Peninsula Light Co. has nine directors on its Board. Each year, three seats are up for election. This year, incumbents Erin Gatherum, Signo Uddenberg and James L. Smalley ran for re-election. Candidates selected by the Election Committee to run against incumbents were Lisa Burgett, Hayley Higgins and David Olson. Any qualified candidate can apply for consideration by the Election Committee by submitting an application. Advertisements for accepting applications run in the “Lights” and on our website. Candidates must live in PenLight’s service territory and meet other qualifying criteria.
PenLight convened its 100th Annual meeting via call-in audio conference at 5:30PM, on Monday, May 5, 2025. Minutes from the previous year were approved, a company update was reported by CEO, Jafar Taghavi, and the treasurer’s report was presented.
Out of 32,409 ballots that were mailed for the 2025 Annual Board Election, 3,367 total ballots were returned, yielding a participation rate of 10.39%. The 10% quorum of 3,240 ballots was therefore met, validating Peninsula Light Company’s 2025 Board Election.
The ballots were tallied as follows:
Erin Gatherum 2,335 70.1%
Signo Uddenberg 2,118 63.6%
James L. Smalley 1,707 51.2%
Hayley Higgins 1,178 35.4%
David Olson 1,067 32.0%
Lisa Burgett 1,003 30.1%
Write-in (other than above) 18 0.5%
Total Ballots Cast: 3,367
Therefore, Erin Gatherum, Signo Uddenberg and James L. Smalley been elected to PenLight’s Board of Directors for a term of three years. At the Board meeting following the Annual meeting, the following officers would serve for the 2025-2026 term: Debra Ross (President); Marc Jorgenson (Vice President); Erin Gatherum (Treasurer); and Scott Junge (Secretary).
During the annual meeting, a Board member made a statement about a potential facilities plan. However, this announcement was premature, as no official plan has been formally approved by the Board of Directors at this time. As a member-owned cooperative, Peninsula Light Co. is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. The Board is responsible for making strategic decisions on behalf of the cooperative, including considerations around infrastructure, capital improvements, and facilities.
While facilities planning is part of PenLight’s broader long-term strategy, no final decisions have been made at this time. This year marks PenLight’s 100th anniversary—a significant milestone that prompts reflection on how we support our growing community into the next century. The current headquarters, built over 40 years ago, has not undergone any major renovations since its construction, aside from routine maintenance.
As we look ahead, we recognize the importance of a facility that is resilient, efficient, and positioned to meet the evolving needs of our members and operations. Should the Board decide to move forward with a specific facilities plan, the membership will be informed through our regular communication channels. Feedback from the community is always welcomed and will help inform future evaluations and improvements. We appreciate our members’ engagement and ongoing support of the cooperative.
For further information visit: www.penlight.org