25 August Power Board Meeting
Why would anyone get up and go to town just to attend a Power Board Meeting at 7AM?
I was very encouraged when the meeting began with a statement that future purchases under $50,000.00 by the Power Company would come before the Power Board for approval instead of giving them an invoice to approve.
Next on the agenda was an announcement by Mr. Kelly that several policies were being reviewed and would be presented to the board for approval at a later date. Included in this review was the policy on vehicles and travel of employees.
It was announced that Tammy Bubb had resigned from the Electric System and they were looking for an accounting firm to handle their finances on a temporary basis.
Also announced there would be a number of public meetings held at various places in the county to better inform the public about the AMI meter systems.
A clip from UTUBE was shown describing the need for a new national electrical grid system and greater efforts toward energy use controls.
The possibility of providing cell phone service through Energize is being explored.
I asked permission to ask a question just prior to the Board adjourning and was reluctantly allowed to ask two questions and was sorely disappointed by the reaction of the Board Chair. I asked since the public meetings when it had been discussed to move the Board Meeting to a later time if and when that change might be expected. There was no response from the Chairman and when I asked again Mr. Kelly graciously stated it was being discussed but no decision had been made yet.
I referenced my second question as one of credibility. That when the power company or anyone else asked people to cut back on their energy usage yet they refused to cut back their own usage they tended to lose credibility, and I asked what was the thermostat in the conference room set at since it seemed very, very cold. This obviously did not set well with the Chairman and he immediately adjourned the meeting and refused to answer even when asked a second time.
After the meeting Mr. Kelly once again came to the rescue and stated there had been some problems getting the room temp. adjusted but they were working on it. A very reasonable and acceptable explanation.
While the meeting seemed to go well and offer some promising changes I was extremely disappointed in the attitude of the recently re-appointed chairman, Mr. Bryant. I still consider him a capable, honorable man but must now ask myself if the security of a new four year term to the Power Board might have created a renewed comfort in business as usual. I certainly hope not for I believe he is much better than that. Allen Barrett
I was very encouraged when the meeting began with a statement that future purchases under $50,000.00 by the Power Company would come before the Power Board for approval instead of giving them an invoice to approve.
Next on the agenda was an announcement by Mr. Kelly that several policies were being reviewed and would be presented to the board for approval at a later date. Included in this review was the policy on vehicles and travel of employees.
It was announced that Tammy Bubb had resigned from the Electric System and they were looking for an accounting firm to handle their finances on a temporary basis.
Also announced there would be a number of public meetings held at various places in the county to better inform the public about the AMI meter systems.
A clip from UTUBE was shown describing the need for a new national electrical grid system and greater efforts toward energy use controls.
The possibility of providing cell phone service through Energize is being explored.
I asked permission to ask a question just prior to the Board adjourning and was reluctantly allowed to ask two questions and was sorely disappointed by the reaction of the Board Chair. I asked since the public meetings when it had been discussed to move the Board Meeting to a later time if and when that change might be expected. There was no response from the Chairman and when I asked again Mr. Kelly graciously stated it was being discussed but no decision had been made yet.
I referenced my second question as one of credibility. That when the power company or anyone else asked people to cut back on their energy usage yet they refused to cut back their own usage they tended to lose credibility, and I asked what was the thermostat in the conference room set at since it seemed very, very cold. This obviously did not set well with the Chairman and he immediately adjourned the meeting and refused to answer even when asked a second time.
After the meeting Mr. Kelly once again came to the rescue and stated there had been some problems getting the room temp. adjusted but they were working on it. A very reasonable and acceptable explanation.
While the meeting seemed to go well and offer some promising changes I was extremely disappointed in the attitude of the recently re-appointed chairman, Mr. Bryant. I still consider him a capable, honorable man but must now ask myself if the security of a new four year term to the Power Board might have created a renewed comfort in business as usual. I certainly hope not for I believe he is much better than that. Allen Barrett
posted by Allen Barrett | 3:00 PM
37 Comments:
When Kelly said he was checking on trips and vehicles for employees, was he speaking about PES employees or the Luxury PES BOARD MEMBERS. First, he needs to take away vehicles, trips and cell phones from the board members. They have their own vechicles and cell phones. If anyone needs to go on trips it should be PES employees to get training for the job they do in the field. If the board members have a problem with getting their babies taken away then they should resign! When you go into the PES building to pay your high electric bill, you will freeze your behind off, so I can imagine what the conference room would be like. I bet the board members were sitting there with their jackets on. I bet there is still some misdoings going on with the PES BOARD.
