COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater Board of Public Utilities Director Jeff Budd once again said during Tuesday’s CBPU Board of Directors meeting that Paul Beckhusen’s departure as the General Manager of the Michigan South Central Power Agency does not affect the CBPU’s ability to provide power nor does it affect the utility’s daily operations.
The MSCPA and Beckhusen reached a separation agreement last week after months of turmoil involving the purchase and renovation of the former Sauk Trail Trading Post building on South Division by the CBPU.
Beckhusen was the CBPU Director at the time of the transaction.
Questions and accusations of lack of transparency led to hard feelings among MSCPA board members and some rather contentious meetings.
Budd felt it was time for the MSCPA to move on as he stated Tuesday “it’s time for us to kind of start worrying about where we are going to go in the near term.”
Budd has been named as the acting director of the agency and hopes that lasts just a couple of more weeks, as there are ongoing talks with American Municipal Power about future duties.
Budd also said the agency’s Chief Financial Officer Bob Russell plans to retire next month, but he added things are up in the air and Russell could be talked into staying on.
