Taosenos Confront the “Survival of the Coop”

The Pied Piper of Taos

In terms of local politics, the June primary matters little and will create change less in Taos. Here the real election action concerns the KCEC Board of Trustees on May 8. On that day Taoseno taxpayers and ratepayers—members of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative—will confront a culture of increasing Coop corruption and expanding incompetence that is poisoning the community. Circle May 8 on your calendar. If you’ve got a meter in your name you can vote.

During the last decade, in addition to spending an estimated $3 million on travel and compensation for themselves, the trustees have lost at least $10 million in their foolish Propane and Internet adventures. They have buried the Coop in an estimated $80 million debt. Most recently, the Trustees began spending a taxpayer funded and member guaranteed $64 million grant and loan in an attempt to gain access to the Broadband market for a few thousand potential hook-ups—a market now being served by an increasing number of alternative carriers: Century Link, Comcast, Taos Net, and cell-phone hot spots. Last year Trustees voted to raise rates and the pay of the CEO–except for Trustees Mylet and Virgil Martinez, who voted “NO.”

The Rural Electrical Act of 1936 addressed the need for electricity in the farm and ranch country of America. The REA was based on “need” and administered by citizen trustees, who believed in public service. Today trustees see the REA and local Coops as a cash cow and have privatized public service. Just as they benefit from travel and per diem pay they also influence contract awards to benefit friends or family members.

See the used electrical poles and firewood from tree trimming that ends up on trustee property. Tales of reduced fees for hook-ups and monthly charges for trustees and their friends continue to be reported—off-the-record–by KCEC employees, who say an atmosphere of retaliation prevails at the Coop.

According to employees, a single trustee’s family member is due to receive $12,000 a month for Broadband equipment storage; a local broadcast company has been given months, if not years, of special consideration for late payments on monthly electrical charges—in addition to lucrative advertising contracts; unqualified out-of-state companies have been hired for Broadband expansion but why?

Town of Taos council members—beneficiaries of Coop largesse—have voted to support the move of the E911 PSAP to an unnecessary Command Center—one man’s folly financed by the support of Coop Trustees and willing politicos. The motive for the construction of the controversial Command Center is seen as a public relations retort—the Rabbit’s Revenge–aimed at E911 personnel and town cops, due to an embarrassing scandal a decade ago.

Here’s an anecdote (true or not) that’s indicative of the change in the Coop culture. During outages, employees say they are instructed to restore electricity first for oldsters on oxygen. But this last week, employees say they were sent to the house of a prominent female official first. Perhaps she needed to use her hair dryer. As the employees say, “She’s connected.”

How many trustees does it take to change a light bulb? None. They call the CEO, who orders out the linemen.

Allegedly, KCEC awards contracts to town businessmen on the council in turn for their votes to support the Command Center lease. The propaganda associated with the Command Center mantra: “Public safety, welfare, and health”—is a favorite slogan when the numbers and reasons don’t add up. Even local critics are confused by the Coop’s propaganda campaign.

Longtime observers of the Coop and exiled Taosenos question Friction’s commentary; saying special deals for family and friends have always existed in Taos. But we say never has one man–the Pied Piper of Taos–exercised so much control over so much largesse–$64 million for friends and family members is excessive even for El Norte.

For that matter, district court judges, who generally remain above the fray, have been turned into patsies by the byzantine ethics of local politics. They have ignored calls to investigate Coop and town corruption. Last week the district court came down hard on the sign man—treating a free speech activist and critic as a criminal–even as the record shows the Taos Treasure was convicted in the Kangaroo court based on perjured testimony last year. Since that time, the Kangaroo court has been transformed into an Owl and wisely rejected town charges against the critic of corrupt practices. Go figure!

Meanwhile, the very future financial life of the Coop is at risk as trustees continue to cover up the ethical lapses of the executive and legal staffs. Community leaders, who spent a lifetime building up goodwill, have destroyed their reputations by joining the board and getting caught in the Coop honeypot. It’s up to Taosenos to turn back the clock and take back their Coop on May 8.

KCEC employees say they support incumbent Luisa Mylet, the Mother of us All, and challenger Peter Adang—an honest activist–here in Taos. We also support Father Virgil Martinez of Cerro (but he isn’t running this year).

Support the Survival of the Coop in Taos: Vote for Mylet and Adang.