Jeff Wenholz, an Irrigon resident for 49 years, graduated from Riverside High School and attended Portland State University, majoring in accounting. He serves on local boards including Morrow County’s Planning Commission, Solid Waste Advisory Commission, and Budget Committee, as well as the Irrigon Multi-Cultural Arts Center and Good Shepherd Hospital Board of Trustees.
Wenholz has served as Umatilla Electric’s District 2 Director for 18 years and has served as president and now vice president. “It has been a pleasure and honor to serve as your UEC Director and with your help I hope to represent District 2 for another 3 years,” he said.
Wenholz earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate, Board Leadership Certificate, and Director Gold Certificate.
“As your Director, I am honored to have been able to support contributions UEC has made to the Irrigon community, such as an annual donation to the Irrigon/Boardman Assistance Center, donations to the Senior Center, new firefighting gear for the fire department and money for the Park District,” he said.
“UEC continues to experience growth overall rate classes—expansion at current processing plants, new processing plants, increases in irrigation, new houses being built, and continuing growth in our largest industrial group. Even with growth, UEC is focused on upgrading existing infrastructure to better serve all members,” he said.
An example is UEC is planning to build a new substation to serve the Irrigon area. “This substation will have more capacity, modern design standards, multiple feeders, and be closer to Irrigon, whereas the old substation has just 1 feeder serving the Irrigon area, limited capacity, and a 50-year-old design. The point is to improve reliability for the Irrigon area.”
UEC continues to monitor state and federal legislation issues that can impact UEC or its members, he said. “Examples include renewable energy mandates, cap, and trade, a carbon tax, removal of Snake River dams, and other Columbia River issues. Legislation that affects the dams not only affects UEC’s ability to acquire low-cost, carbon-free hydropower but also impacts our members. These impacts can include irrigation, barges to move ag products and other goods, recreation, and municipal water supplies.”
“These are just some of the issues the Board and UEC are and will be dealing with in the future—all while keeping our commitment to members to supply electricity safely and reliably at the lowest rates possible while maintaining rate stability. So that I may continue to work on behalf of the members of District 2, I would ask for your vote for the Board of Directors for District 2.”