Anchorage Daily News

WASILLA - Two months into her term on the Matanuska Electrical Association board, Janet Kincaid is fending off two complaints by company managers that she violated board policies and may have left the cooperative open to "substantial financial risk" by talking about things discussed in an executive session.Kincaid called the claims "ludicrous."

"What an utter waste of management time and effort - and trees," she said Tuesday.

MEA says the 134 pages of complaints and exhibits backing up two alleged violations of MEA board policies are both valid and serious. MEA employees were nervous around Kincaid and, when she called about having some tree clearing done on her land, took her call as a test of their response, according to the exhibits.

"If a problem is developing that causes as many ramifications in the company that the general manager's report indicates, it definitely needs to come to the attention of the board," said MEA spokesman Tuckerman Babcock.

The violations came up at the Sept. 8 MEA board meeting but were postponed for further discussion until a 4 p.m. Sept. 24 special meeting.

The first complaint alleges that Kincaid repeatedly violated a board policy requiring she bring management and personnel questions to MEA general manager Wayne Carmony, and not to company employees.

Carmony, in a memo outlining Kincaid's violations, said her actions have led to eight separate issues, including: "insubordination by three long-term, normally excellent employees" and "multiple examples of employee speculation and gossiping about how long it will take Director Kincaid to get rid of the general manager, (name redacted) and others."

Babcock said part of the issue is that Kincaid's son David Kincaid worked at MEA for several years. He now runs his own company, installing subdivision power lines, and is often in contact with MEA employees.

NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS

Kincaid's calls, such as questions related to use of a company vehicle by an employee who was her son's supervisor, are treated differently than if they came from another board member, Babcock said.

"Unless people conduct themselves very cautiously, you run the risk of employees who develop the perception that there could be favoritism," he said. "It's that appearance that needs to be addressed by the board."

Kincaid said she's being blamed for things that she has no control over, such as rumors that Carmony and other MEA management officials were going to be fired.

"We maintained in all our campaigning that we wanted to see a change. We didn't say how," Kincaid said.

PRIVILEGED INFORMATION

The second complaint alleges that Kincaid "violated executive session confidentiality" by discussing issues raised in an executive session with her son David, who works for subdivision developers. He runs a company, Utility Construction of Alaska, which installs electrical lines in subdivisions.

Carmony stated in his memo that Kincaid released to her son "tangible, useful strategic inside information, not available to any of his competition in the electrical contracting business."

He states that she also should have recused herself from discussing changes to a new MEA equity management plan, since the changes "directly affected the financial future of her son's business."

Kincaid said she did not discuss anything brought up in board executive sessions with her son.

Citing the confidential nature of the executive session material, she would not comment further about the allegations Carmony made in his memo.

LOADED QUESTIONS

Kincaid said she received the allegations as part of her board packet last week and finds it difficult not to take it as a witch hunt.

"There seems to be confusion on management's part as to what is a discussion or inquiry. I don't know why when I ask a question, it seems to be a burr under their saddle," she said.

Babcock said the issues raised were serious, particularly those related to confidential discussions.

Complaints that Kincaid didn't address concerns first to the general manager were serious because they were causing a stir among employees, he said, and because Kincaid showed no indication she planned to change her tactics.

Tuesday, Kincaid said she wouldn't change her stance.

"I will continue asking questions as I receive them from ratepayers. I feel that was what I was elected to do," she said.

Find Daily News reporter Rindi White online at www.adn.com/contact/rwhite or call 352-6709.

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