Dear Editor,

Enron II?

Beartooth Electric Co-op's members are starting to "get it". Over the last three years, a Beartooth board member was paid $29,000 by Southern Montana G & T Co-op, promoter of the phantom Highwood Generating Plant.

 

It's time for the other three co-ops sunk in Highwood "get it" too. The numbers, from Southern's 2005, 2006, and 2007 IRS-990 returns:

 

Beartooth Electric Co-op, John Prinkki:                               $29,000.00

Fergus Electric Co-op, Joe Dirkson:                                      $45,250.00

Mid-Yellowstone Electric Co-op, William Fitzgerald:           $32,250.00

Tongue River Electric Co-op, Gerhard Helm:            $22,375.00

 

Boards are elected by co-op members to act in their members' best interest. Any board member accepting compensation from anyone selling services, goods, or power, to the co-op has a conflict of interest. No local co-op board member doing business with Southern should accept compensation from Southern.

 

Whatever the spin, the current arrangement suggests "Pimping for Highwood".

 

Highwood continues "to build": incomplete permit applications, uncorroborated assertions, verbal backfill, absent customers, token construction, design flip-flops, and no financing. A strange way to build anything except a mirage. Co-op members will make hefty mirage payments until they force an exit from Southern.

 

When reading MCA 35-18-302, remember: Southern is a co-op, so its members are co-op members, and "the private property of the members of a co-operative is exempt from execution for the debts of the co-operative, and a member is not liable or responsible for any debts or obligations of the co-operative". Think "Enron"; act locally.

 

Beartooth Vigilance Committee

If we can help: charliedonnes@mac.com or dthomas@nemontel.net.

 

Charlie Donnes

Red Lodge MT 59102