GRANT COUNTY PUD

Residents of Grant County should be up in arms over the 2010 rate hike approved by the PUD commissioners. The commissioners except for Mr. Brewer, are part of the PUD’s “ good old boy” system they do not represent the best interests of the residents of Grant County.

Not too long ago Grant County PUD had a surplus of money but greed and bad management took hold about the same time as the ENRON scandal. Grant PUD was planning to get their share too.

Grant PUD managements and commissioners spent $60 million on some used diesel generators to cut a fat hog like ENRON but their plan failed just like ENRON. Their greed wasted $60 million dollars of PUD funds. These generators are sitting idle, rusting away.

Then there is the “Fiber To The Home” Zipp fiber optic project, which was much more expensive per user than most FTTH projects because it was done in a low line density area.

Prudent money management was not used as projects like this would require at least 50 homes passed per mile that’s typical of municipal broadband projects. Grant County is too sparsely populated to meet that requirement. PUD management and the “good old boy” commissioners knew that but wasted $400 million more of your money anyway.

Now they want you to pay for their blunders and rebuild their reserve fund. Why should anyone trust them they have proven themselves to be incompetent. The robbed the funds now just like congress they come to you for more money just say no.

The PUD belongs to the people of Grant County. It’s time for the people to unite and tell the commissioners no. Sell the generators, cut managements wages and get rid of the “good old boy” system.

Doug Brown

Moses Lake