LIHUE — Ballots have been mailed out for Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s Board of Directors Election.
Three seats are up for election in March with the deadline to vote being March 23 at noon, and the three candidates are all incumbents — Calvin Murashige, Peter Yukimura and Jan TenBruggencate.
In 2018, the welcomed newcomer Janet Kass as she was elected and incumbent Board member Pat Gegen was not re-elected.
According to KIUC spokeswoman Beth Tokioka, there are 21,499 voting members in the KIUC.
There are three ways for members to vote, and all three of them require the use of information mailed to members— via mail in the ballot provided, online at www.mrgvote.com, where you’ll enter the access code provided in the reply envelope, or by telephone using a touchtone phone.
That phone number is 877-778-KIUC.
The three candidates have all served multiple terms on the KIUC Board of Directors.
Murashige has been on the board for the past seven years, TenBruggencate has been a board member for nine years, and Yukimura has been on the board since 2005.
In his candidacy statement, Murashige said he’s focused on stabilizing electricity rates and renewable energy.
“The directors who served before me had the foresight to strategically focus on renewable sources of energy as a means of stabilizing our electric rates, reducing our dependency on fossil fuel and reducing the carbon imprint on our island,” he said in the statement. “I wish to continue to be part of the discussion and decision-making.”
Yukimura points out his strong ties to the community and the nonprofit sector. He’s a third-generation Kauai resident and has been recognized as a Kauai Living Treasure.
“My degree in Accounting brings to the Board a business background for best management practices and financial oversight,” he said in his statement.
TenBruggencate touched on three major missions of KIUC in his candidacy statement — providing reliable power, lowering rates, and moving away from fossil fuels.
“In most recent years, Kauai’s grid reliability has led the state,” he said in his statement. “We are now enjoying so of the lowest rates in many years.”
He also points out progress in solar energy and Kauai’s nationwide leadership in solar power on a per-resident basis.
KIUC’s nine directors serve three-year, staggered terms and candidates are placed on the ballot through the KIUC nominating committee, or by submitting a petition signed by 35 KIUC members.
••• Jessica Else, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or at jelse@thegardenisland.com
