Chelan PUD Commissioner Joining National Advisory Board

Chelan PUD Commissioner Garry Arseneault is now a member of an interest group that represents public power utilities before Congress. 

He's one of only 45 elected or appointed government representatives from across the country who are on the Policy Makers Council. 

Chelan PUD spokesperson Rachel Hansen says Arseneault will be representing the PUD, as well as public power utilities in the Pacific Northwest and around the country. 

"He's familiar with a lot of the issues that utilities are facing," said Hansen. "And as part of the Policy Makers Council, he'll be speaking to our elected representatives in Washington DC about his perspective." 

Arseneault will be representing more than 2,000 public power utilities nationwide as a member of the Policy Makers Council. 

He'll serve a three-year term.  

Meanwhile, he'll leave his position as president of the Washington Public Utility District Association when his term ends in April. 

Hansen says Arseneault is making a natural progression. 

"Yeah, it's a good segue going from representing public utilities statewide to a national basis," Hansen said. 

Arseneault is stepping in for Chelan Commissioner Randy Smith, who recently retired from the Council after 10 years, including a year as chairman in 2020. 

The Policy Makers Council is an affiliate of the American Public Power Association (APPA)

Arseneault has been involved in APPA as a representative of Chelan PUD since 2014.

The APPA describes itself as the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide.

The organization says it represents public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve.