PUD board discusses water merger poll

The Wahkiakum County PUD Board of Commissioners met Tuesday morning to listen to reports and discuss the language in a public poll about a possible water system merger with the Town of Cathlamet.

Customer Service Representative Lia Sealund gave an update on conservation. The current fiscal period will end soon, and Sealund suggested that the PUD use their remaining funds in a direct mail project which would send two LED lights to PUD customers and introduce some of them to the newer technology. She also proposed that the PUD purchase 2018 calendars with information about energy conservation for customers.

Sealund said that the PUD would be receiving $99,684 from the Bonneville Power Administration to go toward conservation projects for the next two year period, which begins in October.

General Manager Dave Tramblie reported that he planned to hire a tree crew for a three month period in order to address overgrown trees along SR 4 in Grays River and throughout their entire service area.

He said he had received one bid to paint the main PUD building and the water warehouse in the amount of $20,874.40 from Hendrickson Painting. The commissioners approved the bid.

Tramblie stated that they had received the final eight three phase automated meter reading meters, which means the project to replace all the meters on Puget Island with AMR meters is nearly complete.

Auditor Erin Wilson learned that FEMA would cover 75 percent of the damages from a storm earlier this year. FEMA will pay $18,126 for the damages which totaled a little over $24,000. The state will cover 12.5 percent, which equals about $3,021, and that will leave the PUD responsible for the final 12.5 percent.

Wilson said she would be talking to vendors about a new phone system.

The commissioners gave reports and then continued the discussion about the language to be used in a public poll about a possible water merger.

Commissioners approved travel for Jim Jespersen to attend the Evergreen Rural Water Fall Conference and Trade Show in Tulalip in August.

The next PUD meeting is scheduled for August 1 at 8:30 a.m. in the PUD meeting room.