I cannot believe the Columbia River PUD board has ignored the vote to sit Nancy Ward in retiring Dave Bakers seat. Ms. Ward won the election by 62%. However the board says that because of boundaries and because Ms. Ward lives in a houseboat she is not eligible to be a board member. However Ward and other people who live in these houseboats receive their power from the PUD and pay for this service.

The PUD claims because Ward does not live in the district because of an annexation done in 1999,a problem the PUD knew about ---- she cannot serve on the board and that the decision is out of their hands. Funny… how they allowed Harry Price to serve on the board when he moved out of the district. And the State of Oregon says that the
PUD board has the power to put anyone on their board ---that the board has that power.

The PUD board is a board which has been locked in usual 3-2 vote with Melton, Carter and Price voting in unison against Baker and Simpson the odd men out. Whenever Baker asked any questions he was met with hostility from the other three, when Simpson asked questions he is shut down very quickly by Carter. It is very apparent to those who attend the meetings that it is the Melton and Carter show. With mommy Carter making snide remarks to the public who attend the meeting or make comments in the public comment period. And confronting members of the public outside the meeting in the parking lot, where she gets her facts wrong because she don't listen because she is making her rude remarks.

At the last PUD meeting Baker asked a question about the many monthly lawyer fees, he wanted to know what they were for. He was shut down with the comment attorney/client privilege, I seen no violation of specifics, he could have been answered the money was spent on litigation regarding for example John Doe slipped on the sidewalk and fell. Etc… This board does not want the public to see how much money they are spending on certain law suits. I find this alarming as legal fees are in the hundreds of thousands. The rate payers should be outraged.

I had high hopes for Carter and Melton, I thought they would be a breath of fresh air for the PUD. I was absolutely wrong. They have designed a little kingdom of which they do not want other board members who question anything. I believe they do not want Ward on the board because yes she will ask questions and have an opinion, and will not vote in lock step with the majority if she does not agree.

The board will now appoint a person to Bakers seat in January, I wonder if they will appoint Ms. Reed a friend and supporter of the current majority of the board and the person whom Ward beat. Oh what a tangled web they weave.

I have to give kudo's to Senator Johnson who has been helping Ward with state agencies to sort out this problem. I have been at odds with the Senator on various issues over the years but I will give credit where credit is due.

It will be an interesting year for the PUD and their problems the rate payers are not happy with the hundreds of thousands they have spent on lawyer fees and the several million dollars suits that are being filed against the PUD because of actions taken by this board. The rate payers are being ripped off with the high lawyer fees and the way this board has done business.

The PUD or People's Utility District needs to straighten out, and do what is right on the way they do business and the way they are handling the recent vote. They need to contact Ward and place her on the board. This action would renew some faith with the rate payers.