What was the reason given for Tammie Bubb resigning?
If you can't take the cold in the PES building, you can easily mail your payment.
Is it any of your business why Ms. Bubb resigned?
9:55:00 PM & 9:54
You are the same person.
What do you do when you aren't angry at someone's post?
Wish for once you could say something about what the blog is about whether for or against.
There was no reason given for Ms. Bubb's resignation. Allen Barrett
These people make other people's business theirs.
9:54
If you don't like others comments then I suggest you don't read the blog. I have my opinion and I will express it as I feel. You can't stand when someone has something negative against the big boys. It is my business if I rather take my bill in or pay for a stamp to mail it. My point is their trying to set time of day or night to same electricy. Then cut the air down when peek time is up. I have cut my air back and I know of a lot more people who have also, so does the PES need to cut back. If they would cut back then our rates may not be so high.
Oh I'm sure that by PES cutting back their air (do you REALLY know what the building temps are set on?) will make a HUGE difference in your personal bill.
Do us all a favor...don't mail your payment. Set up an automatic bank draft. The gas you'll PERSONALLY save will be much more meaningful than driving down there to pay your bill and complain about their air temps.
If you people can't stick to the subject why don't you stay off the blog?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 9:27:00 AM
How will it do us a favor if he has a bank draft to pay his bill?
We are going to get more and more of the government telling us what we can and can't do other than the electric company.
Just wait until the health care is passed and you need surgery and the government puts it off until you die.
9:27
I will do as I please how I pay my electric bill. I was just stating that if PES cut back like regular electric payers, then it might cut back on electricy rate. You are such a negative person. Why don't you try keep making excuses for the PES board?
Government rules the power board.
The power board is all about power.
The power grid is all about power.
The people think they have power.
The power board sells power.
The people buy their power.
SUV man is board and gov.
Why was man served power on demand?
When boards can demand when served?
So SUV man formed a power grid
& free man belongs to SUV man
Hemingway?
Probably not!!!
If PES cuts back on its usage that does not determine the electric rate. TVA sets the electric rate. Cutting back on usage would only lower the amount of kilowatt hours you use and that will lower your bill. Everyone pays a flat rate right now. The new meters will allow for time of use rates. Meaning that certain times of the day are more expensive or cheaper to use electricity during those times. So no more flat rate. If you choose to use electricity during the off peak times, you pay less, use it during peak usage times and you pay more. the choice will be yours, not the governments or PES. Soon TVA will be charging the utility companies by time of use. It will save customers money as well as PES if people will go ahead and start taking advantage of the opportunity that PES is giving them in saving on their electric bill. Think about it. If you use less, PES has to buy less from TVA, TVA has to generate less electricity therefore they cut their cost leading to rates going down. PES could then buy it for less and sell it to you for less. The choice is yours.
To 4:41 your thesis sounds good but does not reflect the reality that has already been stated by PES. In the Town Hall Meetings I asked specifically if the PES could absorb an eleven percent decrease in their revenue. Eleven percent was the number used by PES as the amount their customers would be able to save using their proposed plans. After some beating around the bush by Mr. Holcomb about part of the savings, approximately 7% would be experienced by TVA not PES. So I asked again very specifically, "Do you believe that PES can absorb even a 3% decrease in revenue with out having to raise their rates." His response was a very clear NO.
So the bottom line is if everyone in the PES service area cut back on their electrical usage they would simply increase the rates in order to maintain their current level of income thus no savings to the rate payer.
Now, as for averaging as opposed to time specific usage. It may sound great to think that if you use more electricity in non peak hours you'll save more than by using electricity during the peak hours. Problem is the reason they are called peak hours is that's when most people are using the electricity. At 4PM not 4AM is when most people are coming home and start using the air conditioner, the water heater, the washer, the XBox, TV and lights. Now if electricity cost five cents a kilowatt hour from 4 to 7PM and only two cents a kilowatt hour from 2 till 5AM you can save money by getting up in the middle of the night and doing all your daily activities. Presently with averaging it would cost you about three cents a kilowatt hour regardless of what time of day you used your appliances. Allen Barrett
Sounds real good except for one good reason - WHY?
