PUD candidates air their views

They have a free ride through the primary election to the general election, but candidates for Position 1 on the Wahkiakum PUD board of commissioners took their campaigns across the county last week by speaking in candidate forums in Cathlamet and Grays River.

Incumbent Gene Healy and challenger Lisa Marsyla are running for Position 1, which represents Puget Island and South Cathlamet precincts. Incumbent Robert Jungers is unopposed in his bid for reelection and didn't participate in the forums.

An accountant, Marsyla served as PUD auditor before leaving that job and being elected to the county board of commissioners four years ago.

Marsyla has said her accounting skills will add to the PUD's background.

"I feel strongly that rate increases should be for the right reasons," she said, "and I want to look for future growth."

Marsyla added that she decided not to seek reelection to the county commission because she wanted to have more time for her family and accounting business. She has a second house in Portland, she said, but her main home is on Puget Island and she is maintaining her accounting business there. The PUD commission position doesn't require as much time as the county commission, and so she could continue to serve the community.

Healy was appointed to the board in April, 2011, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Larry Reese. He is retired from a career in the telephone industry and was area manager for Pacific Northwest Bell when he retired.

"I've really enjoyed serving you as commissioner for the past 14 months," he told the crowd in Grays River on Tuesday. "I think we've done a good job looking out for your interests and keeping your service and rates in perspective. I assure that that will by my goal and desire, to continue that effort."

The candidates fielded questions at the two forums. Selections include:

--What other businesses, including fiber optic service, could the PUD undertake?

Marsyla replied that she thinks the PUD should explore the possibililty of installing fiber optic lines that would serve county residents, and she added the PUD should explore the possible benefits of combining the Puget Island Water System with the Town of Cathlamet. "We should focus on how could we do that better as a community," she said.

Healy acknowledged that other PUD's provide fiber optic service, "but it's a very expensive enterprise," he said. "Our PUD has limited funds, and to start up a new operating division would require borrowing money, and we're very, very sensitive at our PUD on our debt. We have a fairly small ratepayer base, and getting into a debt picture that is unhealthy is not attractive to me. That doesn't mean we couldn't partner with people."

--What can the PUD do to contribute to economic development?

Healy responded that state law limits how the PUD can spend its money.

"As far as saying we can contribute in a major way to economic development, that's probably a stretch," he said. "However, there's certainly room within those laws, and we can be a vital part of economic development in a supportive role."

Marsyla, too, thinks the PUD can play a role in economic development. In the past, PUD hasn't always participated economic development groups and projects. "I think they need to be at the table with those organizations so they know what's coming down the pike in relation to economic development, and if they can, they need to support that."

What can the PUD do to control the cost of water and power to its customers?

A major expense for the PUD is the purchase of power from the Bonneville Power Administration, Marsyla said, and the PUD can't do much to control that cost.

"However, I do think that there are a lot of costs that are controlled locally," she said. "As auditor, I spent a lot of time with those costs and tried to make sure that we were making good financial decisions . . . "

Also, the PUD should explore, with the Town of Cathlamet, ways to reduce water system operating costs . . . If I'm elected PUD commissioner, that would be a very high priority for me, to make sure we scrutinize all our costs."

"Cost control is our biggest issue," Healy said.

The PUD's major cost is buying power from Bonneville, Healy said, "and that isn't going to change."

About half the PUD budget goes to local expenses, he added; these include debt service and the construction of a new substation.

"But there's always a little room to squeeze the budget, and rather than have a 9 percent increase last time, you may remember we settled on 7 percent, split between Bonneville increase and debt reduction."