The big winner here, if there is any, is probably the City Council. They were thrown into their new responsibilities with a trial by fire in the form of the Mother of all negotiations and many of them came out the better for it.

To be sure, these modifications that were included left the usually self-assured if not smug, Gary Hedricks, CEO of El Paso Electric looking a bit frazelled. At one point Hedricks told council that he was not sure if the EPE board would approve the agreement which now included some safeguards. Apparently, he was the only one who doubted that the EPE board would jump at the chance to sign this still, but less, sweet deal.

Perhaps the big loser was City Manager Joyce Wilson. And yet, that may be a bit unfair. She too was thrown into her new job with this agreement on her plate. Still she seemed more intent in making sure that her negotiated agreement was approved than making sure that the ratepayer was taken care of in all senarios.

In the end she had Hedricks come down to City Hall and hold a "public lecture" which didn't enlighten anyone. That turned out to be nothing more than a photo opt. That wasn't enough. It was Council members who worked hard on learning the ropes and modifying the deal.

Amid, the rantings of a frustrated ankle biter, Ray Gilbert, Council was able to accertain that there was no one in the whole region that had any real substantially compelling reason for this agreement to be halted. With that knowledge they did the right thing.

They approved the deal and can now get on with other City business that affects ratepayers and taxpayers alike.

It doesn't matter that there was not an unanimous vote in favor. Obviously, there were doubts as to how perfect the deal was and it wouldn't have hurt to at least have had the contract printed in its final form. But, the fact remains, that as a body, the Council acted on their best instinct and together they brought out the many perspectives that make up a group. Perhaps Council members have learned from each other on this deal. The process has just begun. Greater things are yet to come.

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Editor, Upper Valley Beacon

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