The Russellville Electric Board will hold its April 2022 business meeting next Tuesday, April 19th, and the question remains whether board members will consider voting themselves a raise at that meeting.
The meeting will take place at the Electric Board Warehouse and will begin at 6 p.m. Several Russellville residents have told the FFP they requested to be placed on the agenda for that meeting.
Last month, board member Bill Jackson said at the March meeting that he had heard another local utility board had given itself a raise to $600/month per board member. Russellville Electric Board members receive $400/month and the chairman, James McDuffa, receives $450/month.
Board members also received 'performance and safety incentive' bonuses, authorized by REB Manager Charles Canida, that totaled $5,000 each in 2021. In February, four board members returned $28,800 in incentive bonuses they were not legally allowed to receive.
“I don't think it's fair for one to be drawing more than the other,” Jackson said. “I've heard a rumor another board has gone up. I don't think we are any different than they are.”
The REB meeting agendas do not itemize New Business items, so it is not yet known whether board members will consider approving a raise.
The April meeting comes as Canida and board members face increasing public scrutiny about expenses made by Canida and the board, ranging from the purchase of an $83,000 luxury SUV for Canida's use to $2,000 meals while Canida and the board attended a conference on the Gulf Coast.
Russellville City Councilman Darren Woodruff, a former REB member and chairman, started a petition last Thursday calling for Canida's termination. As of Monday morning, more than 550 people signed the petition in less than two days.
This came days after a mailer, signed by the Board Members of Russellville Electric, was sent to thousands of area residents, many of whom are not REB customers. The mailer explained that REB was responding to “certain individuals who have chosen to disseminate information regarding REB that is simply not accurate.”
Board members stated they had the letter reviewed by their attorney. The writing of the mailer, printing of the mailer and postage for the mailer were not discussed or approved at any meeting of the REB Board, calling into question how or when it was approved outside of a business meeting.
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