Business Community
Incumbent board members win re-election, PenLight announces
Rate-paying members of the Peninsula Light Co. re-elected three incumbent board members — Marc Jorgenson, Scott Junge and Roger Spadoni — from a slate of six candidates.
The utility announced election results Monday during its online annual meeting. PenLight said it received 4,119 ballots out of 32,346 ballots that it mailed. That is a 12.73% return rate, above the 10% required by its bylaws to reach a quorum.
From left, Mark Jorgenson, Scott Junge and Roger Spadoni.
That is about the same participation rate as in PenLight’s previous three board elections, which had a return rate ranging from 10.4% to 13%.
“The Board is pleased with another successful and fair election process, as we are each year when quorum is achieved,” said Britni Wickens, Peninsula Light Co. director of communications and board administration. “Voter turnout is consistent with previous years. ”
Write-in votes
Voters submitted more than 200 write-in votes, including many for Paul Alvestad, whom fellow board members ousted in March after he served as a director for 26 years. PenLight said Alvestad shared information that the board deemed confidential and created a hostile environment. Alvestad said all he did was shed light on proposed plans to build a new headquarter building.
“While I did not run a write-in campaign, obtaining those types of numbers is something to be thankful for,” Alvestad said in an email to Gig Harbor Now. “This hopefully sends a message to the CEO as well as the board that they need to be more transparent and honest with the members.”
The write-in portion of the ballot included 238 votes spread over 33 names, according to PenLight.
Source: Peninsula Light Co. website.
Peninsula Light Co. provides power to Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, Fox Island, Herron and Raft islands and parts of Olalla, a total of 112 square miles.
CEO’s address
CEO Jafar Taghavi said the monthly utility rate is the second-lowest in the region, next to Lakeview Power of Lakewood. He also mentioned that the current headquarter building on Goodnough Drive is 40 years old and needs to be updated in the event of a disaster.
However, he said the board has not made a decision to go ahead with plans.
Alvestad said the board members, who are paid about $30,000 a year, need to explore options to upgrade the headquarters building that are less expensive than a complete rebuild.
“By the time the board takes the next step, it will be too late for public comment to matter with this board. Now is the time to voice concerns,” Alvestad said.
The utility also recently signed an agreement through 2044 to secure power from the Bonneville Power Administration.
In addition, the utility reported $73.3 million in revenue, an 8% increase over 2024. The utility spent $11.4 million last year on electrical reliability improvements that included underground replacements, substation upgrades, tree wire installation and improvements to technology.
Editor’s note: Suzanne Roig is a rate paying member of Peninsula Light Co.