Vote in your Electric Co-Op Board Election
If you pay Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) bills, you can VOTE in the MEA board elections! The last day to vote online is this coming Monday April 24th, and the elections end on the following day April 25th at the Annual MEA Membership Meeting where you can vote in person.
Voting is available on the MEA website where you pay your bills online through SmartHub. Please vote today! Every vote really matters in these utility co-op elections.
There are two at-large seats available this year, meaning you can vote for your top two candidates, and nine candidates running. Utility board members help make decisions about our energy rates, and the reliability and safety of our energy grid. We need MEA board members who know the importance of member engagement, board transparency and the diversification of local energy generation to lower our carbon emissions. By voting for board members who we can trust and rely on, we can ensure harmful projects like the Susitna-Watana Dam do not get built.
Find out more about the candidates on our website here.
Want to get more involved?
If you would like to help Get Out the Vote, there will be a virtual phone bank this Sunday, April 23rd at 3pm.
Please contact June at june@susitnarivercoalition.org to volunteer.
Proposed Bylaws Changes
In addition to voting for MEA Board members, there are a few bylaws changes proposed.
Summary of Proposed Bylaw Changes 2023:
1. Allow former member debt to be offset with Capital Credits at the Board’s discretion.
This would allow the Board to use capital credits owed to a former member (or an estate) to cover money that a member owes MEA when they leave or pass away.
2. Adding definition of “Patron.”
This adds a definition of patron to make it easier to understand the word when being used in the Bylaws.
3. Amending the definition of a member in “Good Standing.”
This makes it easier for more people to run for the Board. Currently, anyone who has paid all their bills on time for the last three years can run. This new definition includes anyone who has paid bills on time for the last two years with the exception of one time.
4. Recognizing Tribal government in “Entity” definition.
This adds tribal governments to the list of recognized entities in MEA’s service area.
If you have questions, please contact june@susitnarivercoalition.org.
Upcoming Events
April 22, 2023 from 11-3 at Denali Education Center
Join the Susitna River Coalition and the other incredible nonprofits of Talkeetna at the Denali Education Center tomorrow, April 22, from 11AM to 3PM.
There will be food, music, kids activities, and e-waste recycling. There will also be trees to pick up, and opportunities to learn about all of the work that we are doing in the watershed.
Thank you to Denali Education Center for hosting this event. We are excited to see you there!
See the Denali Education Center event page for more information.
Sportsman Shows!
The Susitna River Coalition is going to be hitting the Sportsman Show Circuit! Come visit our booth and enter a chance to win a trip with Mahay's Jetboat Adventures in Talkeetna!
We would love to chat about the West Susitna Industrial Access Corridor, Susitna Watana, Recreation Rivers, MEA Elections, the proposed Setback Ordinance, and all of the good work we have been doing to preserve fishing, hunting, and recreation in the Mat-Su.
April 21-23rd, Fairbanks Outdoor Show
Carlson Center
May 5-7th, Kenai Peninsula Sport and Rec Show
Soldotna Regional Sports Complex
Congratulations to the Winner of the Trip for Two with Mahay's Jet Boat Adventures from the Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Marvin Peterson.
Don't forget to visit the Fairbanks and Kenai Outdoor Shows for more opportunities to win.
Montana Creek Riparian Planting Day
June 3rd, 2023
Save the Date! On June 3rd, 2023, the Susitna River Coalition and the Mat Su Salmon Habitat Partnership will be hosting a planting day of native vegetation on the Montana Creek Bridge on Yoder Road. More details will be sent out soon.
