A phone scam in which Grays Harbor Public Utility District customers are targeted concerning overdue bills is continuing.  Over the weekend, four Grays Harbor businesses reported receiving phone calls in which representatives claiming to work for the PUD aggressively demanded immediate payment on accounts they claimed were past due.

“This is an ongoing problem that our customers need to be aware of.  If you receive an unsolicited phone call from a person claiming to work for the PUD and demanding money, do not under any circumstances assume that they are telling the truth and hand over financial information without checking with PUD Customer Service first,” said PUD General Manager Dave Ward.

PUD customers and local media were notified of a similar phone scam in February in which residential customers were contacted.  Local law enforcement agencies have also reported a number of phone and mail scams in which the perpetrators demand money while threatening to cut off services.

Recipients of such fraudulent calls and mailings are advised to first contact company officials to verify the claim and to contact the office of your local law enforcement agency.

The Grays Harbor PUD Board of Commissioners has found 13 words that capture the goal of the District and will be the core of the district’s operations and activities.  On Monday evening, the board adopted a resolution officially recognizing the statement: “Serve our community with high value utility services at the lowest practical cost” as the district’s mission statement.

“A mission statement captures the purpose of an organization,” said Commission President Russ Skolrood.  “When you strip away everything else this is what the PUD is here to do.  It’s not a long explanation or an overly detailed description; it is a statement of what we provide to the customers we were elected and hired to serve.”

The statement will be at the heart of PUD strategy for years to come and acknowledges the district’s service to its customer-owners, the quality of the power and telecommunications services it provides, and the responsibility to accomplish it all at a practical price.

“This is one of those moments when customers and employees alike can be proud,” said PUD General Manager Dave Ward.  “This statement points the Grays Harbor PUD toward a bright future.”