Power suppliers and power distributors can expand capabilites whenever there is growth (more usage). We have zero growth, therefore zero reason to do anything! If growth occurs, there will be more rate payers & usage & $ to fund more power. Age old fact.
In fact, we will need less power because we have sent our manufacturing base to China and everywhere else. We don't make any steel, widgets, or common sense anymore. Why worry?
We were supposedly the nuke experts, but find ourselves pitifully behind even a two bit South American dictator. Let him do it for us. Why worry?
We've got to turn green because the whacked out liberals fell in love with frogs. Mold is green. Algae is green. Liberals are green with envy. Obama says black is good & white is bad, therefore we all must turn green.
Obama says we've got to share whatever we have left with whoever he wants to have it. That means we must get regimented & learn to follow the leader. Nobody gets hurt yet, so it starts by having to fork over whatever little money you have if you don't take a shower at 2AM - if you turn on the AC in the heat of the day - if you turn on the heat in the middle of a cold night - if you don't learn to eat cold mush, etc.
OOPS, I forgot the main point - add to the list ... if you don't come up with $7 million to pay for the blinking light machine that charges you for all of the naughty things you do to use POWER & disrespect you show Obama & the forty thieves (Tsars?) Wonder if we tsared & feathered a csar he would go away?
Smart grid is a dumb idea - creating a problem & crisis so a crook can come in & clean us out! It's time the govmnt, public utilities, etc get back to providing power to the people instead using their power to suppress & fleece the people!
WAB - you just don't understand progress, as in progressive. It's not just about $7 million that is just waiting to get spent, it's the many millions more that would have to matriculate downhill into the social economy to make sure every dime of the $7 million is signed off, spent, and enjoyed to the utmost by some upstanding leader, such as suv-man.
I just reread the purpose of this blog - at the top of the page- obviously 90% of the people on here haven't! All they want to do is gripe and tell the ???facts??? that they heard 3rd hand from there neighbors mama-in-law who was here on a two day, first time visit, from Bumpkin Egypt or some other place. If you haven't read it - take the time. In case it's too complicated for you to scroll to the top of the page , here it is: The purpose of the "Giles Free Speech Zone" is to identify problems of concern to the people of Giles County, to discuss them in a gentlemanly and civil manner, while referring to the facts and giving evidence to back up whatever claims are made, making logical arguments that avoid any use of fallacy, and, hopefully, to come together in agreement, and find a positive solution to the problem at hand.
Before we find a solution to a problem at hand, make sure there is a problem at hand!
Is there a reason American can't provide itself a power grid based on the same economic and growth factors the same as we have for the past 60 years - all factors adjusted for inflation?
Are you going to tell everyone what time they can flush the toilet, turn on the TV, take a bath because you want to have a smart grid that will eliminate a $10 / per hour meter reader for only $7 million?
If you want to build a wind mill, do it to it, just don't try to tell me to pay for it! We had wind mills before electricity - there is are reasons we use electricity - one is a brain!
There are many reasons our economy is paralysed - deception leads the list!
The fact of the matter is that PES cannot afford 7 million dollars of additional debt service. The PES Board has spent money in the past with no regard for the future well-being of the company. It is truly unfortunate that none of it's members were replaced. This is not bitching and moaning. This is fact.
not only pes ad city and county goverment to.
Come on ahead PES, Mr. Speer, & the jolly green spenders - DEFINE A PROBLEM THAT JUSTIFIES $7 Million more taxpayer funding!
While you are at it PLEASE COST JUSTIFY YOUR SALARIES AND THE WINE-ING & DINING YOU CLAIM A "NECESSITY"!
Let's see, "we're not going to lower ourselves to respond to questions that might touch on issues of integrity or competence!"???
Or, is it, "We're in power & we don't care what your think!"??
