Evergreen Home Loans opens local branch

Evergreen Home Loans, a direct home-loan lender offering origination, funding and home loan servicing, opened a new office in Port Townsend on Aug. 22. The office is located 1136 Water St., Suite 103,

Evergreen Home Loans’ Kit Malone is available to assist residents in finding a new home. Malone has worked for more than 20 years in the real estate development, construction, appraisal and finance industries, and has assisted a range of clients, from first-time homebuyers to seasoned investors, according to a press release.

Headquartered in Bellevue, Evergreen Home Loans has more than 580 employees across six states. 

For more information, call 360-554-0152.

Port director speaks to two chambers

Port of Port Townsend executive director Sam Gibboney is to speak at two chamber of commerce meetings on Monday, Oct. 16. 

From noon to 1 p.m., she gives a presentation at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce’s lunch meeting, taking place at the Commons at Fort Worden. At 5:30 p.m., she is the guest speaker at the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce meeting, which is held at the Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Hwy. 101, Quilcene.

Howard recognized for commitment to community

Port Townsend City Council member Amy Howard has received an advanced certificate of municipal leadership from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC), following more than 60 hours of training credits and demonstrated community service.

The leadership program recognizes city elected officials for accomplishing training in various areas, such as community planning and effective local leadership, among others. 

“The elected officials who earn this certificate demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and a desire to bring new ideas back to their community,” stated Peter B. King, AWC chief executive officer, in a press release.

Howard has been a council member since 2016 and is the executive director of The Boiler Room. She also is treasurer for the board of directors of the Port Townsend Main Street Program; a member of the steering committee for Get Connected Jefferson; and a member of the Port Townsend Noon Rotary Club. She volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County, the Centrum gala, the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding gala and the Winter Shelter advisory team. She has been certified in youth mental health first aid and completed the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance’s Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute program in 2017.

PUD hires financial services manager 

Mike Bailey has joined the Jefferson County Public Utility District (PUD) as its financial services manager.

The new position was created to focus on work-order and plant accounting needs at the PUD, according to a press release.

Bailey is also to assist with budget preparation and financial analysis, and perform other accounting functions.

“I look forward to working for this growing new electric utility and continuing the work they have done to establish sound accounting practices,” said Bailey in a press release.

Prior to being hired by the PUD, Bailey was a staff accountant at Consumers Power, a privately owned nonprofit electric cooperative based in Philomath, Oregon. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration.

Quilcene-Brinnon scholarship program a finalist

Quilcene-Brinnon Dollars for Scholars has been selected as a finalist for the title of 2017 Irving A. Fradkin National Chapter of the Year by Scholarship America.

The award honors and recognizes Dollars for Scholars chapters that have performed outstanding service in their community, according to a press release.

Dollars for Scholars is a program of Scholarship America that aims to make postsecondary success possible for all students.

Quilcene-Brinnon Dollars for Scholars is to receive $1,000 for its scholarship program.

In the past 17 years, Quilcene-Brinnon Dollars for Scholars has provided more than $300,000 to 250 students in the Quilcene and Brinnon communities.

Housing trust conducts annual meeting

Homeward Bound, a housing trust serving Jefferson and Clallam counties, holds its annual meeting and the election of a new board of trustees at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4 at the Gardiner Community Center, 980 Old Gardiner Road.

Homeward Bound is a nonprofit, membership based organization providing a source of permanently affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households within Jefferson and Clallam counties, according to a press release.

In addition to the election of the new board, information is to be available on the new rental project underway on Cherry Street in Port Townsend. For more information, visit the trust’s

Facebook page by searching “Homeward Bound Olympic Housing Trust.”

Compiled by Leader staff writer Katie Kowalski