BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — An investigation has been opened into the compensation and other perks of board members and top executives at Louisiana's rural electric cooperatives.
The Advocate reports the Louisiana Public Service Commission opened the investigation Wednesday after Commissioner Foster Campbell called the pay of the CEO and board members of a north Louisiana co-op "absolutely disgusting."
Claiborne Electric Cooperative CEO Mark Brown earned $280,000 in annual pay and benefits. Members of its board of directors earned a combined $330,000 in per diem and other benefits. Campbell says it had revenue of $700,000 and serves one of Louisiana's poorest areas.
Other co-ops appeared before the commission and Campbell requested the PSC's attorney to determine if it can establish rules laying out how co-op board members are elected in the future and possibly what their compensation is.
