Welcome Wake Forest Town Manager Kip Padgett to the ElectriCities Board of Directors!
Padgett joined the board in July, and we recently caught up with him to learn a little more about his background, his thoughts on public power, and what he hopes to accomplish in the coming years.
Years before he moved from his home state of Georgia in 2015 to become Wake Forest’s town manager, Padgett was already connected to North Carolina. His wife and her family are from the eastern part of the state.
And, though he was familiar with public power in Georgia, this is the first time he has served in a town that owns and operates its electric system.
“The more I looked into it, I saw the value of public power and what it brings to our community,” Padgett said. Seeing the benefits of the town’s relationship with other public power providers and ElectriCities inspired him to get more involved by serving on the board.
When it comes to public power’s value, Padgett says public power’s record of reliability and the connectedness of public power providers stand out.
The relationships with all the different public power agencies, not just in North Carolina but throughout the nation, mean “we’re always there to help each other and keep the lights on,” he said. “We bring that value to our customers—we’re able to keep the lights on or get them on more quickly when they go out, compared to our counterparts.”
Padgett said being an ElectriCities member adds to that value. “All we get from working with ElectriCities we couldn’t do by ourselves,” he said. “The economic development, the technical assistance, the lobbying … it’s invaluable for what it brings, not just to the Town of Wake Forest, but also to all the citizens who are our public power customers.”
Looking ahead, Padgett said Duke Energy’s Carolinas Carbon Plan is something he’s keenly interested in. “It’s going to have an impact on all of us, not just through rates, but through regulations too,” he said. “It’s important to have a seat at the table when those decisions are being made to make sure it’s what’s best for our customers.”
Along with his more than 25 years of public service, Padgett brought to North Carolina his love for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. “I’m a BIG Georgia Bulldog fan,” he told us. Having a son who goes to N.C. State is not likely to change that—it just means he’ll pull for the Wolfpack as well. The jury’s out on who he cheers for if the two play each other.
Padgett joins 15 public power peers on the ElectriCities Board of Directors, including the newly elected and re-elected members and officers who were sworn in earlier this year. Collectively, they advise and direct the activities and policies for North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number One, North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency, and ElectriCities. Each board member serves a three-year term.
“It’s a real honor to serve on the board,” he said “My fellow board members are all great and have the best interest of all our public power communities in mind. And we couldn’t ask for better staff to support us than we have at ElectriCities.”