Your PUD Message from the General Manager

Research will help PUD make best decisions

By Rich Riazzi, General Manager

12/17/2009

The first results of important community research were presented to our PUD Board of Commissioners on Dec. 14, and I’d like to talk about why those results will be important for the PUD and all our customer-owners.

As Chelan PUD moves forward with strategic planning, it’s crucial for the District to gather research and information that reflects the expectations and values of the majority of customer-owners. The District needs the public’s engagement and opinions to help shape important business decisions that affect the long-term durability of the PUD. As we approach 2011-2012, when several long-term power-sales contracts expire, we will be deciding how to approach future power sales and how best to manage the tremendous hydropower assets that have been passed to us by the previous insightful leaders of this historic PUD.

The PUD values the support of all customer-owners, and we decided to gather a mix of information from the community. One part was a phone survey of 450 people from all around the county who were asked about 80 questions. We also held a focus group with randomly selected customer owners and another with a sampling of PUD employees. In addition, interviews were held with 23 opinion leaders from around the county in order to probe in deeper conversations some of the thoughts and attitudes about the PUD and its priorities.

Some of what people told us was consistent with past surveys. People want low rates and reliable service. They prefer smaller, gradual rate increases (if they are necessary at all) rather than sharp ups and downs from year to year.

They also told us how valuable the parks system is to the community. They even said they were willing to pay more to keep it in tip-top shape. They told us we should keep working hard to tell the full story of what the PUD does and the changing utility regulatory challenges it faces.

The PUD will use this information in the next phase of strategic planning, which will be developed over the coming months with additional input from the Board and customer-owners. The strategic plan that ultimately emerges will include an in-depth financial plan, potentially revised vision and mission statements and forward-looking strategies and objectives – all aimed at preserving low rates and reliable service for customer-owners.

I will update you all through the various steps, and you will find background on our Web site. (Click here to see board presentations of the initial research results.) The year 2010 will be important for us all, and we have taken the first steps to develop an invaluable plan.