PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Public Utility District commissioners have appointed acting treasurer-controller David Papandrew to the permanent position.
Papandrew, former district auditor, replaces treasurer-controller Josh Bunch, who was placed on paid administrative leave Jan. 28 and resigned for “personal reasons” March 4, according to a $93,435 settlement agreement paid to Bunch.
District commissioners did not discuss the appointment before voting unanimously to approve it by resolution Monday.
Papandrew’s new salary will be $11,333 per month, or $135,996 per year. His old salary as district auditor was $7,750 per month, or $93,000 per year.
General Manager Doug Nass said the district has not finalized its process for hiring a new auditor.
“Were looking at how we’re going to handle it,” he said.
PUD spokesman Michael Howe said Tuesday the district did not conduct a search for an external candidate for the treasurer-controller position.
“We had a highly qualified candidate internally,” Howe said.
“We try to look internally first, and when we have a very highly qualified candidate, it makes sense.”
Papandrew will be responsible for overseeing a 2014 budget of $72 million.
The treasurer-controller is in charge of the district’s day-to-day accounting functions and supervises customer-service representatives, meter reader and accounting and finance employees.
Bluffs Well project
Commissioners Monday also awarded a $3.24 million bid to Harbor Pacific Contractors of Woodinville to construct two new groundwater pumping and treatment facilities for the Bluffs Well replacement project.
Two new wells — one off Bobcat Hollow Road and one off Old Olympic Highway — will serve about 1,500 customers in the Fairview water system.
The existing well in The Bluffs neighborhood off Gasman Road was built too close to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and became susceptible to saltwater intrusions in the early 1990s, district officials have said.
Tom Martin, district water and wastewater systems assistant superintendent, said 11 general contractors from Oregon to Bellingham attended a pre-bid conference for construction of the pumping and treatment facilities.
Of those, four contractors submitted a bid.
Harbor Pacific’s low bid was about $100,000 over the engineer’s estimate, district officials said.
The estimated $2.86 million total cost will be covered by a combination of grants, loans and federal economic stimulus funds, PUD officials have said.
Wins distinction
Meanwhile, district officials also discussed the PUD’s recent designation as a Reliable Public Power Provider by the American Public Power Association.
The “RP3” designation recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement.
Clallam County PUD was one of 184 utilities out of more than 2,000 in the nation to earn the distinction.
“We’re honored to receive the RP3 designation,” Nass said in a Monday news release.
“Our utility staff values the opportunity to serve the Clallam County community and puts in a lot of hard work to provide the best service possible.
“RP3 represents a much-appreciated recognition of this commitment to excellence.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
Reporter Jeremy Schwartz contributed to this report.
