Mayo Vivian Jones and her sidekick Mark Williams

[rbg]

part of the ENRON ELECTRICITIES RATE SCANDAL
12 Questions of Accountability
To: NC Legislators, City officials, Attorney General, State Auditor
After months of denying a rate increase, then denying the rate increase is due to anything other than fuel costs, ElectriCities of NC finally admitted a booboo. But this one is very costly to the good people of eastern NC. They finally admitted, after telling us to USE FANS to save money.
Jesse Tilton CEO “converted a portion of the debt from fixed-rate loans to variable-interest loans in 2004. The move was expected to save around $10.5 million a year in interest payments, but instead, the collapse of the subprime mortgage market caused those interest rates to climb unexpectedly. Between last December and April, the payments were nearly $4 million over budget. They have since converted that debt back to fixed rates, but the damage was done. NCEMPA's debt service payments are rising $12 million a year, or equal to a two-percent hike in the wholesale rate.”
http://www.wilsontimes.com/News/Local/Story/E... --
And why did Sen Martin Nesbitt and Rep Dan Blue (A former ElectriCities lobbyist) get a bill passed for ElectriCities and then get a PAC contribution when they have no electric city in their district. And why would a bill pass letting this group enter into ANYTHING for any longer than 3 years when the ineptness is so OBVIOUS.
Enrolled and on its way to the Governor’s office for signature is a bill that allows joint municipal
assistance agencies to make and execute contracts for more than three years. HB 1679 entitled Joint Municipal Assistance Agency Contracts, introduced by Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford),
was given a favorable report out of the Senate Judiciary I Committee and received unanimous support on the Senate floor. Senator Nesbitt (D-Buncombe) explained the bill on the Senate floor and stated that he had no idea why anyone would put such a restriction on an organization trying to do business. The bill amends General Statute 159B-44 by removing the three-year limit. ElectriCities will be able to bind its members in contracts for a period longer than three years.The bill is effective as soon as the Governor signs it into law.
THIS IS NOT GOOD. YOU DO NOT REWARD BAD BEHAVIOR WITH MORE AUTHORITY

[rdj]

12 Questions of Accountability
To: NC Legislators, City officials, Attorney General, State Auditor
After months of denying a rate increase, then denying the rate increase is due to anything other than fuel costs, ElectriCities of NC finally admitted one of their COSTLY debacles. Now they want eastern NC to use fans to cool off this summer so we can pay for the debacle. All while they sit back and collect their fat paychecks and live in Progress Energy service areas.
Jesse Tilton CEO “converted a portion of the debt from fixed-rate loans to variable-interest loans in 2004. The move was expected to save around $10.5 million a year in interest payments, but instead, the collapse of the subprime mortgage market caused those interest rates to climb unexpectedly. Between last December and April, the payments were nearly $4 million over budget. They have since converted that debt back to fixed rates, but the damage was done. NCEMPA's debt service payments are rising $12 million a year, or equal to a two-percent hike in the wholesale rate.”
http://www.wilsontimes.com/News/Local/Story/E... --
ElectriCities says other utilities did this too. Which other utilities did this? And they say their rate increases are just like Progress Energy. Progress Energy is regulated by people who understand energy (Utilities Commission) and they will not allow Progress Energy to impose rates this high on consumers in one year. Progress Energy is not screwing up refinancing and making people pay for a screw up and then a cover up.
We want to know:
How much has the screwed up refinancing of the debt cost us in total?
When was it discovered to be a bad deal? Officials in Wilson told us in March was when they were told but that the CEO admitted he knew in October. But, we the people, the people who have to pay, were not told until June and many city officials were not told until June.
When did the CEO inform the cities, the board? March for some; June for most.
How long had the CEO known when he informed them? Jesse Tilton knew in Oct. 2007 and did not tell his board until March. He let the costs increase and did not tell. Then, the Board did not tell until June.
How much did the soaring interest rates cost us during that undisclosed time period of October until June? How does a CEO have authority to not disclose this for 6 months to his Board.
Has the refinancing of the debt been cleaned up - i.e. has it been refinanced again?
How much did that new refinancing cost?
What percentage of the rate increase is due to the poorly managed refinancing of the debt?
Why is ElectriCities not informing the ratepayers of the true costs of the rate increase? They are starting to now tell after lying for months to the press and the people, and even some city officials.
How much have operational costs at the power agency and ElectriCities increased (%) over the past three years?
What cuts will ElectriCities make to their operation to demonstrate that they understand the burden they have placed on eastern NC?
Why is the ElectriCities Board continuing to employ a CEO who has mismanaged public money, cost the ratepayers needlessly and hidden the facts from them and us? How can you employ a half million dollar CEO who screwed up this badly. How can you lie to the press and people time after time. How can Jesse Tilton’s managers get away with not telling the truth? And how can board members take thousands of dollars in “salary” for being on a board when they are not doing their job. WE NEED MORE AND BETTER OVERSIGHT.

