(GIG HARBOR, WA) – Three members were elected to the
Peninsula Light Co. board of directors as the cooperative utility held its
annual meeting at company headquarters on Monday, May 2.
Jeff Bucholz, Signo Uddenberg and Spence Nordfors, all
incumbents, were re-elected to serve three-year terms. Company bylaws require a
15 percent quorum in order to validate the election, and that was surpassed as
4,953 valid ballots were returned out of 30,602 eligible members (16.18 percent
participation). Ballots were mailed to members in March and accepted until
April 28.
PenLight has nine directors who serve staggered three-year
terms. Three seats are up for election each year. Bucholz received 3,093 votes
(62.4 percent), Uddenberg had 2,713 votes (41.7 percent) and Nordfors garnered
2,569 votes (51.9 percent). Also running were at-large candidates Peter Stanley
(2,067 votes, 41.7 percent), Justin Steifel (1,768 votes, 35.7 percent) and
Shannon Wiggs (1,577 votes, 31.8 percent). All three were chosen by a
nominating committee that included Dave Morris, Marcia Harris and Gary Glein.
There were also 46 votes for write-in candidates.
At the board meeting following the annual meeting, the
following officers were confirmed for the 2016-17 term: Signo Uddenberg,
president; Paul Alvestad, vice president; Marc Jorgenson, treasurer; and
Bucholz, secretary. The other PenLight board members include Roger Spadoni,
Scott Junge, Nick Markovich and Deb Ross.
In other business, minutes from the previous year were
approved, the treasurer’s report was presented, and CEO Jafar Taghavi provided
a company update.
PenLight is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric
cooperative. Since 1925, the utility has served the Gig Harbor and Key
peninsulas and Fox Island in western Pierce County.
PenLight, a “full requirements utility” of the Bonneville
Power Administration, has grown to be the second largest cooperative in
Washington state. It serves more than 31,000 meters with 977 miles of line in
112 square miles of service territory.
