Brewer, Bernd win PUD elections

EPHRATA — Bob Bernd and Terry Brewer won seats on the Grant County Public Utility District commission, following the latest general election ballot counting.

Bernd beat retired farmer Dale Walker to seize the at-large District B position, a four-year term, held since 2002 by PUD commissioner Bill Bjork.

Bernd, of Moses Lake, holds a 1,407-vote lead over Walker, also of Moses Lake. Walker has 5,428 votes, Bernd has 6,835.

Walker said he's called Bernd and conceded the race.

"I hope (Bernd) is up to the task at hand," Walker said today. "I honestly believe Grant County PUD will be better off than when I started this election process. I think if bodes well for the PUD for the next four years."

Walker said he expects Bernd to do for the PUD what he said he'd do during the campaign.

Bernd said he's promised to do long-range planning, so he'll press the commission to begin working with senior staff members to begin the process.

He said he'll push for build out of the PUD's fiber optic network.

The campaign was a positive experience, Bernd said.

"I door-belled from Grand Coulee to Mattawa," he said.

"I appreciate my opponent (Walker), we didn't differ on the issues very much, made it hard really to distinguish between our positions," Bernd said today. "He ran a good race, so I'm appreciative of that, and I'm appreciative of the voters who placed their confidence in me."

About 15,000 ballots are counted through Wednesday. Election officials expect to count up to 3,000 more ballots, but don't expect the outcome of either PUD race to change.

Brewer, executive director of the Grant County Economic Development Council, is edging retired engineer and Moses Lake businessman Ron Baker.

Brewer, of Soap Lake, leads 57.3 percent to 42.4 percent, with a margin of 1,827 votes. Brewer has 7,005 votes, Baker has 5,178.

Baker and Brewer competed for the District No. 1 seat, with its six-year term. It's currently held by incumbent PUD commissioner Vera Claussen. She is retiring at the end of her term in December.

Brewer said he's honored the citizens of Grant County selected him.

"I've six years to work hard to represent each and everyone of them fairly, intelligently, and take very seriously the responsibility which they've entrusted in me," Brewer said.

Baker did not return a phone call today seeking comment.