PIE and G protesters told to protest off school property

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Membership of Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op (PIE & G) gathered at Onaway High School for their 72nd annual meeting to hear reports on the state of the co-op and power supply issues as well as results of the board of directors? election. Approximately 500 people attended the two-hour event, which included a traditional lunch and door prizes. ?As in year?s past, our membership witnessed the cooperatives values of integrity, accountability and transparency in action. The auditor reviewed the financial statements of the cooperative with all in attendance and entertained questions. The meeting went smoothly,? said PIE & G CEO and president Brian Burns. Leading up to the meeting, Tom Karas of the Michigan Energy Alternative Project along with other environmental groups had expressed intentions of introducing a resolution to the board of directors demanding full disclosure of the cost of the power plant project being proposed by Wolverine Power Cooperative.

KARAS, WHO?S not a member of PIE & G, was told he would not be allowed to attend the meeting, nor protest the plant on the school property. Presque Isle County prosecutor Rick Steiger was contacted by the Presque Isle County Sheriff?s Department about a possible environmental group which might be there and told deputies if school officials didn?t want them on the property when a school activity was taking place, they would have to protest off school property. No classes were in session during the meeting. ?They had every right to protest, no matter who was going on there, but it would have to be off of school property,? said Steiger. ?They were not to disrupt the school at the request of Onaway area schools.? Failure to abide could have resulted in state trespassing charges, said Steiger. Candidates for election also were told to campaign or solicit votes off school property. In the past they were told it could be 100 feet from the polling place. Steiger said he was unaware of any concerns regarding candidates. A further clarification will be forthcoming before next year?s election, said Burns.

EACH YEAR elections are conducted for three positions on the board of directors. After all votes were counted, the successful candidates winning election to three-year terms were: Allen Barr (incumbent, Cheboygan district); Daryl Peterson (Montmorency district): and Sally Knopf (Director at-large). During the business meeting, since there wasn?t a quorum, o

r the requisite number of members in attendance to take action, no binding motions could be made, but the board allowed a handful of straw votes under new business. Bob Brietzke requested a vote to have all the co-ops vote on the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture (CEV), and if half of the current membership didn?t want the new plant, it shouldn?t go forward. The tally was 27 for and 155 against. The second vote request came from Ocqueoc Township resident Val Jaroche, who requested a vote with similar wording to the resolution Karas had intended to bring before members. It was rejected with 16 in favor and 166 against.

The third and final vote was presented by Mike Centala to allow the PIE & G board to exercise their fiduciary responsibility regarding the CEV decision. When put to a vote, 169 members voted in favor of it and eight against.