PUD increases water, electric system rates

The Wahkiakum Public Utility District commissioners increased rates for its water and electricity customers at its regular meeting Tuesday.

The board also agreed to travel to the west side of the county for the second meeting of the second month of each quarter, beginning February 21, 2012.

The district will collect an additional seven percent with increases to charges in its electric system. Puget Island Water System customers will see an increase of three percent and Western Wahkiakum Water Systems (WWWS) customers an increase of five percent. The new charges go into effect on January 1.

The increase for power “is close to 7 percent, but it depends on how many kilowatt hours you use,” General Manager Dave Tramblie said. The basic monthly electric charge for residential or small commercial rates will be $13.00 and .0712 per kilowatt-hour.

The standard residential charge for Puget Island water customers will be $37.17 and $1.93 per 100 cubic feet of water. The basic monthly charge for WWWS customers for a standard line will be $48.67 and 2.15 per 100 cubic feet of water.

The commissioners also approved a budget for 2012, which includes three percent raises for union and non-union employees, although the union contract has not been negotiated.

The budget resolutions set operating budgets of $3,284,600 for the electric system and $293,775 for the Puget Island Water System and $232,855 for the Western Wahkiakum Water System.

“The budget is just for planning; it’s not set in stone,” Tramblie said.

Board president Dennis Reid said that community member Lee Tischer, who often attends the meetings, was unable to attend due to illness, but had a comment regarding the budget. Tischer had asked that non-union employees’ wages be frozen for 2012, Reid said.

The board had no discussion about wages during the meeting, although they met in executive session to discuss the upcoming union contract negotiation.

“We could get a letter from the union (opening negotiations) anytime between now and January,” Tramblie said.

Tramblie is proceeding with tests of radio functioning across the county to prepare for a Federal Communications Commission mandate that reduces bandwidth in half by January 2013.

Two sites in Oregon have frequency conflicts, but a site on Radar Ridge near Naselle and one at the school in Cathlamet could provide adequate coverage, Tramblie said.

“They aren’t going to be optimal, but they may be adequate…The estimated cost for an antenna and repeater and installation would be approximately $20,000 per site,” Tramblie said. The county road crew uses the same frequency and there may be a possibility of sharing the site.

Tramblie said 5-watt truck radios have better coverage than the portable 1-watt radios.

“Communication is critical to our operation, especially in a storm. We have to stay in touch with our people.”

Auditor Erin Wilson arranged for Richard Rodruck, an administrator with the Public Utility Risk Management Services (PURMS), to meet with the board at its next meeting on November 15. PURMS manages the utility’s health insurance through a self-insurance pool funded by a group of utilities. The board is seeking ways to lower the costs for the health insurance they provide to employees if possible.

Wilson is investigating ways for the utility to process debit and credit cards so that they incur the lowest charges per transaction. She has begun discussions with the utility’s billing software vendor to see what’s possible. “If we can save some money, we’ll do it,” she said.

Wilson also reported the utility’s annual state audit is scheduled for November.

Commissioner Gene Healy proposed that the board consider a media workshop with local media “to make life easier for all the parties.”

Healy suggested the newspaper’s publisher and reporters might meet with the board, based on a presentation he attended through the Washington Public Utility District Association.

“Both parties have an interest in getting the word out to the public,” Healy said.

“The goal is to get information out. What works best for them and us,” Reid said.

The board agreed to meet with NoaNet representatives to see if the PUD could serve as a vendor of high speed internet via the fiberoptic cable being laid along SR4 through the county. The federal grant funding awarded to NoaNet is targeted to support increased internet connectivity to rural hospitals, public health districts, emergency services, schools, libraries and nursing facilities.

Commissioner Bob Jungers said he had heard that no private service providers were bidding to use the cable.

“That’s why PUDs were born in the beginning. No one wanted to come out here,” Healy said.