Ozark Border issues letter to citizens of Campbell denying responsibility for increase in utility costs

CAMPBELL, Mo. -- An open letter from Ozark Border Electric Cooperative (OBEC) to the citizens of Campbell rebutted recent comments from the city's mayor, Raymond Gunter, claiming OBEC was partially responsible for the city's high utility cost.

In the letter, OBEC said they are "concerned about the citizens of Campbell, but we didn't cancel your contract with the Municipal group.

"We were not a party to a hastily made agreement with Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative (PDEC) and the mayor of Campbell, and we certainly are not responsible for your high electric bills," OBEC said in the letter.

OBEC claims it was contacted by a consultant on behalf of the City of Campbell in 2008, to see if the company would be interested in purchasing the city's utility facilities and providing electric to the citizens.

OBEC claims that in a letter to Gunter in July 2008, the company outlined its position and the steps that would be needed for OBEC to purchase the facility and provide power to Campbell.

OBEC said at that point, Gunter requested a meeting with the Cooperative.

According to OBEC, the cooperative met with Gunter, the consultant, and Campbell City Clerk Randall Baker, on two occasions -- Oct. 24, 2008 and Jan. 19, 2009.

At the Oct. 24, meeting, OBEC said its representatives were told by the mayor that the city would notify OBEC in a week who they had chosen to serve the City of Campbell. The cooperative claims they were notified that the city had selected OBEC. All that was left was to work out the details of the agreement.

At the Jan. 19, meeting, OBEC said the City of Campbell requested that the cooperative open an office in the city, provide a price to purchase electric inventory, provide a price to purchase their trucks, and a final purchase price of electric facilities. OBEC said it would not be economical to open an office at Campbell, as it already had an office a few miles away on J Highway. The cooperative claims its representatives agreed to discuss these items at its Jan. 26, board meeting and respond back to the City of Campbell with their final proposal.

"While the cooperative did prepare a final proposal at the board meeting on January 26, the manager of Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative and the mayor of the City of Campbell had already hastily made a deal on Saturday, January 24, 2009 to enter into an agreement with PDEC," OBEC claims in the letter. "At this time OBEC assumed that the City of Campbell and PDEC had reached an agreement without OBEC's final proposal and this matter was closed as far as OBEC was concerned and we took no further action."

OBEC said in July 2009, PDEC became aware they could not legally serve the City of Campbell and at that point came to OBEC to ask for assistance by amending a territorial agreement that was made between Ameren/UE and OBEC which had been in place since 1999.

OBEC said its Board of Directors discussed PDEC's request at two board meetings and decided not to amend the territorial agreement with Ameren/UE because the 1999 territorial agreement was a very sensitive agreement for many of the Cooperative's members in Dexter and OBEC gave up territory in the Dexter area for territory in the Campbell area that PDEC was now requesting.

Also in a recent interview with Gunter, the mayor claimed that OBEC was trying to take four customers from the city of Campbell who lived outside the city limits.

Gunter said the customers have been served by the city for more than 40 years, and OBEC had no business trying to get those customers.

OBEC claims the customers filed for the change of service with the Public Service Commission, and only got involved in the situation after the request was opposed by the City of Campbell.

"OBEC had no prior knowledge or contact with the four individuals concerning their request for a change in electric supplier prior to receiving a notice from the Public Service Commission concerning the filing," the cooperative said it the letter. "Initially, OBEC decided to take a neutral position concerning the four individuals request, however, prior to filing a response OBEC was made aware that PDEC was challenging the request of the four Campbell individuals at the Public Service Commission. Therefore, OBEC had to change positions on this matter."

OBEC said it will stand by its final offer, which it believes to be a better offer than PDEC, and is prepared to serve the citizens of Campbell "even though we have not been treated fairly by the mayor."

Whether the citizens of Campbell will be the true winner in this debate is still to be determined.

The DDD will continue to monitor this situation and report future developments.