Turmoil continues at PUD

Flint responds to Beckett letters, denounces anonymous "blackmail" e-mail

EPHRATA — The war of words shows no signs of ending at the Grant County Public Utility District.

PUD Commission president Tom Flint said that he would not be blackmailed or coerced by anyone to change directions or to resign.

"I am confident in the things I am doing," he said. "I am very disappointed that someone could think they can manipulate me and the trust that the people have given me."

Flint's words came in the wake of his participation in the PUD Commission's weekly meeting, where he denounced the letters of PUD critic Steve Beckett to area newspapers where he asked for Flint's resignation and said that there was a conflict of interest between Flint's work as a farmer and his job at the PUD.

"I totally disagree," Flint said after the meeting. "I don't think there is any correlation between my work as a farmer and my work at the PUD."

During the meeting, Flint unveiled an e-mail he received by "Eddie Kurrentz," where it is suggested that he settle with Beckett so that he does not make public any more documents that may be detrimental to Flint's re-election bid.

The e-mail read, in part, "I have done everything in my power to stop Beckett or to delay or withhold records from Beckett that would be harmful to you and the PUD. Being so close to the general election, I have run out of options. Beckett now has the records necessary to cause you to lose the election. It is up to you to decide what is best for you, your family and the PUD."

Flint said that although the e-mail was signed by Kurrentz under the physical address of the PUD offices in Ephrata, there are no PUD employees by that name.

Asked whether that name could be an alias of a PUD worker, Flint said that "anything was possible,” in light of that e-mail, renewing his promise to keep on working.

"I am not affected by this type of individual," he said. "I will not be swayed by special interest groups."

At the same time, Flint called on the public for help identifying the person who sent the e-mail.

"I take these challenges head-on and you can be assured that I will not be extorted, intimidated or micromanaged by anyone," he said.

Beckett, who could not be reached for comment after the meeting, did speak during it, saying that the e-mail from Kurrentz would not be allowed in a court of law, as it would be considered hearsay.

Beckett showed up at the meeting carrying a cake, which he said it was to celebrate his 200th request of records from the PUD.

PUD Commission manager Tim Culbertson retorted by telling Beckett that there was a lot to be positive about at the PUD.

"The license application is on the right path," he said. "There are many positive things."

Flint assailed Beckett and his cake, calling it "the ultimate act of sarcasm."

Former State Sen. Harold Hochstatter took the microphone Monday afternoon to criticize a recently approved survey by the PUD to county residents on topics such as the Zipp fiber network.

The survey contains questions such as "How likely are you to sign up for Zipp fiber service in the future?" and "As for further construction of the Zipp Network, which response best reflects your position?" The survey gives multiple choice options such as building it out by 2008 or by 2015, or stopping the build out altogether.

"Couldn't have this waited until after the elections?" Hochstatter asked, expressing his concern about an appearance of impropriety, given that two commissioners up for re-election, Tom Flint and Mike Conley voted in favor of having this survey.

Former PUD commission candidate Kathryn Hanford-Wiley agreed with Hochstatter, saying that she would not have held this survey so close to the election.

"They (Conley and Flint) have not been listening to the people," she said. "They are probably really nice guys, but they are sinking the ship."

Flint defended the survey saying the information needed to be gathered. There would be no improper activity, he said, given that the results would come up until after the election.

"The district needs that information to move forward," he said.

"The survey is going to tell us a lot whether we are going to do a build out or not next year," Conley said. "Our budget needs to be in place before the end of the year. If the survey comes back and shows not much interest, it tells us we are not going to do much build out next year.

He added,