Our Commission

Click here for Commission Meeting Minutes and the Current Agenda

Benton PUD is governed by a three member board of commissioners elected by citizens of Benton County. Each commissioner represents a different sector of the county and serves a six year term. Each commissioner also represents Benton PUD as a delegate to various business organizations. The commission terms are staggered so that a different commissioner stands for election every two years.

All Commission Meetings are open to the public. Regularly scheduled Commission Meetings start at 9 a.m. and are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Benton PUD Administration Building located at 2721 West 10th Avenue in Kennewick, Washington. Special Meetings, called by the Commission when the need arises, may occur at other times and locations. Notifications of Special Meetings are provided to the public as required under the Washington Open Public Meetings Act.

Current agendas for upcoming Commission Meetings are available to the public. Official minutes of Commission Meetings are also available on Benton PUD’s web site once approved by the Commission.

Public Records

Benton PUD complies with the requirements of the Washington Public Records Act. Our public records policy is available to members of the public who desire to review or obtain copies of public records held by the District. A Request for Public Records form is available for use when submitting a public records request. Certain public records may be exempt, either in whole or in part, from disclosure under the Washington Public Records Act or other state or federal laws. A listing of potential exemptions can be found in the District’s public records policy.

Public Records Policy
Public Records Request form

Contact Information

If you have any questions, want to send a message to our commissioners or require additional information concerning Benton PUD's Commission Meetings or public records please contact:

Terri Cole, Public Records Officer/Commission Relations Specialist
P.O. Box 6270, 2721 West 10th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 582-1222, Telephone
(509) 586-1710, Fax
colet@bentonpud.org

Our Management


Robert (Bob) Bertsch, President

Bob Bertsch was appointed as Commissioner for Benton PUD February 2005 and elected the following year.
Bob Bertsch is president of Ashley-Bertsch Group, Inc, a construction management company whose services include all phases of construction from bid development through project construction and completion. Bob is on the board for the WorkSource Development and Grace Clinic. He is a past President of the Pasco-Kennewick Rotary and Director of Community First Bank. He has a B.S. in general studies from Eastern Oregon State University.

Bob and his wife Karen have three children and five grandchildren.

Lori Sanders, Secretary
Lori SandersLori Sanders became Commissioner January 2005 and re-elected in 2010. She is the owner and president of Energy Incentives, Inc., a consulting firm on conservation and renewables. A Kennewick native, she brings to Benton PUD 25 years of experience as a successful small business owner.  She serves on the Energy Northwest Executive board.

Lori, her husband, Scott and her three children reside in Kennewick.

Jeff Hall, Vice President
Jeff HallJeff Hall was appointed as Commissioner for Benton PUD in January 2002, elected in November 2002 and re-elected in 2008. Jeff is a long-time resident and business owner in Prosser, Washington.

Jeff graduated from Prosser High School and then Washington State University with a B.A. in Education. After teaching in Richland, he moved back to Prosser and managed Hall Chevrolet Buick, a family owned and operated business until it sold in 2008. He is the president of the Washington PUD Association.

Jeff and his wife Leontine have three children, Marcus, Andrew and Molly.

Jim W. Sanders, Manager

Jim SandersJim Sanders joined Benton PUD in 1977 and was appointed Manager of Benton PUD on January 1, 1997.

Jim previously served Benton PUD as Assistant Manager/Chief Engineer, Director of Technical Services and System Engineer. He is a registered electrical engineer and previously worked for the City of Richland and Idaho Power Company. He is a graduate of Washington State University.

He and his wife Karen reside in Kennewick and have 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters.
Chad Bartram , Assistant General Manager and Director of Finance and Business Services

Chad BartramChad Bartram joined Benton PUD in 2001. He oversees financial management, treasurey, accounting, customer service, key accounts and information systems as well as providing overall leadership and management for Benton PUD. He has a Master's Degree in Management Science from the University of Central Texas and a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Seattle University. He is a certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant.