By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Members of the Overton Power District Board of Directors voted on Wednesday to restore the full measure of a long-standing OPD scholarship program which has benefitted students of local high schools. Board members decided to return the total number of scholarships offered to 10 as in years past, rather than the 8 offered in 2015.
For many years, district policy has allowed the board to award $2,000 scholarships to as many as 10 graduating seniors in its service territory: five from Moapa Valley High School and five from Virgin Valley High School. But last year, the board decided, in a 6-1 vote, to reduce the number of scholarship recipients to 8.
At-large board member Judy Metz, who was the lone vote against the reduction last year, stated she was taking the same stance as last year in supporting the full 10 scholarships.
“One of the first things we learned in our training this year was that this organization is a part of the community and we should be involved in the community,” Metz said. “On that basis I think it is important for us to continue to participate in that way.”
Logandale board member Jack Nelson agreed. “I think that it goes toward making good citizens,” he said. “Being involved in the schools shows our commitment to the betterment of the community.”
But Mesquite board member Mike Young said that he felt differently in the matter.
“We have a lot of retired folks in Mesquite,” Young said. “They have already contributed to their kids and their grandkids.”
Young said he preferred putting the money toward an expansion in summer work study and internship programs.
“Giving scholarships is a gift that has nothing to do with value,” he said. “On the other hand, having people coming in as interns, working for it and doing something productive gives them work experience and our customers can derive some value from it.”
Young said that he would be in favor of setting up a voluntary fund where ratepayers could choose to contribute funds toward scholarships. But he did not like the idea of taking money from customers, who “think they are just paying for electrical service,” and putting it into scholarships.
“To tell you the truth I’d like to see (the scholarship program) reduced to nothing,” Young said. “But I understand it has been going for a long time. So at least I’d like it minimized and instead increase the summer help programs where there is value to the district.”
Moapa Board member Gary Leavitt pointed out that the district has policies in place to subsidize customers in installing solar arrays on their rooftops.
“That is another example of taking money from the general ratepayers and giving it to a smaller group,” he said. “Should we eliminate those solar subsidies as well and take them away?”
Mesquite board member Doug Waite observed that the dollar amount required for the scholarship was minimal on a per customer basis. With roughly 14,000 OPD customers, the cost per customer is less than $1.50 per year, he said.
“I agree with Judy,” Waite said. “I think we should go back to the full 10 scholarships. We are part of the community and this is a great way to show support.”
Overton board member Mike Fetherston expressed concern that scholarships might often just go to the kids with the highest grade point average. In those cases, those kids were already being showered with scholarships and the need may not be greatest, he said.
But Metz, who was part of the scholarship selection committee last year, stated that she had not selected scholarship recipients solely based on highest GPA.
“My primary focus was on kids that had an interest in science and engineering,” she said. “Fields that might be productive from the OPD standpoint. We were looking for kids who might someday have something to contribute here; that’s where we put our focus.”
Leavitt agreed that this should be the emphasis on awarding the scholarships. “With this program we are giving to the future,” he said. “And it is our future as a district.”
Metz made a motion to award a total of ten $2000 scholarships; five for each valley. The motion was approved with a 6-1 vote with Young being the only vote in opposition.
The board members instructed staff to bring an agenda item to a future meeting to establish a new policy for funding a summer internship program.
