I attended the Friday meeting of the Cobb EMC Owners Association and believe it is true that EMC employees who are also EMC members outnumbered non-employees at the meeting of the EMC Members Owners Association.
However, let us not forget that employees of Cobb EMC who are customers of Cobb EMC are owners to the same extent as are we. They have the same right to participate in the process of determining which candidate will be endorsed by the owners association as do non-Cobb EMC employees.
Whether employees were encouraged to attend the meeting and had received suggestions as to how they should vote, I do not know. However, I accept at face value CEO Chip Nelson’s statement that none of them attended the meeting on company time.
Frankly, I was surprised that Tim Gaze of area 8 and Eric Broadwell of area 9 were not endorsed by the association. Gaze, the Senior Manager of Accounting for Georgia–Pacific Corp.’s Dixie division, would be a tremendous asset to the board of directors if elected. I believe he would be independent and management would in no way have control over him. Broadwell has for years worked with Take Back Cobb EMC to put an end to the alleged corruption of the old board of directors. He too would be an independent director if elected.
As far as dissent among the ranks of the Owners’ Association is concerned, it does exist. I have nothing but the highest regards for Butch Thompson. His efforts have been invaluable in bringing an end to the Dwight Brown era of Cobb EMC. Butch feels strongly that Tripper, as one of those who sued Brown and the old directors, should not seek a position with Cobb EMC as a director.
I disagree. Tripper has not just been a plaintiff in the lawsuit against Brown and the old directors, but has actively appeared before committees at the State Capitol in an effort to get the law changed which allows EMCs in Georgia to operate in secrecy. Tripper would make a great independent director should he be elected.
Each Cobb EMC member should vote on March 31. If you do not vote, don’t complain that you do not receive a dividend when a profit is made.
Fletcher Thompson
Cobb EMC Member
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In the first election I followed the advice of the Owners Group. I hope that The MDJ will do a complete work-up on the Candidates. This time, I will view an Endorsement by the "Owners" as a Negative rather than a positive.
It is like a Union taking over a Company. I have bought my last GM car. I now see Cobb EMC in a Similar light. Maybe Electric Deregulation is not a bad idea. Would I choose another Provider? You Betchem!
Perhaps employees have bosses that favor leaving work in time to be there at 6 pm, which most working people with huge electric bills and no capital credits do not.
The employees there to vote were the same ones who were out in front of the EMC with signs screaming at a press conference for Take Back Cobb EMC. Their behavior was appalling and this was done on company time. There is no shame at Cobb EMC.
In the two elections CEOA has endorsed 6 folk I wanted to see endorsed and four I didn't think were best (3 out of 4 in November and 3 out of 6 this time). I can still campaign for my favorites -- Mr King, Mr. Berry and Ms. Taylor and I don't have to be mean spirited or goe to x-file conspiracy theories to do so.
If like other candidates better than those CEOA endorsed, you should do the same. The real election is all that matters.
FWIW, since around October 2011 the free MDJ online has seemed to become less organized, difficult to find articles from previous days and lacking in coverage/follow-up of things that seem to get picked up on in the printed paper, and "printing" of all comments submitted on articles ( often is the case when the comments number says "12" but only "2" comments show up).
Does the MDJ still believe print is the wave of the future for the MDJ? If the MDJ would move its paid for online version to a more convenient format (not the weird picture of the page stuff), there might be an increase in online subscriptions.