Reader wants more transparency

Is email great or what! During the rate increase meetings held back in August 2011, three PUD commissioners met privately with an out-of-town consultant hired by the Grant County Industrial Alliance, a group promoting industrial development in the county. This meeting of a quorum of commissioners constitutes an illegal meeting under Washington state's Open Public Meeting Act. A public records request from the PUD shows emails dated Aug. 2 and 3, 2011 between the PUD manager and Gary Saleba, president of EES Consulting Inc., a firm providing services in the power and energy industry. In the Aug. 2 email, Saleba states, "We have meeting with some of your commissioners tomorrow to discuss rate levels and structures. We have some constructive ideas in both areas." The Aug. 3 email states, "Met with Bob, Tom and Terry." Saleba goes on to say, "At the end of the day, we'll do some fairly serious commentary on 8/23 and see what happens." Commissioner Allred did not attend these meetings or have any private discussions with this consulting firm or industrial people.

In another email between local industrial consultant, David Bailey and commissioner Bob Bernd, dated Aug. 2, Bailey asked, "Bob: Can you still meet with Gary Saleba, Calvin, Lon and myself tomorrow in the morning? The meeting will be at Terry Brewer's office. Give me a call." Calvin being Calvin Greene, manager of Eka Chemical and Lon being Lon Topaz of REC Silicon. Terry Brewer also being a PUD commissioner and past EDC director.

The above emails illustrate how ingrained the industrial interests have become in our utility. Industrials have enough influence on the PUD commission without hiring consultants for private meetings with commissioners to influence their vote on industrial rate increases.