Voters in east Snohomish County have four candidates to choose from in the race for Public Utility District Board of Commissioners District 3. After the Aug. 2 primary election, only two of them will remain in the running.
The PUD Board of Commissioners is a three-member elected body charged with representing district ratepayers. Commissioners serve six-year terms and meet twice a month at PUD headquarters in Everett. The role of the board is to set policies and strategies to help the utility navigate the current and future power needs of its customers, as well as representing the PUD in Washington, D.C., and Olympia.
The commissioners make key decisions regarding issues like the Sunset Falls Fish Passage and Energy Project, a hydroelectric facility being proposed near Index that has faced widespread opposition from residents of the area, environmental groups, local tribes, outdoor recreationalists and politicians.
The District 3 region encompasses Maltby, Snohomish, Monroe, Sultan and Index, as well as Spada Lake and part of Lake Stevens. Incumbent Commissioner Toni Olson, running for a third term, is facing three challengers.
Olson
Olson held various management positions at the PUD for 22 years prior to becoming a commissioner in 2005. She has served for 12 years, and is hopeful her constituents will want her for another term. Olson said her background in the power industry brings something unique to the board.
"It's a pretty complex industry,GÇ¥ Olson said. "I have a really extensive understanding of the business, and you don't always get that in your elected official.GÇ¥
About Sunset Falls, Olson said it's time for a closer look. The PUD estimates project construction will cost $173 million, with a low-end estimate of $139 million and a high-end estimate of $225 million.
"I am seriously now questioning the economics of the project,GÇ¥ Olson said. "And I'm questioning it because 10 years ago we thought we would need power at a certain time. Given the significant changes in the power market over the last few years, we don't need that power today and we will not need it for a number of years.GÇ¥
This changes the viability of the project, she said.
"The board has said, "We are concerned about the economics,' and so that's where I am right now,GÇ¥ Olson said. "It's based on the economics for me.GÇ¥
If reelected, Olson said she plans to focus on continued modernization as the PUD transitions to its new, smart-grid system, and will work to streamline the implementation of new technology that will enhance the customer experience. It's a massive, multi-year project, Olson said, and needs to be accomplished incrementally. There will be numerous advantages, she said, including notification of power outages, so customers will no longer be forced to notify the PUD their power is out. Instead, the PUD will know instantaneously that it's out, she said.
There will also be a mobile app available that will provide power restoration updates to customers experiencing outages during storms. The goal is to provide a more sophisticated system to its customers, she said, replacing the current system, which is somewhat "clunkyGÇ¥ and antiquated.
"Our customers have been demanding that for a long time,GÇ¥ Olson said.
In terms of maintaining a well-rounded, integrated power resource plan, Olson said she is interested in exploring community solar.
"We have a lot of customers that are very interested in that,GÇ¥ Olson said.
Sibley
Gordon Sibley, recently retired, worked for the Snohomish County PUD for 28 years. He said he is dissatisfied with the current board's leadership, which he referred to in his voter's pamphlet statement as "failed.GÇ¥ Originally from Tacoma, Sibley grew up in Snohomish where he currently lives with his wife of 49 years. He is new to politics, and feels that is an advantage.
As a commissioner, Sibley would focus on transparency, accountability and stewardship.
Decisions should be made on economic and environmental reasonableness, he said, which is why he is not in favor of the Sunset Falls hydroelectric project.
"My position on Sunset is to take a stewardship-based approach to analyzing its viability. What I mean by that is that I cannot get behind any project that isn't both environmentally and economically responsible,GÇ¥ Sibley said. "From what information I have reviewed on the Sunset project, I'd have to say my preliminary analysis is that it does not meet either of those benchmarks.GÇ¥
The active landslide in the area helped inform his decision, he said. The hillside directly south of Sunset Falls began sliding in December 2013, and has never stopped moving. Residents of the area have begun speculating whether the river could be seeking to alter its course.
Sibley spent a day with a resident of the area in order to familiarize himself with the region.
"I also have serious concerns about the potential negative environmental impact of the project,GÇ¥ Sibley said. "Common sense tells me blasting away at bedrock along a river that also may change course naturally in the near future is likely a recipe for trouble.GÇ¥
Sibley said he finds Olson's "change of heartGÇ¥ on the matter of Sunset Falls interesting.
"Seems like that might be a bit of political gamesmanship on her part,GÇ¥ Sibley said. "For the majority of the last decade she has approved the PUD spending millions of dollars in time and resources investigating the project, but only now that it's an election year does she "oppose' it openly.GÇ¥
If elected, Sibley wants to help restore the public trust in the PUD. Sibley said he views himself as a person with a strong connection to all PUD ratepayers, not a politician. He thinks fresh eyes on the board would have a positive impact.
Wagner
A Lake Stevens city councilmember for 12 years, Larry Wagner was inspired to run for commissioner after last winter's billing snafu, during which certain PUD customers experienced unexpectedly high power bills. The issue stemmed from the implementation of a cost-saving plan, during which the utility transitioned to bi-monthly meter readings. This meant customers were billed on actual usage one month and on estimated power usage the next month.
"I decided to run when a conference room full of people wanted to know why their bills were being guesstimated all of sudden and were basically ignored,GÇ¥ Wagner said.
Wagner was spurred to action by stories of hardship; a single mother whose power bill went from $145 to $700, and a senior citizen who went without power for three weeks because she was on a fixed income and her bill had suddenly doubled.
"The hard-working everyday people of the public utility district and the public deserve better,GÇ¥ Wagner said. "That's why it needs to be the public's utility district again.GÇ¥
Wagner is also not in favor of the Sunset Falls hydroelectric project. The Skykomish River is one of only four rivers on the Washington State Wild and Scenic Rivers list, he noted. He referenced the evolution of the project, which has changed drastically since it was initially proposed in 2011.
"The dam, then weir, and now tunnel diversion project, is in an ill-advised area and is counting on factors that cannot be guaranteed,GÇ¥ Wagner said.
He questioned the economic viability of the project.
"The cost estimates have been disputed by the private groups and citizens in the area as well as a reputable engineering firm out of Idaho that evaluates projects,GÇ¥ Wagner said. "Cost estimates have ranged from $100 million to $154 million all the way to $254 million ' this seems unpredictable.GÇ¥
A hydroelectric project on the Skykomish River doesn't seem to be in alignment with recent efforts to encourage and promote outdoor recreation in the Sky Valley region, he said. He feels the money would be better spent in more practical applications. According to Wagner, approximately $7 million has already been spent investigating the project, which could have benefited the ratepayers in the form of rebates or conservation incentives.
Bunt
Dustan Bunt owns and operates a Snohomish-based family business called Above Grade Septic, which offers septic services in Snohomish and King County. In his candidate statement, Bunt wrote that he thrives on customer satisfaction and "providing a valuable, honest service.GÇ¥ He is a lifelong resident of Washington and a PUD ratepayer. He said that over the past year he found himself feeling powerless during two rate increases and the confusion over the estimated meter reads, so he decided to take action.
"I was inspired to run for PUD Commissioner when doing research on the PUD and finding out how decisions are made,GÇ¥ Bunt said. "My interest came about from the whole estimated billing change which, like many, affected my bills as well.GÇ¥
Bunt said he does not support the Sunset Falls hydroelectric project.
"From my research this project falls into the area of the scenic river system of the Skykomish River,GÇ¥ Bunt said. "I believe that if there is a need for more electricity, there are other options.GÇ¥
The board is planning to hold a public study session on Aug. 23 to further review the Sunset Falls Fish Passage and Energy Project and consider its economic impacts. OlsonSibleyWagnerBunt
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