In yesterday's Tribune, a letter from Ed McKnight was published:
I would like to thank the Tribune for the March 16th articles discussing the security of our investments and the losses at ECP. I believe the release of my spreadsheets, showing that SME was more expensive than NorthWestern Energy, led to the new blended rate in an attempt to cut losses.
I would also like to thank everyone who listened to me and supported my candidacy for Mayor two years ago. Many people witnessed the struggle I and others had first getting real information, and then getting the Commission to listen to what the numbers meant.
With an open and transparent government, none of this would have happened, and we could have saved millions.
Energy will be a big part of our future, and the jobs created will be a boon to our city, county and state. As a technology professional, I thoroughly understand both the technology and economics.
A new political season is fast approaching. I do plan on continuing my efforts to correct the problems now very apparent at City Hall.
I would like to support candidates who advocate transparent, open and fair government. If you would like to help in any way, run for the Commission, or simply spread the word to your friends and family. Please contact me edmcknight@hotmail.com. I will answer any question or meet with anyone.
There is a lot right with Great Falls, my intent is to correct what is wrong.
I would like to thank the Tribune for the March 16th articles discussing the security of our investments and the losses at ECP. I believe the release of my spreadsheets, showing that SME was more expensive than NorthWestern Energy, led to the new blended rate in an attempt to cut losses.
I would also like to thank everyone who listened to me and supported my candidacy for Mayor two years ago. Many people witnessed the struggle I and others had first getting real information, and then getting the Commission to listen to what the numbers meant.
With an open and transparent government, none of this would have happened, and we could have saved millions.
Energy will be a big part of our future, and the jobs created will be a boon to our city, county and state. As a technology professional, I thoroughly understand both the technology and economics.
A new political season is fast approaching. I do plan on continuing my efforts to correct the problems now very apparent at City Hall.
I would like to support candidates who advocate transparent, open and fair government. If you would like to help in any way, run for the Commission, or simply spread the word to your friends and family. Please contact me edmcknight@hotmail.com. I will answer any question or meet with anyone.
There is a lot right with Great Falls, my intent is to correct what is wrong.
Please help if you can.
Ed McKnight
Ed McKnight
9 comments:
RIGHT ON ED!
Dona isn't going to be happy with you. As a matter of fact either will Colleen and Mr Doyon.
Thanks for the comments,
What these people (and others) have to worry about is are the people of great falls happy with them.
I've met Mr. Doyon and I think he's a great guy. I understand the tightrope he has to walk right now but about 9 months from now he will have a real boss with guidance and direction. I think he will be more than happy to do the job he was hired to do.
Mr. McKnight,
Thanks for pushing this. It's amazing to think we're almost 6 years into the HGS plan, the city has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and the plant (whatever version) is "probably" not going to be built. What a colossal failure.
Correction Ed, the record needs to be set straight.
Mr. Doyon has a boss, the duties defined by the City Charter. That is his guidance and direction.
Five people cannot be his boss. The City Commission sets policy, they are not there to "boss" or micro manage him.
If you are suggesting with two or three new commission seats we can get some policy changes, I agree 100%. We just need to be clear of the role of the city manager. The City Manager already has the tools to do the right thing. He could shut down ECP today if he followed Section 4).
So what is waiting for? Political cover?
Thank you for the technical clarification.
I think most people know I was not being literal in that the "boss" of the manager is a single person. 3 of the 5 commissioners give direction to the manager in essence making the commission the "boss" of the manager, and no one said a thing of "micro-managing" anyone. No one said he did not have a "boss". I used the term "real boss" to respond to the complaints made that the commission was not giving clear direction to the manager. If you would have attended the agenda setting meeting like I have you would have witnessed that first hand.
Of course the organizational chart of the city makes the public the "boss" of the commission. Again a figure of speech and at this point in time more like the lip service of the commission promising "written answers" to my questions, and then openly violating the code of ethics going back on their word by refusing to do so.
"He could shut down ECP today if he followed Section 4)".
Section 4 of what? If you are referring to the Charter article VI section 4 "Duties of the City Manager" please explain why the city manager can act without a super majority of the commission as required by law.
Now is not the time for a knee-jerk reaction. We can't un-wreck the train but we must look to see what can be salvaged to minimize the damage.
If you need to hire a consultant to tell you if you should be in business or not, perhaps you could speculate you do not have the professional competence to be in business.
"So what is waiting for?"
Possibly the commission to pull their head out of their......head warming place?
Thanks for your comment, I totally expect, and want, people to hold my feet to the fire and make me prove myself.
Ed, ok there is something funny with my typing or ASCI codes. It should have come out as section six.
The City Manager shall enforce laws, ordinances and resolutions.
If a law or ordinance is already on the books it is his job to enforce it. Not run to the commission and ask for permission.
Thanks for the clarification,
The law also says ECP can not be "shut down" with out a super majority of the commission voting to do so.
Quite a conundrum isn't it? Enforce the law by violating the law?
ECPI is supposedly a separate corporate entity from the city, but the corporate veil could be pierced legally and the city is liable. There are provisions in the contracts that if customers go back to NWE we are liable for the extra money they would pay to NWE.
So we could "uphold the law" by shutting down ECP, but then we still have to pay the losses for violating the contracts. The only difference being we would pay the losses legally.
Catch 22, engineered by team Gregori.
I do agree with you, and you point is well taken, Mr Doyon could be more aggressive and do more on his own. I hope you are involved in straightening out this mess when the time comes.
I am just as disappointed as anyone at the way things turned out but let's not follow the example set and charge forward in ignorance or make some kind of authoritarian edict.
We have the perfect examples of what NOT to do.
If I were in office the first thing I would do is head straight for the secret box.
Doyon should shut ECP down and see how just strong the charter really is.
Let SME prove in court it was a legitimate contract entered into in good faith. It's a pyramid scheme and would not stand on its own if fully challenged.
Shut it down and let the chips fall. Just takes the guts to proceed.
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