OPALCO Candidates Forum and Member-Staff Questions and Answers Tonight on Orcas

— from OPALCO —

(Editor’s note: This article is reprinted from Apr. 7 to draw attention to the Forum on Orcas Island at 5 p.m. tonight, Friday, Apr. 22 at the Eastsound Fire Hall)

This election is open to ALL members from all districts. Please give careful consideration to your voting decisions: these directors make policy and guide the direction of our Co-op. Please read each candidate bio, attend the candidate forum on your island and make an educated choice.

There are four candidates running for two open positions in District 3 (Lopez, Decatur, Center and Charles islands): Jim Lett (incumbent), Brian Silverstein and Lauren Stephens who were nominated by a committee of co-op members and L. Dwight Lewis, who was nominated by petition.

In District 4 (Shaw, Bell, Crane and Canoe islands) there are two candidates running for one open position: Dr. Jerry Whitfield (incumbent) who was nominated by committee and Gabriel Jacobs who was nominated by petition. There is also a member-initiated bylaw amendment on the ballot regarding how board positions are apportioned within each district.

Candidate bios are available in our Resource Library online at www.opalco.com. OPALCO will host candidate forums at the Shaw Community Building (4/19), Friday Harbor Grange (4/20), Lopez Woodmen Hall (4/21) and Eastsound Fire Hall (4/22). Forums begin at 5:00 pm and will be followed by an informal Q&A session with OPALCO staff.

Ballots and a voting guide will be distributed the week of April 8, 2016. Co-op members can vote one of three ways: online, by mail or in person at the Annual Meeting. Voting online is the preferred method; it is secure and it saves co-op resources. A survey on this year’s ballot will once again ask you how you prefer to vote; those opted to vote online in last year’s ballot survey will receive their election materials via email this year.

Absentee balloting closes at 10 AM on April 29, 2016. If members choose to vote by absentee ballot, the ballot must be mailed in time to meet the deadline. Or, members can vote at the Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 30, 2016.