Letters to the Editor: Oct. 3, 2024

Local leaders voice support for Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

We support Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for reelection. She represents our communities well and, most importantly, she “shows up” for Southwest Washington.

Our experiences in community leadership tell us that a big part of success is “showing-up.” This means: listening, being open, seeking common ground, finding solutions, valuing contact and devoting time to meeting the people in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. 

We see this in what Marie Gluesenkamp Perez does as our member of Congress.

We know this as active and involved community residents.

Lloyd Halverson, former Camas city administrator 

Nan Henriksen, former mayor of Camas

Steve Hogan, current mayor of Camas

Anne McErerny-Ogle, current mayor of Vancouver 

Molly Coston, former mayor of Washougal 

Ellen Burton, chairperson of the Camas Parks and Recreation Commission, former Camas City Council member and former mayor of Camas

Cassi Marshall, Port of Camas-Washougal commissioner

Greg Anderson, former Camas City Council member

John Spencer, Port of Camas-Washougal commissioner

Larry Keister, Port of Camas-Washougal commissioner 

Dave Ripp, former chief executive officer for the Port of Camas-Washougal

Skamania County PUD Commission candidate to host in-person meetups 

Hi, my name is Maria Mel Steele. I have lived in the Pacific Northwest and worked as a public civil servant in natural resources since 1980. Skamania has been my home for 16 years. I’m now retired after working in the Bonneville Power administration building in Portland as a planning forester for the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs Northwest Regional Office. The areas of public policy I’m personally most passionate about these days are Skamania County Public Utility District’s (PUD) management policies.

The Public Utility District is self-regulated by local PUD commissioners. In Skamania, the private sector’s playbook has been driving up PUD rates, and ratepayers are outraged.

The incumbent PUD commissioner, Dan Boyes, admits to raising rates and has his excuses. The truth is he was appointed originally and then promptly voted in and completely changed PUD rate policies. Then-PUD General Manager John Goodman imposed this “rate hearing” in 2019 cloaked as “cost of service study.” This was developed by a private company, FCS Group, under the directives of John Goodman.

From its inception in 1940, until around 2018, the Skamania PUD used industrial standards of “don’t fix it unless it is broken,” — a base rate covering meter reading and billing administration and usage rates covering maintenance, operations and repairs. This all changed under John Goodman, whose management style seems to be “replace everything, as much is aging, with substations and meters.” However, no documentation supported this. His previous employer, McKinstry, was awarded a blank-check AMI Smart Meter capital project contract on the electrical side.

I’m against the 2019 to 2024 rates and price-gouging and definitely consider it unfair and unjust. 

Voters pamphlets will be mailed out Oct. 18, along with mail-in ballot options to follow soon after.

You can meet me in person, ask questions,  or make comments on anything energy-related and get informational handouts on the following dates:

• 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at the Underwood Community Center, 951 School House Road, Underwood, Washington
• 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the American Legion Post 122, at 10221 Washougal River Road, Washougal.

For more information, call me at 509-637-3720, visit pud2024steele.com, join the public “Electricity is not a luxury” Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/576987189570902 or email pud2024steele@gmail.com.