John Janney named new CFO at Grant PUD
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 3 months AGO
John Janney, new CFO of Grant County PUD
EPHRATA — John Janney, former general manager of the Chelan County PUD, was hired as the chief financial officer of the Grant County PUD.
Current CFO Kevin Nordt made the announcement at the regular meeting of the Grant County PUD commissioners Tuesday. Utility district officials didn't advertise the position, said Chuck Allen, PUD public relations specialist, but had a list of potential candidates. Janney "was at the top of that list," Allen said.
Janney's first day will be March 7. Starting salary will be $225,000, which is consistent with what other employees at the assistant general manager level, Allen said.
Nordt has accepted the position of Grant PUD general manager, starting June 3. He replaces Tony Webb, who will take over as assistant general manager, replacing Chuck Berrie, who has announced his retirement, effective June 3.
Janney was Chelan County PUD general manager from 2010 to 2013. He said he's known Nordt from his days at the Chelan County PUD and the Grant PUD job "seemed like a really good fit for my skills." The chief financial officer's job is to oversee the district's finances, he said, the district's accounting and forecasting, bond financing and managing wholesale electrical sales. "Really, providing strategic leadership in those areas," he said.
He's been in the electrical power industry since 1997, he said, and was chief financial officer and risk manager at Chelan County PUD before becoming general manager. He worked as a consultant and for the Klickitat County PUD after leaving Chelan County PUD.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.