Commissioner vacancy on Lake Forest Park Water board

Dr. Julie Hungar, who stepped in to fill the vacancy on the board of the Lake Forest Park Water District when her husband, Commissioner Gordon Hungar, died in 2008, has retired, and the District is seeking candidates to fill her position.

Information on commissioner responsibilities and a fillable PDF application are available on the district website.  Applications are due by December 20, 2011 to the District office at 4029 NE 178th Street, LFP 98155.  Office number 206-365-3211 and fax 206-365-3357.

Water Commissioner Dr. Julie Hungar
Photo courtesy LFP Water District

Hungar was the stabilizing point as the District weathered major changes and events over the past several years.

There are three commissioners on the board.  Commissioner Gordon Hungar died in 2009. Commissioner Tim Davis died suddenly in April 2010. 37-year commissioner William Currie retired in 2011. At one point, Dr. Julie Hungar was the only commissioner.

In January 2011, a formal audit by a professional accounting firm disclosed "suspicious activity" with $308,809 in district funds by the office administrator. As a result, forensic accountants spent months on the district bookkeeping, and revised the entire system to provide linked and balanced reports which would be easy for the General Manager and Commissioners to monitor. Financial losses were reimbursed by the insurance pool.

During all of this activity, Brightwater was boring a tunnel underneath the aquifer that provides the pure and untreated water for which the district is renowned.

Two people who had been following the District activities closely applied for the vacant Commissioner positions. They were approved by county process, appointed to fill the vacant positions, and then successfully stood for election to their positions in the November 2011 election: William F. Donahue and David A. Hammond.

The Brightwater tunnel was completed successfully with no breach of the aquifer. The bookkeeping has been brought to state-of-the-art accounting practices. The District is in solid financial shape and continues to upgrade its infrastructure. The District completed two major line replacement / upgrades in 2011, including the Ballinger Way project which assures sufficient water for fire flow needs to Lake Forest Park Towne Centre.