Whatcom PUD earns 9th straight clean audit

Whatcom County’s Public Utility District No. 1 (PUD) announced it was awarded a clean “Accountability Audit and Financial Statement Audit” from the Washington State Auditor’s Office, marking the 17th consecutive year PUD has won the award.

The two-year audit covered 2021 and 2022, with state auditors reviewing financial records, cash receipting, unemployment compensation and public information compliance, among other matters. For the ninth time over 17 years, the PUD received no audit findings and no management letter items, according to a PUD press release.

“I am profoundly grateful and immensely proud of the PUD team for achieving their 9th consecutive clean audit,” commission president Jaime Arnett wrote. “Seventeen years of excellence reflect a dedication to the highest standards and an unwavering commitment to success. Congratulations to a remarkable team!”

Public utility districts are locally owned and governed nonprofits that provide electricity, water, sewer and telecommunications services to their communities. Whatcom County’s PUD is governed by a board of three commissioners, each representing roughly 75,000 people across the county.

PUD holds meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, and it’s next commission meeting will be held 8:30-10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 27 at the PUD office, 1705 Trigg Road in Ferndale.