By Holden Mann
Members of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council’s Member Advisory Committee heard a number of proposed changes to the MAC charter at Wednesday’s meeting, most prominently a plan to authorize electronic voting.
The idea to allow electronic voting arose in last December’s strategic planning meeting, when members discussed ways to improve efficiency, said Utah Office of Consumer Services Director Michele Beck, who presented the proposals to the committee. As proposed, the measure would permit the MAC chair to call for a vote on specific issues discussed in at least one previous committee meeting, with seven to 10 calendar days’ notice before voting begins and at least three business days for members to submit their votes.
In response to questions from some members about the wisdom of conducting committee business online, Beck emphasized that the electronic voting system is not envisioned as a replacement for MAC’s current approach. Online voting would initially be limited to “yes or no” votes, and normal quorum rules would still apply. The requirement that the issue under consideration was discussed at a prior meeting would ensure that MAC members have had an opportunity to suggest amendments or modifications before the vote.
“This is … a way to keep the business of the MAC moving forward, in particular in a case where we have … a very fulsome discussion in one meeting, that folks want to think on it a little further before making their actual vote, and it keeps our work moving forward in between meetings,” Beck said. “[But if] MAC representatives aren’t committed to that process, then … it won’t increase our efficiency and we should delete it.”
Also discussed at the meeting was a proposal to change the way MAC measures nonparticipation. Under the current standard, if a member has not attended six consecutive meetings, the chair may designate the position as vacant. However, this rule was created when MAC met every month; the committee now meets about every six weeks, and some members have expressed concern that this could result in seats being effectively unfilled for prolonged periods.
Several alternative measurements were proposed, with most members supporting vacating a seat after four consecutive missed meetings. This would ensure that the chair has the ability to remove a member after six months without contributing.
“Unless they’re ill, which would be an extenuating circumstance … [if you miss] four meetings, you’re out of here. There’s no excuse for that,” said Grace Anderson of the California Energy Commission. “I would be as clear and strong as possible here and say, definitely not less than four meetings would be a good approach.”
Other proposals brought to the committee included standardizing the formats of documents on WECC’s website, implementing term limits for MAC members and updating the charter to formalize the role of liaisons with other committees. These generated less discussion at the meeting, but Beck left the door open for members to request changes via email. Suggested changes will be considered for incorporation into the final version of the proposals, on which MAC members will vote at the next meeting in December.