Cost justification is a relatively simple matter. People in this county and every county in this country are facing economic disaster. Should a government utility take $7 million from citizens and then spend it on gadgets and blinking light toys for the big boys or let the citizens keep the money to spend on food and gasoline to get the food? Seems like simple socio-economic questions haven't been considered. The issue wouldn't be there if key people dined, dealed, and rubbed shoulders in Pulaski instead of DC.
This is an issue PE must address themselves. PES can't hide behind a rock & pretend everything is peaches & cream. Consider the glitter & importance of the Washington DC political oasis, compared to the cesspool and complete quagmire of the city and inhabitants that surrounds DC. That parody defines the reasons nothing good good will ever come of a throne built in a cesspool!
If I remember right, DC is first in spending on education and dead last in educating their little population - a good starting point for evaluating the corrupting affect on good people sent there & the garbage we get back from DC in return for the literal blood, money, sweat, and tears sent to them!
PES - You are there to help us, not yourselves. - we don't hate you. We need you. I'm sure your staff wants to help us & feels good when they do.
I find it funny no one has mentioned the four large planters in front of PES. What did they cost?
While we are discussing planter, I'd like to know how much PES pays for a pack of copy paper. There could be something sinister going on. Maybe some paper company is getting kick-backs. I think it's worth investigating.
Copy paper, are you trying to be cute?
What would you do if we didn't have this blog for you?
Well, one can laugh all they want to but, the fact remains we do have some receiving kick-backs in this county for doing business with certain businesses and vendors. Has been going on for years.
2:32 So if you want to know - go ask. Dont expect someone else to do it for you.
The problem appears to be overpaid people enjoying the good life & throwing money around as if it were theirs. It's a trait shared with the very affluent few who inherited wealth & became experts in power & spending. Most have the gift of the cunning - knowing the supply of money is unlimited if you are controlling government or a public monopoly. If they can muzzle dissent, things work well for them, but no one else.
The net result is always high taxes and rates for services, accompanied by arrogance and rotton service. True, explainations & down to earth truth are enemies of the system.
Happy with what's going on? dig deeper! Otherwise, keep on task & make the right things happen.
7:51, are you talking about Democrats ?
To Sunday, August 30, 2009 7:18:00 AM: nope not Hemingway - guess again - give up? It's Alfred E. Neuman!
No Hemingway
upon that day
nor Neuman say
facts of the day
He who can't
follow the ant
across the plant
is doomed to rant
Can we just say nightie night to PES and put them to bed before they turn off our lights?
So, how is Kelly doing at PES? Haven't heard of any updates lately.
When the coal ash spill occurred, I think it was TVA or P.E.S. on their web site that reassured the general public that rates would not be raised in order to pay for the cleanup.
Now P.E.S. says on their web site that is why rates are being increased is to pay for this cleanup, PLUS to add insult to injury, to pay off the resulting lawsuits.
Why do you or I or anyone have to pay more on the electric bill to clean this mess up when in fact my research shows that they are covering the mess up with grass seed and fertilizer? By covering it, that suggests to me that they have no intention of cleaning it up and are only giving it a cosmetic makeover.
If they are covering it in the hopes of concealing it beneath a layer of grass what is the increase for? I don't think it will ever be cleaned up. I think they are going to pay off the lawsuits and buy up all that land, bull doze it and put a wall or a dam around the whole mess and leave it that way then use it for a coal ash dump. After all, it's not habitable or good for anything else is it?
Moreover, I think we are in store for a future massive increase in electric rates because of...
Everyone is familiar with the wires on the poles. The lower ones are insulated and the ones on top are not. The top ones are pure copper wire thick as a mans finger. It takes little of that type of wire to equal a pound and copper has been for a while at historic scrap prices so imagine tens of thousands of miles of it at the scrap price going into P.E.S.'s pocket while the rate payer gets nothing but yet would suffer a horrible rate increase to pay for such a project.
I was told by a trusted source (if there is such a thing in this world any more) that P.E.S. plans to removing those tens of thousands of miles of copper wire and replacing it with aluminum wire.
That is equivalent to wiring a power grid from scratch. Who is going to pay for that if it is true that P.E.S. plans to do such a thing?
In case anyone thinks I made this up, I can only divulge that I was told of this pending wire replacement project by a P.E.S. employee so it is either true or they were just fantasizing conversation.
Can anyone validate or invalidate this?
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