Glasgow EPB interviews Reed

Jennifer Moonsong

Central Division

General Manger

Jobe Publishing, Inc.

 

In a special called meeting of the Glasgow Electric Plant Board on July 6, the board interviewed Melanie Reed for the job of superintendent. Reed is a Glasgow native and currently serves as the CFO for the utility.

 

“I saw your notable accomplishments, so do you have one you’re most proud of?” Asked board member Glenn Pritchard.

 

“I’d say the one that causes the most anguish, but that we are most proud of is the rate change,” Reed said.

 

“It takes a lot of work, a lot of data processing, talking to vendors outside, billing, data software. It takes a lot of work. To do what we’ve done over the past few months, to reverse it… that was a huge project on both sides, I am glad we were able to accomplish both times.”

 

“Is there any reason you want to leave your current position of CFO?” Pritchard asked.

 

She replied no. She did however say she thinks she can make a bigger impact on the decisions being made.

 

“Where do you see this organization under your leadership in say, five years from now?” Asked Libby Short.

 

“I want to get this back to the Glasgow EPB it was before. In the past six years, we have been through a lot of turmoil here. During that time we have been able to continue providing services… We have done our best to push forward and continue to do what we do for the community. I want to see that even more. It’s very important for us to let our customers know what we can provide for them,” said Reed.

 

She added that she wanted to see customer service at the forefront of the GEPB.

 

Above all, she says that she would like to see the organization have a more positive image within the community. She also posed the same question to the board, about their desires for the next five years.

 

“I would like to see the plant board provide the best services at the least cost for the people in Glasgow,” said DT Froedge. “I think a utility should just be a utility, and not get in the way and be involved with all the rancor…”

 

Reed also commended the current staff.

 

“Whoever sits in this position next, will have a step up because the staff is wonderful,” she said.

 

“I agree,” Short said. “The staff here is wonderful.”

 

DT Froedge asked, “Are you happy with the rates?”

 

“I am going to be completely honest with you today,” Reed said. “I am not here for any political agenda or anything like that. I think we need to look in the future at adding back the variable rate structure. I think there were customers who were very happy with that. I do not agree with taking that completely away, so I think we need to look at offering that as an option in the future so that customers who liked to stay on top of their bill and watch their usage, it was almost a game to them where they could win that game, I think we need to give them that option back.”

 

She also said that she is not an engineer and that although former superintendent Billy Ray was, she expected other staff members would step into that part of the role.

 

“When he (Ray) is gone, we will lose a huge asset and a wealth of knowledge,” she said.

 

Reed ask why they chose to interview her. Froedge replied that she had applied for the job and that it was his goal to find the best person for the position.

 

“We have advertised, we have not got a lot of applications in but we’ve got a few,” DT said. “We absolutely consider you a candidate for this job.”

 

“You’re an excellent candidate Melanie,” Short said.

 

To read more about the outcome of the search for a superintendent, read the Barren County Progress.