Subcommittee advises changes in energy groups  

Credit:  PATRICK CASSIDY, Cape Cod Times, www.capecodonline.com 10 May 2012 ~~

BARNSTABLE — A report on the relationship between two regional energy agencies that have come under fire from opponents of local wind energy projects and advocates of open government was officially released Wednesday.

The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates’ special subcommittee on Cape Light Compact and Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative made seven basic recommendations in its 17-page report, including that the state inspector general review the report and that the compact undergo an independent audit.

The report was unanimously approved by the five-member subcommittee during a vote last week.

The subcommittee recommended that the compact and the cooperative be separately controlled and that each have a separate chief executive officer and separate legal counsel. Ratepayer funds collected by the compact should not be used to support the cooperative and members of the boards of both groups should not overlap, according to the recommendations.

The two energy agencies have faced scrutiny in the past year for nonexistent meeting minutes, a lack of transparency and the transfer of large sums of money from the compact to fund the cooperative’s existence.

To access the report go to www.barnstablecounty.org and select “Committee Reports and Minutes” from the assembly’s pulldown menu.