Your PUD
News Release
Commissioners evaluate general manager
Chelan County PUD
News Release
1/19/2009
PUD commissioners Monday praised General Manager Rich Riazzi for his strong leadership which has kept the District on solid financial footing during the recent economic turbulence and approved a salary increase of 4.5 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009.
“I speak for all the commissioners in thanking you for your leadership,” said board President Ann Congdon. “You continue to exceed goals and expectations.”
Other commissioners noted their good working relationship with Riazzi, his leadership on climate change issues at the state and industry level and his foresight.
“I thank all of you for the vote of confidence,” said Riazzi, noting that a leader is only as good as the people around him.
“We had a barrage of things going on, and our people showed outstanding performance to keep us healthy.”
Riazzi’s annual salary is now $286,383.
Steelhead and kids to benefit from pond project
Three members of the Icicle Chapter of Trout Unlimited updated commissioners on a project to encourage more steelhead to return to the Wenatchee River and to provide a place for kids to fish near Leavenworth.
Chelan County PUD is one of more than a dozen participants in the Blackbird Pond project. Dan Davies, one of the coordinators, told commissioners that support from the agencies involved in the PUD’s Habitat Conservation Plans was a key to securing a state water right for the pond.
Rollie Schmitten, another coordinator and former head of the National Marine Fisheries Service, added that the project couldn’t have been done without the PUD’s involvement.
With construction finished late last fall, about 50,000 steelhead from the PUD’s Turtle Rock Hatchery will spend this spring in the pond to acclimate to Wenatchee River water before migrating downstream. Shaun Seaman, PUD natural resources asset manager, said the goal is to have more of the steelhead to return to the upper Wenatchee River.
“Moving them into the Wenatchee (River) will help them return in greater numbers,” Seaman said.
Once the steelhead are gone, the state will stock the pond with trout for youngsters to catch during the summer and fall.
In other business, commissioners:
- Reviewed the internal Audit Committee’s annual report. Commissioner Dennis Bolz has joined Commissioner Ann Congdon on the committee. Highlights for 2008 included receiving clean reports from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the District’s external auditor, and the state Auditor’s Office on 2007 financial results. Internal Auditor Stacey Jagla also noted the District has logged about 930 staff hours supporting the state performance audit of the Mid-Columbia PUDs, which started last fall.
- Set March 13, 2009, for an all-day strategic planning retreat at a location to be determined.
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Commissioners recessed Monday’s meeting and continued at 6 p.m. at Visconti’s restaurant in Wenatchee for a dinner meeting with Mid-Columbia PUD commissioners and managers.
Commissioners changed the starting time to 1 p.m. for their next regular commission meeting on Monday, Jan.26, 2009, in the boardroom at 327 N. Wenatchee Ave.
The board also set a special meeting for 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 26 in the Wenatchee PUD Auditorium to attend General Manager Rich Riazzi’s report to the community on the PUD’s financial outlook for 2009. Riazzi will talk for about 30 minutes and then answer questions. A videotape of the meeting will be posted on the PUD’s Web site.
Most PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at www.chelanpud.org.
Kimberlee Craig
Public Information Officer
509-661-4320, direct line
509-679-6858, cell
kimberlee.craig@chelanpud.org