Commissioner

What it’s like to be a Commissioner

In 1938, the residents of Clark county voted to form Clark Public Utilities with the goal of keeping the power owned by the public. The opinion and advice of the public is critical to Clark Public Utilities success of providing affordable and reliable electricity and water, but it would be impossible to have every person give their input to the General Manager/CEO. It would take too long and nothing would be implemented.

To keep resources accessible to the community, and to be efficient, a Board of Commissioners is elected by the public. The Board of Commissioners governs the utility. They set utility policy, approves annual budgets, establishes rates, approves major purchases and investments, and selects a General Manager/CEO to oversee the utility operations and staff.

There are three commissioners on the board. Each commissioner represents a specific area of Clark County for a six year term. The public in that area now has a person to share their ideas and opinions with. The public can also attend Commission Meetings held at the downtown Vancouver utility building. The commissioner can campaign for another term once their current term has completed. There are no term limits. You can find the Commissioner’s Districts, and who your Commissioner is here.

The current Commissioners are:

Nancy Barnes

Commissioner Barnes was first elected in 1992 by District 2 in the East County area. She was re-elected in 1998, 2004, 2010 and 2016. Barnes earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in English and journalism. Barnes is a past president of the Washington Public Utility Districts Association and currently serves as our representative to the Northwest Public Power Association and Columbia Springs.

Sherry Erickson

First elected in 2024, Commissioner Erickson represents District 1 in the North County area. She is currently serving her first term, which expires in 2030.

Erickson has a Master of Business Administration degree from Washington State University and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University.  As a licensed engineer, she worked as a consultant in design, construction, and business management for a variety of clients, including utilities and municipalities.

Erickson is a longtime Clark Public Utilities StreamTeam volunteer, serving on the utility’s Stream Steward volunteer team. Erickson serves on the executive committee of the Columbia River Economic Development Council and as our representative at Columbia Springs, an environmental education center.

Jane Van Dyke

Commissioner Van Dyke was elected in 2014 and represents District 3, which includes much of the City of Vancouver west of Interstate 205. She previously served as a Clark Public Utilities commissioner from 1984-2002. Van Dyke holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a law degree from the Lewis and Clark School of Law. She has also attended the Evans School of Public Affairs Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute. With 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, she has worked with the Clark County Volunteer Lawyers and Bar Association, Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council.

Van Dyke now represents the utility on the boards of the Columbia River Economic Development Council and the Washington PUD Association. She also serves as the American Public Power Association representative.

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