The North Olympic Group endorses both Tony DeLeo and Ken Collins for Jefferson County PUD Commissioner. The North Olympic Group closely followed the race for Jefferson County PUD Commissioner, District 2. This PUD recently assumed the role of an electric utility, added to its long years of oversight on water. It has fallen far short of what citizens had hoped for when Jefferson County voted to establish its own pubic electric utility and to end its longstanding relationship with Puget Sound Energy (PSE). Since taking on the responsibility of a power utility, the PUD sent hundreds of disconnect notices to lower-income citizens after failing to continue the financial assistance programs PSE had in place helping people pay winter heating bills. The PUD is faced with the prospect of turning back hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for conservation by the Bonneville Power Administration because of a failure to publicize and aggressively market these programs. Finally, despite the fact that Jefferson County has one of the highest solar adoption rates in the state, the PUD failed to make solar one of its priorities. This is particularly important in light of the fact that from 10-20% of the PUDs electricity comes from nuclear and coal sources that need to be phased out. Both challengers, DeLeo and Collins advanced to the general election, eliminating in the primary a current PUD Commissioner. Both candidates equally understand the significant role the PUD can play in developing a long-range strategy that emphasizes both affordable and environmentally sustainable energy for Jefferson County. Both understand the important role of advancing conservation and solar and in decreasing its reliance on nuclear. Both understand the many administrative and management challenges facing the PUD as it transitions from being just a small water utility to becoming the electric utility, and both have capabilities to do so. Their positions on these issues overlap and each has unique strengths worthy of support. Thus, we endorse both candidates. Please go to the respective candidate websites to learn more. Then please volunteer to help your candidate of choice win! Kenneth Collins for PUD Commissioner, District 2: http://kennethcollinspud.com/ Tony DeLeo 4 PUD: http://deleo4pud.blogspot.com/2014/07/vote-411-voter-guide-league-of-women.html