PUD commissioners and Town councilmembers agree on merit of Water System Consolidation Study

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Wahkiakum PUD Commissioners met with the Town of Cathlamet City Council to further discuss the potential PUD/Town Water Consolidation. The agenda item for the meeting was “Does Consolidation have enough merit to move forward?” Sixty minutes of discussion followed the presentation of the question, with PUD Commissioner Gene Healy suggesting a committee. “I propose we redirect our efforts towards a more constructive process for evaluating the possibility of… consolidating the Town of Cathlamet and Puget Island water systems,” said Healy. “I believe we would be better served by attempting to reach an agreement on various matters of importance to the system’s owners. I propose that both the Town and the PUD appoint a representative group to engage in detailed discussions and arrive at a comprehensive agreement on all issues.” Both parties agreed on the value of creating a committee: “I think it’s a great idea,” said Councilmember Robert Stowe. The group decided, during their respective meetings, the PUD and the Town Council will select their committee members. In a Friday, Feb. 28 press release, the Town announced Councilmembers Laurel Waller and Kermit Chamberlin to their committee. On Tuesday, March 4, the PUD selected Commissioner Gene Healy as their representative for the consolidation subcommittee.

Later in the meeting, Waller presented a written summary of the Town of Cathlamet/PUD consolidation history according to the TOC and included an excerpt from the Town of Cathlamet’s Jan. 21 meeting, showing the council voted unanimously to move forward with negotiations toward consolidation with the PUD. “There’s just an awful lot that still needs to be figured out… but we voted to start down that path,” said Waller. In her write-up, the councilmember points out that to complete the much-needed maintenance to the current utility systems, the Town would be forced to take out loans, impacting rate payers. However, Waller said, “DOH has consolidation funding available to the PUD should consolidation occur.” The group discussed the motives for the potential consolidation: “It’s all about the ratepayers, it’s all about the owners of the utilities and the rate payers,” said Councilmember Jeanne Hendricks. “We’re all here about the longevity of our system, the health of our system, and the utilities.”

Stowe discussed the years of neglect that are believed to have gone on with the Town’s utility system. “Maintenance wasn’t being done, maintenance still hasn’t been done,” said Stowe. In response, PUD Commissioner Robert Jungers said, “I get the sense that you have deep dissatisfaction with your utility system, the way it’s being operated now. If we choose to consolidate, I believe, personally, that the PUD will be able to handle these issues efficiently and timely.”

Several community members, including Cathlamet resident Crystal Baker, showed up for public comment. “When [discussion of consolidating] first started, I was actually quite irate at the idea of the Town moving our utilities from being run by the Town to another organization,” she said. “I have since changed my outlook on that. I am in complete, full support of the Town relinquishing our water and giving it to the PUD for a lot of reasons. If something major does happen, the only recourse the Town really has is getting a massive loan that has to be directly passed on to us, the customers.” Baker also brought up the unprecedented rates customers are currently paying and asked if there could be an expert at future meetings. “I would like to see someone from the Town’s side that is an expert on our water system present to answer the questions,” she said.

Puget Island resident Bill Pedersen discussed the comments that have been made regarding the loss of revenue the Town would experience as a result of this consolidation. He said, “It was stated that ‘if this consolidation moves forward that the Town would no longer have the revenue to support the pool and library.’ Revenue from utilities by law must go back into support of utilities, so that statement is just patently false. His idea that the Town is going to lose its financial stability…If this responsibility of supporting utilities leaves the Town, then the Town will have to readdress their employees…That’s not a bad thing, that’s just the way a town must function.”

Community member Ruby Hansen Murray also spoke to the direction of utility revenue. “The Town continues to say they’re not using water system revenue for Town services including the library, the pool, and the parks because it’s illegal,” she said. “But it can’t also be true that we can’t afford to have a library, pool, and park without water funds. Obviously that contradiction speaks for itself.” Murray said she supports the library and the pool but would support a potential library district if it means “keeping that essential part of a healthy town and a healthy community.”

During public comment, Megan Blackburn Friend said, “You want to know if there’s enough merit to move forward and I think yes. The financial and logistical benefits are obvious and the community deserves a stable, well-run utility system.”

David Vik, who was the manager of the Cathlamet water system from 1974 to 1985 and 2000 to 2012, said, “It shouldn’t be that any side is in the ‘control’ business. You’re in the community well-being business… Two-thirds of the county or more are being supplied by this water system.”

The meeting wrapped up with PUD commissioners and councilmembers in agreement that the consolidation does have enough merit to move forward. The next meeting regarding the matter is yet to be scheduled.