PORT ANGELES — Finalists for a vacancy on the Clallam County Public Utility District board of commissioners are expected to be named at a special meeting Monday.
PUD Commissioners Ted Simpson and Will Purser, who interviewed 12 of 14 applicants at public session this Monday and Tuesday, will meet with the final two, William Hannan and Robert Larsen, beginning at 10:15 a.m. Monday in public session at the district office, 104 Hooker Road, Carlsborg.
Simpson and Purser will go into executive session at 11:45 a.m. before opening the meeting to the public, when the commissioners will vote on their finalists for filling Hugh Haffner’s two-year unexpired term, PUD spokeswoman Nicole Clark said Thursday.
Clark said a meeting will be scheduled for after Sept. 10, when Purser returns from being out of town, for commissioners to interview the finalists in public session.
Haffner resigned effective July 15.
Committee approved
Simpson and Purser approved an internal committee of PUD employees to review the candidates’ applications.
They named General Manager Doug Nass, District Auditor David Papandrew, Human Resources Manager Jamie Spence, Finance Manager-Treasurer Sean Worthington and Assistant General Manager John Purvis to the committee.
Clark said Simpson and Purser may meet with the committee in the executive session.
“The intent is to narrow it down, and then have a second round of interviews after Sept. 10,” Clark said, adding they would be in public session.
The candidates interviewed Monday in up to 45-minute blocks were Donald Roth, Randall Brackett, Michael McBride and Marty Michaelis.
Candidates interviewed Tuesday were Marc Sullivan, Stanton Creasey, Harold “Butch” Thayer, John “Jack” Smith, David Anderson, Rick Paschall, Patricia Morris and Cameron Bruce.
Purser and Simpson asked the candidates the same questions as were contained on the applications, which queried them on background information such as how long they have lived in Clallam County, their interest, experience and expertise related to commissioner position and what they see as the role of a PUD commissioner.
“They were all very enthusiastic,” Clark said.
Clark said they also were asked if they had family members who are employed by the PUD.
Larry Morris, the husband of Patricia Morris, the only woman who has applied, is the PUD safety manager.
She is the only applicant whose immediate family works for the PUD.
The reaction was, “we’ll kind of cross that bridge when we come to it,” Clark said.
About a half-dozen members of the public, including some of the applicants’ spouses, also attended.
They were allowed to question the candidates, but few did.
“We were glad we had that many candidates who applied but were a little disappointed that more of the public didn’t show up,” Clark said.
Commissioners receive a $30,804 annual salary and a maximum of $48,724, including per diem expenses of $128 a day, and receive 75 cents a mile for PUD-related travel.
They also receive medical, dental, vision and life insurance, and Public Employees’ Retirement System benefits.
Commissioners hire the general manager, treasurer and auditor.
They approve an annual budget that for 2018 is $67 million for electric operations, $7 million for water operations and $58,500 for sewer operations.
It includes $20 million in reserves and three-year rate increases that began this year.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
