Valkeakoski to Tighten Ownership Guidance After Energy Company’s Italy Trip

YLE reported that a nine-person management delegation from Valkeakosken Energia travelled to Italy last week, drawing criticism in Valkeakoski and prompting the city board to propose changes to the municipality's ownership guidance.

The delegation included CEO Olli-Pekka Marttila and board chair Sari Ilovuori. The trip ran from Wednesday to Saturday and was described in a pre-trip email to administrative director Anne Laukkanen. The email did not say where in Italy the delegation went or how much the trip cost.

Valkeakosken Energia told the city the board has a long tradition of holding meeting trips abroad. Marttila and Ilovuori declined to comment.

The visit provoked anger among several local politicians because Valkeakoski is struggling financially: the municipality cut 30 positions after redundancy negotiations last year and officials say the budget remains fragile. City board member Marko Erola said using public funds for foreign meeting trips is hard to accept.

City manager Minna Uschanoff noted current ownership guidance does not require operational management to seek owner approval for such trips. City board chair Joni Kumlander said officials will draft wording to add references to company foreign trips in the ownership guidance. He added the Italy trip did not appear illegal and was presented as a board seminar.