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Loomis council presses Pioneer on JPA amendment, asks staff to continue talks
Summary
Pioneer Community Energy circulated a proposed second-amended JPA consolidating prior edits and proposing procedural changes; Loomis asked staff to continue negotiations after town attorney warned some amendments could enable future board-driven changes to governance and voting rules.
Representatives from Pioneer Community Energy briefed the Loomis Town Council on a proposed second amended and restated joint-powers agreement that consolidates prior changes and shortens some procedures. Gina Stasse Vanekorn, Pioneer’s communications director, said the rewrite improves readability, incorporates prior amendments and, at Loomis’ request, extends the member-notice period for board actions from 30 to 45 days.
Town Attorney Jeff told the council the amendment as drafted would permit the Pioneer board—on a two‑thirds vote—to amend the JPA in ways that could, in future, change board composition, voting procedures or contribution (capital-call) requirements unless specific protections are written into the agreement. Jeff said there is no present indication Pioneer intends to alter those critical governance provisions immediately, but the legal language would leave them amendable by a board supermajority in the future.
Council members expressed concern about losing Loomis’ voice within a regional CCA, citing the potential for larger members to dominate and the importance of preserving member approval over material governance changes. Councilor Ring summarized the compromise reached during member-level discussions (a 45‑day notice period) but said council needed clarity about which provisions would remain subject to full-member approval.
After public comment and deliberation, the council directed staff to continue discussions with Pioneer and its general counsel and return with proposed protective language or a recommended approach for Loomis (counsel proposed identifying a short list of provisions that would require unanimous or full-member approval and otherwise leaving the rest to the JPA). No binding vote to accept the JPA amendment occurred; council asked staff to seek further assurances and report back in roughly 30 days or when negotiations reach an impasse.
Staff said the practical next steps are to identify a set of non‑amendable provisions the town wants preserved and to return to council with language for negotiation.
Council’s action was procedural direction only: staff was authorized to continue discussions and report back; no amendment to the JPA was adopted by Loomis at this meeting.
