Meet the candidates up for BBWSD commissioner

Birch Bay Water and Sewer District Commissioner Position 1 is up for vote in the November 2 election. Water and sewer district commissioners serve six-year terms. Interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Jeff Benner

Jeff Benner was appointed as commissioner to the Birch Bay Water and Sewer District in 2017. He attended Nooksack Valley High School and recently retired as an operations superintendent at BP. He has built concrete reservoirs for cities in the northwest with a family-owned construction company.

Why did you decide to run for the water and sewer district?

I felt like this adds a lot of value. I really enjoyed the people [at the sewer and water district]. They obviously really enjoyed their work and I was impressed with the pride they took in their jobs and the professionalism they showed. I thought it was a great opportunity to serve and give back to the community. 

What are your top priorities for the water and sewer district?

My top priorities are to continue to provide good and reliable services that we already provide. In order to do that, you need to maintain infrastructure and that takes money, so you have to budget appropriately. As far as for future development, be aware of future growth and how you’ll be able to provide for future growth. Not only that, but environmentally you have to be able to meet the standards that are set. We always continue to be more stringent so that takes additional resources. We have high standards and exceed the water quality. We’re in a good spot but it’s going to continue to be something you have to budget for and think about the best way to prioritize and go about meeting those standards.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I enjoy the commissioners and employees we work with. They’re a strong, really well-run, efficient group and they’ve done a fabulous job hiring the people they have there, and it’s been an honor and a pleasure to contribute. As a commissioner, you take part in the decision-making. That’s the beauty of it – it’s not just one person making decisions. It’s a group effort and with the different background and diversity that we have there. It’s a well-run business and provides a great service to the community and we want to continue to provide that service. Our goal is to give people good, clean water and reliable service.

Pedro Nieto

Pedro Nieto graduated from the B.C. Institute of Technology with a degree in electronics engineering. He worked in traffic control in Canada before being hired by the city of Bellingham in 2001 to do technical and engineering work behind traffic signals. 

Why did you decide to run for the water and sewer district?

I’m aware of water issues in Whatcom County, regarding shortage, pollution and conservation. I’m not an expert in the field, but I will listen to the science, experts, the Washington State Department of Ecology and fisheries because I’m not a biologist, I’m not a water expert, I’m not any of that. Electric flow is similar to water flow and traffic flow. I would not pretend to say I’m an expert in any water issues. However, I will listen to the experts to keep the water clean and preserve it for future generations.

What are your top priorities for the water and sewer district?

It’s to keep the water with no pollution, to keep it clear from pesticides and fertilizers. I’m not sure how the Birch Bay Water and Sewer District deals with these issues but I’m sure that they’re doing a great job. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The water shortage in Whatcom County is well known. It’s a small contribution I may do to keep the groundwater and the rivers clean from pollution, pesticides and fecal matter for the preservation of wildlife and to prevent what happened to California. If California had started 40 years ago, they wouldn’t be where they are now.

This year we had the heat dome event. In the tropics, the houses are made to dissipate heat. Our houses are made to preserve heat like a thermos.

We cannot deal with that and have to do our best to provide for future generations. The fires that pollute our air are all connected to the way we manage our water. I want to continue, if I’m given the opportunity, to preserve our way of life, our water, for future generations, for the people of Whatcom County and for the people of Birch Bay.