Board of Directors
A five-member Board of Directors, elected by the voters within the District, governs the PUD. The Board sets rates and policies and hires the General Manager, who oversees daily operations.
A five-member Board of Directors, elected by the voters within the District, governs the PUD. The Board sets rates and policies and hires the General Manager, who oversees daily operations.
Board Members
Listed below are the board members, and the areas they serve:
Dave Baker
Dave has represented customers in the Scappoose area since 2001. Prior to being elected, he served for three years on the PUD's Budget Advisory Committee. Dave appreciates the local representation, excellent customer service and lower rates that public utilities offer their customers.
Dave recently retired from the Portland Fire Bureau after 30 years of service. He has also owned an excavation company and was a builder. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Scappoose. They have three children and one grandchild.
Dave represents Subdivision One customers in South Scappoose, Dutch Canyon, Scappoose 2,3 & 4 and East Scappoose.
Email Dave Baker
Loren Tarbell
Loren represents customers in north Scappoose and Warren. He has served on the board since 1995.
Loren and his family have a long history of service to the PUD. His grandfather helped lobby for the creation of the PUD during the 1930s and his uncle, Arnold Tarbell, was a PUD Board Member for 37 years. Prior to being elected, Loren served on the PUD’s Budget Advisory Committee.
Loren is the retired Director of Maintenance from the Housing Authority of Portland, where he spent 31 years. He and his wife, Chris, live in Scappoose. They have two children and six grandchildren.
Loren represents Subdivision Two customers in Scappoose 1, West Scappoose, South Warren, Chapman, East Chapman, South McNulty and North McNulty.
Email Loren Tarbell
Richard Simpson
Dick represents customers in St. Helens and Yankton. He has served on the board since 1989.
Dick believes in the low rates and excellent service that public power utilities offer to customers. He is also proud of the PUD's commitment to community involvement and can often be found helping out at PUD-sponsored events such as the Junior Rodeo at the county fair and the Public Power Week Spaghetti Feed.
Dick is a former firefighter and construction worker who retired from the City of Columbia City in 2001. He served as State President of the Oregon Bowling Association. He and his wife, Mary Jo, live in Yankton. They have four children and 11 grandchildren.
Dick represents Subdivision Three customers in South St. Helens, St. Helens 5,6,8 & 9, South Milton, North Milton and Yankton.
Email Richard Simpson
Darrel Purkerson
Darrel represents customers in St. Helens and Columbia City. He has served on the board since 2000.
Darrel was one of the chief petitioners in the successful annexation of the "island cities" into the PUD's service area in 2000. He lobbied for St. Helens residents to join the PUD because he wanted a reliable, local electricity provider.
Darrel is a pharmacist. He owned his own pharmacy in St. Helens for several years, and now is semi-retired and works part time for other local pharmacies. He and his wife, Helen, live in St. Helens. They have two children and three grandchildren.
Darrel represents Subdivision Four customers in St. Helens 1,2,3,4 & 7, and Columbia City.
Email Darrel Purkerson
Carol Everman
Carol has represented customers in Deer Island, Prescott and Rainier since 1995. She was asked to serve on the board by former Board Member Don Nys, who previously held the Subdivision 5 seat.
Carol is a long-time public power supporter who actively participated in the successful Bond election which allowed the PUD to purchase the facilities from Portland General Electric in 1984. She values the local control, lower rates and the quick outage response that the PUD provides for customers.
Carol is a retired nurse who is also active in the State Grange and Beaver Homes Grange.
Carol represents Subdivision Five customers in South Deer Island, North Deer Island, Goble, Prescott, Apiary, East Rainier, Rainier 1 & 2, West Rainier, North Delena and South Delena.
Email Carol Everman
Contact the Board
To contact any PUD Board Member, please contact:
Valarie Koss
Board Secretary,
Columbia River PUD
PO Box 1193
St. Helens, OR 97051
(503) 397-1844 phone
(503) 397-5215 fax
Board Meetings
The Board of Directors meets in public session on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the PUD office in Deer Island.