[rdj]

And why did Sen Martin Nesbitt and Rep Dan Blue (A former ElectriCities lobbyist) get a bill passed for ElectriCities and then get a PAC contribution when they have no electric city in their district. And why would a bill pass the NC General Assembly letting this group enter into ANYTHING for any longer than 3 years when the ineptness at ElectriCities is so OBVIOUS. The legislature has just tied our hands for more mismanagement.
It took fifteen lobbyists to get a bill “Enrolled and on its way to the Governor’s office for signature is a bill that allows joint municipal assistance agencies to make and execute contracts for more than three years. HB 1679 entitled Joint Municipal Assistance Agency Contracts, introduced by Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford), was given a favorable report out of the Senate Judiciary I Committee and received unanimous support on the Senate floor. Senator Nesbitt (D-Buncombe) explained the bill on the Senate floor and stated that he had no idea why anyone would put such a restriction on an organization trying to do business. The bill amends General Statute 159B-44 by removing the three-year limit. ElectriCities will be able to bind its members in contracts for a period longer than three years.The bill is effective as soon as the Governor signs it into law.”
YOU DO NOT REWARD BAD BEHAVIOR WITH MORE AUTHORITY. The answer to the question Sen. Nesbitt is this organization needs to be restricted as they are mismanaged and ruining half of the State of North Carolina.

[leslie]

Finally a reporter who can report!

www.rockymounttelegram.com/local/content/news...

But still, not the whole story.

However, see how Sam Noble and Fred Turnage defend their man. Why is that?
What co-ops have salaries like Tilton's? None I have found. Lets see some facts Mr. Noble. What other entities have increases like this from bad refinancing Mr. Turnage? We keep hearing it but where are those entities and what are the ramifications.

And what about the double digit salary increases staff got to drive up Tilton's salary increase? How much were those and who got them? Tilton gave many of them and the documents have been floating around for a while now. He pumped one guy up at least 60 percent over 5 years - Clay Norris.

And what about a list of settlements Tilton told the commissioners about - how much was that?

Still no answer to the discrepancies between what ElectriCities says and what they write.

Without BlueNC, the forum for this all would have been a low murmur of folks concerned.

[eee45]

Supposedly over 20 years, there have been more than 40 complaints about Estherine Davis for her behavior and harrassment of people. They have all been ignored but they are all in files and many are in writing.
She is a secretary moved up the proverbial ladder to a lobbyist. No credential and little speaking ability. Meet her and you decide if any of those rungs were deserved.
She will need a new revolving door since she has been part of lies about her two bosses, both white, and now a total of six other people in the division have left in 5 years because of her, including three in the past five months. All are white. Only one person has remained in the division and she is not the brightest bulb in the pack but she is black.
This is more than 80% turnover in a group that lobbies. That is why there are 10 contract lobbyists. Staff cannot get it done. They are too busy packing to get away from this woman. So I suppose the Board can say "We can't hold her responsible for her behavior." or something else equally idiotic.
No, this is not the most pressing issue at this place but it is a BIG indicator of the crap that goes on and the environment there that needs fixing, and why there needs to be a change in the entire senior management. SOON. How can work when they are working in a soap opera.