PORT HADLOCK — Barney Burke was picked by Jefferson County Public Utility District commissioners Wayne King and Ken McMillen today after they interviewed six applicants for the District 1 commissioner seat left vacant after the November death of Dana Roberts.
Burke is a former government planner who has worked in recent years as a reporter for the weekly Port Townsend Leader.
King and McMillen chose Burke during the PUD’s public meeting that began at 5 p.m. The two commissioners did private interviews earlier in the day with the six applicants at the PUD offices, 230 Chimacum Road, Port Hadlock.
The other five applicants for the seat on the three-member PUD board were Sam Gibboney, principal owner of Port Townsend-based ISE Consultants; former Jefferson County Commissioner Larry Dennison; Jerry Spieckerman, a retiree active in community service; former Port of Port Townsend commissioner Bob Sokol; and Bill Wise, Team Jefferson economic development council chairman.
Burke will serve until the November 2010 general election.
In a prepared statement, Burke, 54, “After talking it over with quite a few people in the last six months, I am announcing today that should I be appointed, I will definitely be a candidate for the six-year term in the November 2010 election.”
With only two commissioners to make the decision, McMillen and King took turns nominating a candidate.
When one or the other commissioner did not second the nomination, they each moved to the next nominee until they came to Burke, who was nominated by McMillen. After a brief pause, King seconded the nomination.
Burke, whose long background in public planning and economic development was in California, left his position at the Port Townsend Leader on Dec. 31.
King said that he was most impressed with how Burke answered the interview questions, and McMillen agreed.
Commissioners are paid monthly salaries of $1,000, and receive per diem at a rate of $90 per meeting, as well as medical coverage.
The PUD commissioner has regularly scheduled meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Special meetings are called as needed.
The PUD, which serves 3,500 water customers and 200 septic system connections, has nine full-time employees and operates on an annual budget of more than $2 million.
The agency is examining its option authorized by voters in November 2008 to get into the electric service business, and is negotiating with Puget Sound Energy to possible take over that private company’s facilities and service in East Jefferson County.
PSE now provides electricity to more than 18,000 East Jefferson County customers.
