PUD manager was placed on leave at late-night meet

EPHRATA - Grant County PUD commissioners convened at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 17 while at a trade show in Seattle to hold an executive session and eventually voted to place General Manager Tim Culbertson on leave, according to minutes approved by the board Monday.

Commissioners Terry Brewer, Bob Bernd and Dale Walker were in Seattle to attend the American Public Power Association 2012 National Conference and Public Power Expo during the weekend, according to the minutes. Because a majority of the board was at the convention, the regular commission meeting recessed on June 11 and reconvened at the convention Sunday. The Sunday meeting was recessed at 4:30 p.m.

But commissioners went back into session at 8 p.m. Sunday night, according to the minutes, with commission President Tom Flint and commissioner Randy Allred joining the meeting via conference call. The commission immediately went into executive session, which eventually stretched out to 90 minutes. At 9:35 p.m. the board reconvened in open session. "A motion was made by Mr. Walker and seconded by Mr. Bernd authorizing the commission president and vice president to, and after coordination with counsel, place the general manager on administrative leave June 19. After consideration, the motion passed by unanimous vote," the minutes said.

Culbertson was placed on leave June 19, pending investigation into an unspecified personnel matter. Flint said the PUD hired an outside attorney to conduct the investigation, which he estimated would take about two weeks, or about July 3.

Flint declined to comment on the investigation or the allegations that prompted it, but said more information would be available after the investigation is completed.