Wilson NC – ElectriCities CEO should like his deal

T. Graham Edwards said he is thrilled about the opportunity to lead ElectriCities.

I bet he is.

Five hundred and thirty thousands dollars a year and a $10,200 car allowance — what does he need to drive, a Ferrari?

In this era of cutting teachers and teaching assistants, . . . (The Wilson Times)

Statesville NC – What Happened in Statesville May Happen Here

As weatherization money flows from the Federal Government that is a decent chance that it may work.  Weatherization project goals are geared to decrease the consumption of electrical needs of ratepayers.  Most Cities in both the western and eastern power agencies depend on utility revenue to balance their budgets. (Citizens For Fair Utilities)

Raleigh NC – ElectriCities Hires Graham Edwards as CEO

Damn here we go. This guy will make more than the former CEO. More money, mo money. Wow this is too interesting. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

We reported on this last week when we mentioned it regarding our video on the NCEMPA Board Meeting.  Edwards base salary will be  $535,000 a year plus benefit package (including severance).  Edwards worked at Midwest ISO until his retirement.  He retired to South Carolina.  Edwards starts June 22nd. (Citizens For Fair Utilities)

See related:

New ElectriCities CEO makes $100K more

Rocky Mount NC – Utilities forum focuses on big picture

Citizens for Fair Utilities of Rocky Mount and Eastern North Carolina tonight will host, in conjunction with Opportunities Industrialization Center of Rocky Mount, an Eastern N.C. Energy Forum at the OIC Auditorium from 6 to 8 p.m.

Featured speakers include U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-1st District, and representatives from EnvironmentNC, the N.C. Energy Office, Wilson Community College, ElectriCities and Martin County Community Action Agency. (Rocky Mount Telegram)

See related:

Rocky Mount NC – For Immediate Release: ENERGY FORUM BRINGS POLICY TO THE PEOPLE

Rocky Mount NC – For Immediate Release: ENERGY FORUM BRINGS POLICY TO THE PEOPLE

For Immediate Release May 5, 2009

ENERGY FORUM BRINGS POLICY TO THE PEOPLE

Rocky Mount (NC) – On Thursday, May 7^th the Citizens for Fair Utilities (CFFU) of Rocky Mount and Eastern NC are hosting, in conjunction with OIC, Inc. of Rocky Mount, an Eastern NC Energy Forum at the OIC Auditorium from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Featured speakers include US Rep. G. K. Butterfield and representatives from ConservationNC, the NC Energy Office, Wilson Community College, ElectriCities and Martin County Community Action Agency.

“We initiated the idea of a dialogue between policy makers, policy influencers and policy implementers,” Jessie Frazier, co-founder of Citizens for Fair Utilities stated. “Consumers throughout the country, and in particular eastern North Carolina, are impacted directly by our elected and appointed officials who make and administer energy regulations and services.”

CFFU was formed to educate ElectriCities consumers about cost structuring, consumer tips and advocacy for lowering consumer energy costs. George Fisher, Public Relations Chair for CFFU commented, “We know that we need to be concerned about the entire energy picture. This conference is an attempt to put all the pieces together at one time.”

“Cities, residents and business owners in Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Wilson and a number of other towns and cities throughout the east are struggling to pay for the cost of electricity and gas now. We need to understand how energy policy is being crafted and how that impacts the way we live and our budgets today and in the future,” Reuben Blackwell, OIC President and CEO said. “This forum gives us an opportunity to hear directly from agency leaders and from our Congressman what the issues are and what we can expect.”

“People are trying to figure out how to live from day to day,” Andre’ Knight, Rocky Mount City Councilmember and NCEMPA Commissioner stated. “If we don’t change the way we live and consume energy, we won’t have a planet. At the same time, we can’t afford any more increases in our bills without increases in our income.”

Issues related to conservation, cap and trade legislation, weatherization, green jobs, ElectriCities debt and renewable energy will be discussed. The Forum is free to the public, but RSVPs are requested. Registration may be made by calling (252) 212-3460 through Thursday.

For more information, contact George Fisher at (252) 407-7771.

