Chris Roden of the Cowlitz County Public Utility District is expected to be formally named the next general manager of the Lewis County PUD at the latter’s Board of Commissioners meeting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday in Chehalis.
The commissioners passed a resolution on first reading during Monday’s meeting that appoints Roden as general manager. A second reading and vote will take place Tuesday and he will then start work on Wednesday.
Roden served as the Power and Business Services Manager for Lewis County PUD prior to becoming the Director of Government and Regional Affairs for Cowlitz County PUD a little more than one year ago.
“...(H)e approaches it as a business, as it should be,” Commissioner Ben Kostick said when asked what most excites him about Roden. “The vision that he has for the future is what excites me the most. His maturity also and his ability to deal with people will serve him well.”
Roden, who did not return a request for comment, would replace Dan Kay as manager. Kay was fired by the commissioners on Sept. 25.
Roden would hit the ground running with a list of important items on his to-do list. The PUD usually gets its budget for the next fiscal year squared away by the end of October.
