Jefferson PUD Loses Commissioner and Friend, Dana Roberts UPDATED January 8, 2010 November 17, 2009 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dana Roberts (Commissioner, District#1) on Friday November 13th. He was 74. Dana ably represented District 1 (Port Townsend) with great energy, intellect and enthusiasm. Dana’s expertise as staff for the New York Power Commission uniquely prepared him for his terms as commissioner starting in 2002 when he won the seat away from Commissioner Dick Shipman who during the campaign said that he would have voted for Dana if he wasn't running himself. From the start, Dana had a sound understanding of local water resource issues as a representative for Wild Olympic Salmon on the Water Resource Inventory Area 17 Planning Unit (WRIA 17 Planning Unit). Soon after becoming a commissioner Dana  was handed the reigns of PUD representation on the Planning Unit in 2003. Since that time the PUD has arguably been the most productive planning unit organization in pushing for a US Geological Survey groundwater model for Chimacum, a deep well in the valley, and an aquifer storage and recovery feasibility study among other projects.  Dana also was an advocate for the acquisition of Peterson Lake. He strongly recommended its conservation and sustainable use of its resources over the long term. Dana's judiciously  weighed the needs of local citizens with the needs of the environment without compromising either. He sought science-based management solutions that would help the PUD and community acquire additional water without harming fish flows. And he was a tireless advocate for desalinization (reverse osmosis) in a region uniquely suited for such technology.  As commissioner, Dana proved over and over again that he could be an effective advocate for the environment while being an effective advocate for citizens and rate payers. In 2004, a controversial water line extension was petitioned for by citizens on Marrowstone Island. Because it was contentious Commissioner Roberts requested to extend the time allotted for protests of assessments to improve the fairness of the process. The final tally was somewhat close, but favored public water and the board approved the water line in April 2004.  Dana’s request allowed more voices to be heard and a more democratic process to prevail.   One would be hard pressed to find a more intellectually curious and energetic individual of any age than Dana Roberts. He was always well prepared for meetings and could comment thoughtfully on any issue before him.  Perhaps more important than anything in his public life, Dana was a great listener who was always willing to listen to an opposing view point in order to better understand how an issue affected others. People from across the ideological spectrum sought out his diplomatic talents to resolve contentious issues. In an age of polarizing rhetoric and divisive politics, our elected leaders could learn much from how Dana conducted himself. We know that Dana’s death is an enormous loss not just for the PUD and his friends, but for the community as a whole.  Dana brightened people’s lives with a generosity of spirit, a sharpness of wit and a curiosity of mind that made our lives far better for just knowing him. A dedicated volunteer, Dana regularly committed enormous amounts of time and energy to numerous local organizations . He will be sorely missed. It was Dana’s wishes that instead of cards or gifts that people donate time or money to a local charity. There will be a celebration of the life of Dana Roberts sometime in the coming weeks, perhaps early January. Please see this website and local media outlets for updates. UPDATE A celebration of Dana's life is scheduled for Saturday, January 30 at the Erickson Building on the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Port Townsend:   1:00 - "doors open" 1:30 - tributes and stories 3:00 - conversation, food and beer tasting Anyone coming from a distance would be welcome to join us for pizza at 12:00.  If you'd like to join us at noon, please e-mail waywardfarm@olympus.net so that we can plan food.  Thank you.