Rocky Mount NC – City forum on energy to tap state, federal sources

Public officials will give the utility rates paid by Rocky Mount residents a lot of attention next month.

The Rocky Mount City Council on Monday approved a resolution establishing May as “Utilities Awareness Month” as an avenue to “educate and heighten efforts to conserve, weatherize and lower the overall cost of electricity.” (Rocky Mount Telegram)

Raleigh NC – ElectriCities pulls plug on meeting at resort

It’s out with the lavish resort and spa in the mountains and in with the Raleigh Convention Center.

The administrative arm of the power company serving Rocky Mount has cancelled its reservations for its annual meeting at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville and has secured the center for its next retreat on Aug. 27. (Rocky Mount Telegram)

Wilson NC – Butterfield says he will seek relief for high utility rates

U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield says he’s committed to addressing electric rate concerns voiced by Wilson and other municipal leaders in the ElectriCities service area.

Butterfield, D-Wilson, met with Mayor Bruce Rose and City Manager Grant Goings during a recent trip to Washington, D.C. City leaders annually travel to the nation’s capital each year as part of their federal lobbying efforts. (Wilson Times)

Note: Originally posted on April 5, 2009 9:32.

Wilson NC – Power agency explains rate structure’s trends

WILSON  — Members of the N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency Rate Committee were briefed on the history of the agency’s electric rate structure during a workshop Thursday.

Held at the request of several municipal representatives, the extensive workshop session enlightened officials as to how the agency’s rates came into effect and what can be done in the future to stabilize electric rates. (Rocky Mount Telegram)

Rocky Mount NC – Do You Know The Board Members During The Time Rocky Mount Joined ElectriCities?

Sources say Rocky Mount City Council Board Members during the time they joined ElectriCities were:

Fred Turnage WM – Former Mayor for 30 plus years.

Rev. Gerald Neice WM

W. C. Strye, Jr. WM

Rev. George W. Dudley BM

L. Ernest Bridgers Jr. WM

Walter T. Mears WM

William E. Broughton WM

Jimmie Armstrong WM

*White Male/Black Male

Sources say that they believe all of the members are alive except Dudley, Mears, and Armstrong.

If anyone find the above not to be accurate please feel free to contact me with your information.

From the Publisher – (Wilson NC) See Who Have Made Major Contributions Helping Rocky Mount With The ElectriCities Fight

Stay tuned for  names of some of the key players in the next day or two that have played a major role in the ElectriCities fight. These folks have written letters to the editor and/or have attended the (NCEMPA) North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency Commission meetings in Wilson faithfully. One person challenged Wilson Mayor Bruce Rose last year by seeking to unseat him.

From the Publisher – (Rocky Mount NC) ElectriCities Uncovered

I learned about ElectriCities back in the late 90′s when North Eastern NC Committee on the Affairs of Black People (NCCABP) held a meeting at Truth Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount.

(NCCABP) members were Carol A. Batchelor, Jackie Norris, Lewis Turner, Andre Knight, yours truly and a couple of others who I can’t remember. We formed to deal with every day people issues.

The meeting at Truth Tabernacle consisted of the Rocky Mount City Utilities Staff. This was a very good meeting and most of all very informative.

As the years passed and Angela Bryant was elected to the Rocky Mount City Council, she was appointed to sit on the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency Commission (NCEMPA). This is when we found out that the ElectriCities Board of Commissioners were paid a stipe-end $1,000 a month to attend their meetings. The NCEMPA Commissioners didn’t get paid to attend their meetings however they do go to Parkers Barbecue and Restaurant in Wilson to eat after their meetings.

Folks it appears that some folks in Rocky Mount are reaping some good benefits off the backs of the citizens. It is a damn shame that it has been made to appear that it is the current council who is the reason why Rocky Mount is having hard times.

I have much respect for former Mayor Fred Turnage who was mayor of Rocky Mount for 30 plus years. He was the attorney for Nash Edgecombe Economic Development Inc. (N.E.E.D. Inc.) when I was the vice chair of the board during the late 90′s. It appears that some choices that he has made has not been in the best interest of Rocky Mount be it intentional or unintentional. I would hope that he thought that he was doing the right thing but we all know sometimes we all make some choices that we find out later may not been good after all. Some things we can change and some things we can not and it appears that the ElectriCities is one of those things that can not be changed as Turnage stated.

