Four candidates are running for election to three open seats on the Yampa Valley Electric Association Co-op Board of Directors, with ballots set to be mailed to members on May 27.
Candidates would serve a three-year seat on the board that oversees a $57.7 million annual budget in 2021 and serves approximately 21,000 electric members within a 7,113 square-mile territory, according to YVEA.
Dan LeBlanc and Ed MacArthur are vying for the District 7 board seat in the city limits of Steamboat Springs. Both would be newcomers to the YVEA board.
Patrick Delaney is running again, who is unopposed for District 5 representing Hayden. Another board newcomer Steven Booker is running unopposed for District 4 representing southern Moffat County.
All co-op members can vote for all board candidate districts. To be counted, each ballot must be signed by the member whose name is on the label, and the ballot must be received via mail at the third-party counter by June 23. Or, members who do not turn in a ballot on time can vote in-person at the annual meeting set for June 28 at the YVEA office in Craig, according to YVEA.
More information is available online at yvea.com/annual-meeting-election.
Patrick Delaney, District 5 – Hayden incumbent candidate
Patrick Delaney
I am interested in continuing to serve District No. 5 as a board member with Yampa Valley Electric Association. Board leadership in the co-op requires knowledge about governance and policy, as well as electrical generation and distribution. I have achieved certification as a Credentialed Cooperative Director and have embarked on earning a Board Leadership Certificate. This knowledge assists in keeping your power safe, clean and affordable. The manner in which electricity is produced and distributed is rapidly changing, and YVEA works hard to ensure that our system is up to date and able to accommodate change.
I have over 30 years of leadership in resort property management and hospitality. I excel at strategic thinking, innovative problem solving, making sound decisions and building relationships.
Hayden has been my home for 28 years, and I’m a fifth-generation Coloradan. Together with my wife, Tammie Bowes Delaney, we own Wild Goose Coffee and the Hayden Granary. We advocate for local businesses, community involvement and historic preservation. I strive to always make decisions that are in the best interest of the collective membership and am committed to our region.
Our Colorado and Wyoming region faces unprecedented changes, especially in the manner in which electricity is generated. I will continue to work to keep our power clean and local whenever possible.
Thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve you and your family. I appreciate your support and look forward to ensuring that Yampa Valley Electric Association contributes to our communities in meaningful ways.
Dan LeBlanc, District 7 – Steamboat Springs candidate
Dan LeBlanc
My wife Jessica and I and our two young boys have called the Yampa Valley our home since 2015. Since then, we have become part of this vibrant community. Our family helped to establish and grow the Steamboat Montessori School, where Jessica is a kindergarten teacher and I have served as the volunteer director of facilities since 2016.
That same year I founded Colorado Building Performance, a general contracting and consulting business that provides energy retrofits, guidance on efficiency upgrades, and testing of new homes. Most of my customers are co-op members, so I am keenly aware of your concerns when it comes to using energy.
Energy has been at the core of my work for over 20 years. Prior to starting my business here, I worked for a decade as a building energy consultant, helping project teams design efficient buildings. My clients ranged from schools to developers to housing authorities, each with different ideas about energy efficiency. With a practical, collaborative approach to problem-solving I successfully managed more than 50 projects throughout Colorado.
During that time, I also worked closely with Xcel Energy’s efficiency rebate program. This gave me a first-hand look into how targeted incentives can lower customers’ bills. I will bring these skills and this knowledge to our co-op.
My projects in the Yampa Valley are smaller in scope, but just as gratifying. As a general contractor, I work on energy retrofits and remodels. I have a passion for making older buildings functional again, and with every project I learn something new. I often find that when efficiency upgrades are installed other benefits are also achieved, like improvements in comfort, drafts, ice dams and indoor air quality among others. This is a win-win for customers, and something that I’m eager to share with the co-op.
When not on the job site, I’m doing energy assessments – prioritizing which upgrades to undertake and when. This enables customers to make practical decisions about how to improve their buildings. I also work in new construction doing performance testing and home energy ratings. In this role, I serve as a volunteer technical consultant for the Brown Ranch planning committee. Our co-op will be an important partner in making this project successful.
My work gives me insights into how co-op members use energy, the challenges they face, and what cost-effective remedies are available. As a board member, I will work hard to ensure that our co-op does everything it can to turn your challenges into opportunities for lowering your bills, while continuing to provide reliable and affordable electricity.
YVEA needs steady leadership through this time of transition in the energy industry. Making sense of this changing landscape and how these changes can benefit our co-op is an essential qualification of any YVEA board member. With the knowledge I’ve gained from over 20 years of experience, I can provide that on day one of my term.
I ask for your support for Dan LeBlanc, District No. 7. On Facebook: Dan LeBlanc for YVEA Board.
Ed MacArthur, District 7 – Steamboat Springs candidate
Ed MacArthur
Yampa Valley Electric Cooperative owners,
My name is Ed MacArthur, a cooperative member since 1980. I am the board chairman of Native Excavating, Yampa Valley Bank and managing partner of Alpine Aggregates. During my time working with YVEA I have been a consumer of residential and industrial building power. I have line power to run pumps, screening plants and crushers in a gravel mine. My relationship with the staff and management goes back many years as both a subdivision developer and subcontractor providing trenching services for multiple projects.
I am seeking a seat on the board as my schedule now allows for the time to productively serve the association that keeps our lights on and business operations flowing smoothly. My background in construction will be helpful with future decisions on infrastructure upgrades and replacement, while my background in banking will help with the financial decisions the board is tasked to consider.
Constant flow and affordable access to electricity is vital to the long-term success of any community. Technology continues to find new sources of power generation, and I’m excited to integrate those solutions as they become viable. As the board contemplates these changes, reliability and affordability must be the highest priority to protect our communities into the future.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you, the ownership group, on the YVEA Board of Directors.
Steven Booker, District 4 – southern Moffat County
Steven Booker declined to submit information directly to the Steamboat Pilot & Today.
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