PORT HADLOCK — Larry Dunbar has been hired as the new general manager of the Jefferson County Public Utility District.
His first day at work will be April 23.
District 1 Commissioner Jeff Randall and PUD legal counsel Joel Paisner said the contract negotiations went smoothly and that Dunbar is looking forward to getting started. He was tapped as the commissioners’ choice earlier this month. The contract was finalized Tuesday.
He was hired on a three-year contract with a salary of $175,000 annually.
The salary is in line with other PUDs, according to Randall.
“The nice thing about what we are paying our new general manager, as well as the rest of our PUD staff members, is that the money stays here and is reinvested many times in our community,” Randall added.
Previous positions
Dunbar was previously deputy director of power resources for the city of Port Angeles and has served as energy services director for the city of Ellensburg since 2012.
Dunbar will replace Jim Parker, who left in September.
Randall said that Dunbar was the only candidate out of the 30 applicants from Washington state and the only one who had lived on the Olympic Peninsula.
“He knows the area and culturally, he’ll be a good fit,” Randall said.
Dunbar will be in town to meet staff and customers during the PUD’s fifth anniversary of Public Power Open House Celebration on April 6.
The open house will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the PUD Operations Center at 310 Four Corners Road, Port Townsend.
Commissioners will grill hot dogs and veggie sausages.
The PUD took over ownership and operation of Jefferson County’s electrical service from Puget Sound Energy the first week of April 2013.
Kenneth Collins, District 3 commissioner, said that Dunbar plans to buy a home in Jefferson County and has already leased a residence here.
District 3 Commissioner Wade King had not been able to attend recent commission meetings due to illness, but spoke with Dunbar by phone and met with him personally.
“I think he’ll be a really good fit,” King said.
King praised Assistant General Manager Kevin Streett for the work he’s done, not only as acting general manager, “but in building up the PUD’s electrical division from nothing, not even a screwdriver, when he was hired in 2012.”
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.