Angela Bryant had a meeting about ElectriCities in the early 2000′s.

Lewis Turner, Andre Knight, yours truly and some others became a member of Common Ground. Chris Miller chaired this group was elected to the Rocky Mount City Council the same year that Andre Knight was. We had a meeting about ElectriCities in the early 2000′s.

Later Andre Knight was elected the Rocky Mount City Council and then when Rep. Angela Bryant was appointed to the NC General Assembly, Knight was appointed to Bryant’s seat on the NCEMPA Commission. He has been speaking questioning the commission and now the discussion is where we are today.

But guess what folks when Knight was elected to the Rocky Mount City Council he was attacked by some in the white community questioning his residency and tried to get him off the council. They also said it was a conflict of interest that he is the President of the Rocky Mount Branch NAACP and serving on the council. After they couldn’t get him removed from the council, Roosevelt Higgs a Safe Negro, a former convicted felon in Edgecombe County was successful in helping the whites to remove Knight from his council seat for only a short period of time. The NC Court of Appeals ruled that Knight’s rights had been violated and Knight continues to be a strong voice on the council.

It appears that since more black folks are being elected and/or appointed to boards, commissions, councils and etc. that some darkness are being uncovered that would not otherwise have been brought to light. You see this is a prime example of someone being outspoken and labeled as a troublemaker. Besides myself the only person I can think of at the moment is Rocky Mount Councilman Andre Knight who has been unbought and unbossed unlike some other black leaders in Edgecombe County. Just think, if Knight was not on the council and the NCEMPA Commission, would we be discussing ElectriCities to this degree.

The article in the Sunday, March 29, 2009 paper that reads, “Debt keeps region bound to ElectriCities,” take the discussion about ElectriCities to a whole new level. Am I surprised? Oh hell yeah, never thought I would read an article of this magnitude about ElectriCities and Rocky Mount.

Rocky Mount NC – Debt Keeps Region Bound To ElectriCities

So now you got it from a person who signed the Articles of Incorporation. As I have stated many times, he is the one who could tell us what can be done. C. Dancy II – Publisher

He said the power agency’s debt is primarily financed by bonds, which were sold to investors, including many who live in Rocky Mount. “It’s a tremendous expense to undo it (the agreement), if you can, and I’m not sure you can,” Turnage said. (Rocky Mount Telegram)

Wilson NC – About 200 People Attended The Forum On The President’s Stimulus Plan

The forum was well attended today at the Wilson OIC. The Agenda was as follows:

Presiding -  Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield

Welcome  – Howard Jones CEO and Founder, Wilson OIC, Inc.

Congressman GK Butterfield – American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

Dempsey Benton, Director, Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery and Investment

Rep. Joe Tolson, Chair North Carolina House Select Committee on Economic Recovery

Senator A.B. Swindell North Carolina Legislative Budget Process and Status

Questions and Answers

Greeting/Comments from North Carolina Legislative Delegation for Wilson, Edgecombe, Nash and Halifax Counties

Special Announcement from Mr. Reginald Speight, CEO Martin County Community Action, Inc.

Closing Remarks – Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield

Sponsored by: Representatives Jean Farmer-Butterfield, Angela Bryant, Lucy Allen, Joe Tolson and Randy Stewart, and Senators Clark Jenkins, Ed Jones, and A.B. Swindell

Special Acknowledgment to the Wilson OIC for the use of their facitility and accomodations

Video:

Discussion on President Barack Obama’s Economic Recovery Plan

Pictures:

Photos – (100 Total)

Wilson NC – Citizens raise heat against NCEMPA

Officials representing eastern North Carolina’s municipal power companies dealt with another round of complaints from angry customers Wednesday.

About a dozen people from Citizens for Fair Utilities came to the N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency’s board meeting to protest the high cost of their power bills this winter. (Wilson Times)