When it comes to the new power company some want to create on Whidbey Island, Nancy Snow of Langley wants local control over the local control.

She has started an on-line petition drive to compel public utility district commissioner candidates to pledge “to let the voters decide once the feasibility study is complete” on the proposed PUD.

An issue on the Nov. 4 ballot would create an Island County PUD which eventually could take over electrical distribution to 34,000 customers on Whidbey from the private Bellevue-based Puget Sound Energy.

It would also establish a board of three commissioners, who would use initial tax money approved by the voters to conduct a thorough study of the issue before deciding whether to go ahead.

Five candidates are running for the PUD board: Tim Arnold of Clinton and Georgia Gardner of Coupeville in the South End district, Brien Lillquist and Patrick Harman in the central district and Marshall Goldberg in the North End district.

These are the people Snow is targeting.

“The commissioners will have the authority to call a vote,” she said. “I’m for finding out more.”

“I’m afraid a ‘no’ vote at this stage would be throwing the baby out with the bath water,” she added. “Potentially, a PUD could be good for us, but we need to know more.”

“This decision will affect Whidbey Island for decades,” Snow said. “We need to give voters the final say once we have the facts.”

She started her drive about a week ago, and so far has accumulated about a dozen signatures on her on-line petition. She said she hopes to collect a few dozen more signatures before presenting them to the commissioner candidates.

“I know I’m starting late in the campaign,” said the 51-year-old Web-page designer, who has lived on South Whidbey for six years. “If the voters approve the PUD, I’ll continue after the election.”

Snow tried to secure similar pledges from the three candidates who attended a recent League of Women Voters forum in Freeland.

“They pledged to hold meetings with the voters on the results of the feasibility study, but when it came to pledging to hold another vote, they back-pedalled,” she said.

At the forum, Goldberg, of Oak Harbor, promised to conduct public meetings until no one showed up. Harman, of Oak Harbor, also pledged to involve voters.

Gardner, too, promised thorough public hearings, adding: “There’s an element of trust here. But we’re your neighbors. We can’t run away and hide from you.”

“I can think of a half-dozen good reasons not to go to a meeting,” Snow said. “Even if you get 200 people to a meeting, that’s still only 1 percent of the voters.”

She said other large-dollar decisions, such as the Langley marina upgrade and the proposed recreation center, are being taken to the voters. The final decision on a PUD should be, too.

“After conversations with other voters, I just felt I had to do something,” Snow said. “I’m concerned we haven’t given it enough unbiased thought.”

“People For Yes on Whidbey PUD,” the group that started the push for a locally-controlled power company, has said it will cost $57 million for the takeover of Puget Sound Energy’s assets.

It said an initial property tax increase of between $2.57 and $5.78 for a $300,000 house would get the PUD going, and that customers eventually would see a 20-percent reduction in their electric bills.

Puget Sound Energy and its consultants, in a spirited and well-financed counter-campaign, have said that the takeover could cost between $130 million and $200 million and could lead to 20-percent higher rates.

Snow’s petition is available at her Web site, click here.

Roy Jacobson can be reached at 221-5300 or rjacobson@southwhidbeyrecord.com.