they have the absolute right to determine what the bylaws say.

The fundamental issue here is a prolonged power struggle within the NHEC board. This election offers a cure: Pass the bylaws change and elect its supporters — Leo Dwyer, Jeff Morrill and Jerry Stringham. Ballots recently arrived in members’ mail. Votes must be received by close of business on June 12.

Richard Knox

Center Sandwich