Todd Lagestee
District 1
Email: toddlagestee@pudwhatcom.org
Phone: (360) 305-6110
Commissioner Lagestee was appointed to fill the interim time between the resignation of Commissioner Grant and the certification of the special election in November 2024.
Todd served the citizens of Bellingham and Whatcom County as a firefighter for the city of Bellingham for over 23 years, retiring in January 2024. Previous to his career as a firefighter, Todd graduated from the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power School and served as a nuclear operator (mechanical) on submarines. Commissioner Lagestee currently sits on the board of directors for a local credit union and also is appointed to the Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee and the Whatcom County Ethics Commission.
Todd went back to school at Western Washington University, while working full-time at the fire department; graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. Commissioner Lagestee will be attending the MBA program at WWU this fall.
Todd is excited to change from serving Whatcom County by running into burning buildings into being an advocate for the benefits of municipal power and water. He welcomes your phone calls, text messages and emails.
Atul Deshmane
District 2
Email: atuldeshmane@pudwhatcom.org
Phone: (360) 305-6515
Commissioner Deshmane was elected to serve as Commissioner in 2018 and is the Commission Vice President for 2024.
As a Public Utility Commissioner and business leader, Atul hopes to create opportunities for sustainable energy and to encourage and support water conservation to meet the needs of residents, farms, fish, and local businesses. Commissioner Deshmane resides in rural Whatcom County. (Term expires Dec. 31, 2024.)
Jaime Arnett
District 3
Email: jaimearnett@pudwhatcom.org
Phone: (360) 325-9289
Commissioner Arnett was elected to serve as Commissioner in 2022 and is the Commission President for 2024.
Jaime is the Executive Director of Animals as Natural Therapy and has extensive experience in nonprofit management, grant writing, and the private, and public sectors. Her nonprofit career began a decade ago with Habitat for Humanity. In the private sector, Jaime was the Executive Administrator for the Boundary Fish Company in Blaine and is also a former Blaine City Council Member.
She is a graduate of Blaine High School, holds a B.A. degree from Western Washington University and resides with her family in Blaine.
(Term expires Dec. 31, 2028.)
