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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

PEC Board votes to seek restitution in Fuelberg sentencing


Update, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010: Not reported in the story below, nor any other we have seen, is the 5.5% pay raise for PEC employees and managers passed by the Board of Directors at their Monday meeting. The vote was not unanimous. Board President Larry Landaker and Director Cristi Clement voted against the "methodology" (Key Performance Indicators) used in arriving at the raise. PEC Communications Manager Michael Racis told the RoundUp the raise actually is a one-time "performance bonus" based on overall performance measurements of the co-op. The bonus was capped at $7,500. Racis said the cost to the PEC for the Christmas bonus comes in at $2.7 million. A bonus of 5.8% of base pay also was awarded to employees last year, which did not have a cap.

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By Zeke MacCormack
San Antonio Express-News
zeke@express-news.net
Published Tuesday December 21, 2010

Read the complete story here

JOHNSON CITY — The Pedernales Electric Cooperative plans to seek court-ordered restitution from its felonious former general manager, Bennie Fuelberg, but some ratepayers also want to end his $12,638 monthly pension and sue him for back wages.

“Hire an attorney skilled in forfeiture litigation and move aggressively to protect our interests,” Milton Hawkins, a co-op member from Blanco County, urged the group's board of directors at its meeting Monday.

Other members demanded sharp cuts to administrative spending, saying ratepayers have been soaked for more than $100 million in excesses begun during Fuelberg's 32 years leading the utility.

The board voted, without comment, to have its lawyer prepare a victim impact statement seeking restitution in advance of Fuelberg's sentencing hearing here Jan 14.

Before the meeting, board president Larry Landaker said of the pension, restitution and back-wage issues that “in light of the conviction, all issues regarding this matter should be considered.”

Fuelberg, who retired in 2008, was convicted at trial Dec. 10 of third-degree felony theft, money laundering and misappropriation of fiduciary property concerning the misuse of between $20,000 and $100,000 in utility funds.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The Roundup's December 14 picture of Fuelberg makes him look a lot like Dick Cheney. I wonder if all men who look like that are larcenous cheats who lie to and scam the public with there business sleaze?

Anyone know?