2017-01-10 Meeting with Dan Kay PUD General ManagerMeeting with Dan Kay PUD General Manager
Attendees: Commissioner Stamper, Commissioner Jackson, Commissioner Fund, Susan DeLaire, Dan Kay
Recorder: Rachel Hunt
Meeting Start time: 3:06
History behind public power- local control at lowest cost.
PUD was started approximately 75 years ago.
Maintain working relationship between Lewis County and PUD.
Dan Kay briefly discussed an intern who was later hired on by PUD as a poster child of hiring and
bringing local millennials back to Lewis County.
Broadband communication- how does PUD tie into this? The district has two parts. The District connects
companies like Toledo Tel to connect homeowners. While PUD does not provide the internet service,
Toledo Tel leases excess from PUD.
Commissioner Jackson addressed a constituent’s problem with broadband in Packwood is some of the
providers are picking the easy to get to areas but not providing service to the outlying areas.
Pe Ell is considered an island area. Although there is a transmission line form Chehalis to Raymond.
There is a substation in Pe Ell which was purchased from Bonneville. The homes between the substation
and the main line west from Chehalis has a very small population.
It is becoming less expensive to go back to the above ground power lines.
Commissioner Jackson asked a question about the Economy Plan for PUD. He noted it was a personal
question about his billing cycle.
Mr. Kay noted they are focusing on customer service. Customers come into the PUD for 1 of 4 reasons.
Most of which are to pay a bill or report an outage.
Commissioner Fund asked how PUD handles their medical insurance coverage. He said it is something
he did not directly handle that aspect in his previous job with the District.
Bonneville pays the operation and maintenance of the Cowlitz Falls Dam but they are PUD employees.
I-937 alternate power sources- building wind turbines costs money.
Commissioner Stamper joined the meeting at 3:41 p.m.
Discussion a regular meetings with Mr. Kay possibly monthly.
Meeting ended- 3:43