Incumbent Scott Vejraska and Steven Gadd are running for commissioner in the nonpartisan race for Okanogan County Public Utility District (PUD), District 1.
Vejraska, a third-generation cattle rancher and a lineman for the Nespelem Valley Electric Co-op for the past 28 years, is seeking a fourth four-year term.
Gadd has a professional and educational background in business and administration. He was a juvenile court administrator for Okanogan County for four years and is currently an auditor for the Office of the Washington State Auditor, a position he’s held for almost 15 years. He previously was chief operating officer for a nonprofit.
The combination of his role as a commissioner and a lineman enhance one another — working as a lineman means he understands what goes on in the field, and being a commissioner helps him understand budgets and be more frugal, Vejraska said.
Gadd, who previously served four years on the Okanogan City Council, said his primary reason for running is because he believes in serving the public. The PUD is a public utility, and it’s important for commissioners to take the time to understand issues and be watchdogs for ratepayers, making sure that PUD management doesn’t run the ship, Gadd said.
Gadd acknowledged that he’s not built for politicking and said his strong suit is his education, experience and work ethic. He believes ratepayers would benefit from fresh ideas, given that Vejraska has been in the position for 12 years.
Finances, infrastructure
The PUD is facing the same issues as all utilities, Vejraska said — having the finances to upgrade infrastructure. The PUD has replaced transformers and substations and will soon start on a rebuild of the Loup Loup transmission line to maintain a redundant power supply for the Methow Valley, he said.
The PUD needs to maintain and upgrade its infrastructure, but that must be balanced with not having to raise rates, potentially by obtaining grants, Gadd said. He acknowledged that, in recent years, pressing issues about the PUD’s finances have abated, since rates have been more stable and there are fewer complaints about how the PUD is run.
Enloe Dam, internet
The PUD has been going through an agreed-upon process to determine the future of Enloe Dam while ensuring there is no liability for the PUD, Vejraska said. The PUD has retained its own consultant to represent its concerns in the process. The studies are funded by grants and the PUD is not spending ratepayers’ money on the process, he said. (See related story, page A1.)
While he doesn’t have detailed knowledge of the situation regarding Enloe Dam, Gadd wants to ensure that people’s concerns about impacts to the environment are addressed.
Gadd noted that wireless internet service providers have complained that the PUD is no longer investing in infrastructure. With the growing availability of satellite internet service, internet providers can’t guarantee enough customers to the PUD, Gadd said. Still, the PUD will need to make upgrades because of the importance of fiber for jobs, he said.
The PUD has worked hard to ensure it can be prepared for growth — the commissioners have already placed a moratorium on high-intensity loads, Vejraska said. With just 0.5% growth in the Okanogan Valley in the past six years, the PUD can handle current demand. A new five-year power contract with the Douglas County PUD will ensure that they can meet future loads and won’t need to buy power on the open market, he said.
Applications for data centers and other large consumers of power would need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, Gadd said. He supports business and doesn’t want to create roadblocks, but notes that the ratepayers are the owners and the PUD needs to protect against fiscal harm. The Okanogan County PUD is unique because, unlike some other PUDs, it doesn’t generate any of its own power, he said.
Rates, energy conservation
Vejraska believes the PUD’s current rate structure is fair and sustainable, as long as the district is frugal. The PUD has been bringing in enough money to meet its needs without raising rates, although they have the option to raise rates through a cost-of-living adjustment if necessary, he said.
Gadd wants to ensure that rates are equitable and that one class of ratepayers isn’t subsidizing another.
The PUD has an excellent program to help ratepayers conserve energy, including grants to assist low-income people obtain energy-efficient windows and insulation, Vejraska said.
But Gadd is concerned that some energy-conservation strategies don’t appear effective, since money gets spent on light bulbs and power strips that people don’t use. Some energy retrofits may be done to meet targets but aren’t actually effective at conserving power, he said.
