By PATRICK L. MYERS
The PUD Commissioners met for their regular bi-monthly meeting June 2 in the auditorium at the Willapa Operations Center.
The commissioners and General Manager Doug Miller started the meeting with the awarding of service pins for those members of the PUD that have served benchmark worthy terms.
"Paul Wilkison started his employment with the district on May 17, 2004 as a laborer working out of the Willapa Operations Center in Raymond," said Miller. "He was advanced in the classification of Laborer and Assistant Store Keeper on March 16 of 2005. In the Fall of 2007, Paul received certification as a water distribution manager 1."
Miller also congratulated Todd Patrick.
"Todd Patrick came to the district after graduating from Raymond High School in 1991, and attended Grays Harbor College for two years," said Miller. "He had worked as an electrician for three-plus years before he began his employment with the PUD on March 16 of 2000, as a laborer working out of the Willapa Operations Center."
Last but not least, Rick Mitge was congratulated. "Rick Mitge, another Willapa Valley high school graduate, came to the district after serving four years in the Navy. He started his employment with the PUD on February 16 of 1995, as a laborer out of the Willapa Operations Center," said Miller.
To move the meeting along, the commissioners rattled off a list of service extension contracts that the PUD has entered since the last meeting. The list boasted five items, one of which was Surfside Estates, the other four being residences.
After the service extension contracts, the commissioners presented a Net Energy Metering Interconnection Agreement that they will be entering with a client named Morgan Hamilton.
"Morgan Hamilton is having a 6.6 KW Solar Electric generating facility installed on his property," said Miller. "He would like to interconnect this facility to the district's distribution network and receive payment for the energy produced."
In order for Hamilton to put his solar power project through the due processes, he will need to enter into a Net Energy Metering Interconnection Agreement as well as an Agreement for Customer Generator Systems Incentives Program for Renewable Energy Development.
"A motion and second in action is needed authorizing general manager Miller to enter into an interconnection incentives program agreement," said Miller. And with that, one motion was made by PUD Commissioner Hatfield, and the motion was seconded and approved.
For the Other Business segment of the meeting, Jeanie Ledford submitted her letter declaring that she will be retiring after 30 years of service to the PUD.
"Jeanie Ledford, Treasurer and Administrative Secretary, has informed the board in a letter dated June 1, 2015, that she will have 30 years of service with our utility as of December 17, 2015 and has thus decided to retire on January 1 of 2016," said Miller.
Commissioner Hatfield made a motion and said, "I'm excited for her because she has earned it, and so all I can do is wish her the very best."
Commissioner Diana Thompson seconded the motion.
For the last segment of the meeting, Items from the Public not on the Agenda, tax payer Dick Anderson spoke up: "I don't know who your grounds person is out here, but it looks like they're doing a very good job. I was quite impressed when I walked down the street."
The next scheduled PUD Commissioners meeting will be held in Long Beach at the Peninsula Operations Center on June 23. The next Raymond meeting will be on July 7. Both meetings are at 1 pm.