PUD manager placed on leave

EPHRATA - Grant County PUD General Manager Tim Culbertson was placed on administrative leave this week, pending an investigation into an unspecified personnel matter.

Tom Flint, president of the PUD's board of commissioners, declined Wednesday to comment on any specifics of the allegations. More information will be available to the public after an initial investigation is complete, he said.

Sarah Morford, the PUD's public information officer, said an attorney specializing in personnel issues is on contract with the PUD, and will conduct the investigation. "I'm optimistic that two weeks should be sufficient to take care of that (the investigation)," Flint said.

He said it's too early to know if the investigation will result in Culbertson's dismissal or resignation. How events unfold depends on the results of that investigation, Flint said.

Culbertson did not return a telephone call asking for comment

Culbertson was hired in August 2000 as the PUD's manager for power marketing and operations. He was named interim general manager in January 2004, and hired as general manager in March 2004.