Looking Back & Looking Forward

As I begin my tenth year as a PUD commissioner, I can’t help but reflect on how much has changed since I first took the oath of office.

Back in 2015, the PUD was meeting in the old Post Office building in Port Hadlock. The rugs were worn out, the walls needed paint, and the restrooms were frequently out of order.  

The PUD was seriously understaffed, the electrical infrastructure antiquated, and the financial software deficient to the point that it could not be audited.

Ten years from now, the PUD will have spent more than $50M building out fiber optic broadband across the county, primarily with federal and state grants. The PUD will have upgraded the Port Ludlow, Quilcene, Hastings, and Discovery Bay substations, investing more than $12M on transmission and distribution system upgrades. The PUD will also have made improvements in leak detection and water delivery, as well as likely taken over the operation of the Port Hadlock wastewater system.  

But the greatest accomplishment of the PUD has been to create a culture that cares about and inspires its employees. 

So much has been achieved and will be achieved going forward.