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3
32 years
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@rnasoncounty.com
In 32 years at Ma-
son County PUD 3, Wyla
Wood has seen ups and
downs, from a recalled
board of commissioners,
to renewed focus on main-
tenance, an energy crisis
and construction of a new
operations center.
After nearly 10 years
as PUD manager, Wood
has decided to retire as of
March 31.
"Anybody can sell elec-
tricity -- what we have to
sell is service," she said.
"I'm proud of the team
that we have that advo-
cates for our ratepayers."
Wood was hired at the
PUD 3 in 1981 as a part
-time cashier at the Bel-
fair office during a tumul-
tuous time at the utility.
After construction
on the Satsop Nuclear
Power Plant~ owned by
the Washington Public
Power Supply System
(WPPSS), nicknamed
"Whoops" by ratepay-
ers, halted in 1983 amid
a huge budget shortfall,
PUD 3 customers had
already faced large rate
increases to pay for the
project, Wood said.
"When I started, we
were in the middle of the
irate ratepayer rebellion
over the nuclear plants,"
she said. "That whole
thing was mishandled by
a variety of people. The
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ire of the community was
definitely focused on the
commission."
The community re-
called the PUD 3 commis-
sion and voted in a new
board, she said.
"At that time, you
didn't tell people where
you worked because you
would get an earful," Wood
said. "It was really tough."
Despite those trying
times, Wood stuck with
the PUD and saw several
positive changes.
"We ended up with a
board of commissioners
that was really good," she
said. "We started taking
steps to take better care of
our electrical system."
Starting in the mid-
1980s, the PUD began
focusing on maintenance
and ways to prevent out-
ages, such as tree trim-
ming and using tree wire,
a durable electrical wire
with a protective coating.
"We made tree trim-
ming a really high prior-
ity," Wood said. "I am a
huge proponent of mainte-
nance. Just like your car,
if you don't take care of it,
it won't take care of you."
The PUD has also
worked
in re-
cent
years
to re-
place
much
of its
under-
ground
Wood c a b I e
system,
which
was in-
stalled
in the
1970s
a n d
didn't
live
up to
Creekpaum its ex-
pected
lifespan, Wood said.
In 2001, the PUD felt
the pinch from the energy
crisis, when it sold elec-
tricity to California, some
of which was never com-
pletely paid for, she said.
"The energy crisis was
a very interesting time,"
she said. "The whole thing
was a huge scare."
Wood became PUD 3
manager in 2003. In her
final years managing the
utility, the PUD sold a
bond, began construction
and moved into its new
building on Johns Prairie.
"It was a big deal ... but
it wasn't just me," Wood
said. "This was planned
for a long time ago."
The building, complet-
ed last year, is expected
to soon be certified as
Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design
(LEED) Gold.
"We should not feel bad
about ourselves (in Mason
County)," she said. "We're
capable of doing a lot of
good things."
The PUD 3 commission
has voted to accept Wood's
retirement notice. The
board is considering PUD
3 Finance Manager and
Auditor Annette Creek-
paum as a possible PUD
manager.
Creekpaum has worked
at the PUD as finance
manager since 1998.
The PUD commission
plans to review a resolu-
tion on the change in man-
agement Feb. 26.
After her retirement,
Wood plans to spend more
time with her husband,
care for her elderly father,
and work in her garden.
BIKINI
Continued from page A-20
one particular business.
But Commissioner Mike
Olsen replied, Wee are tar-
geting a business." Olsen
said he doesn't favor the
use of moratoriums.
"This is not in the spir-
it of full cooperation and
working with a business,"
he said.
Commissioner Dawn
Pannell said the 2005 ordi-
nance contains nothing that
addresses bikini baristas.
"I'm riot sure how long
these businesses have been
around," she said.
Pannell said she agrees
with Olsen that the ordi-
nance seems to be targeting
one specific business.
O'Leary said the use
of moratoriums are "not
ideal," but added, "morato-
riums are there to give you
time."
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Page A-20 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013