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Commissioners hear public comments on dock permit policies

Chelan County PUD
News Release
4/7/2008

Chelan County PUD commissioners on Monday heard comments for and against changes in policies for granting dock permits on PUD-owned land on Lake Chelan and Rocky Reach reservoir. They will consider options at their regular meeting April 28, starting at 1 p.m.

Steve Currit, director of the Shared Services Division at the PUD, began the discussion asking for board direction on the permitting policy.

 The PUD owns about 7 percent of waterfront property behind Rocky Reach Dam, and less than 2 percent of waterfront property on Lake Chelan as well as some submerged land both places. 

 Under existing policy, the PUD grants dock permits on a case-by-case basis. The permits can be canceled with 90 days notice and bring in a small annual lease fee. There are currently 10 private docks on PUD property on Lake Chelan and three on the Columbia River behind Rocky Reach. Two permits are pending.

 About 10 people offered comments urging commissioners to consider the benefits of public and private access and the needs of fish. Commissioners asked Currit to present specific proposals for consideration at the April 28 meeting.

In other business commissioners:

• Accepted a bid of Canadian Overhead Handling, Inc., Quebec, Canada, for an overhead bridge crane for the Lake Chelan Powerhouse in the amount of $576,060. The crane is part of the modernization of the Lake Chelan Hydro Project which is getting under way. 
• Heard a report from Darrell Gouldin, director of Electrical Operations Division, that the new Pelton wheel for the small hydroelectric plant on Company Creek near Stehekin was installed last Thursday and is operating successfully after passing initial tests. It will be monitored and tested regularly. The old Pelton wheel is available as an emergency backup.
• Approved an exchange of 1.4 acres of PUD property for 2 acres of expanded flowage easement along the Rocky Reach reservoir. The land swap was with Goodfellow Brothers, Inc., and will help the PUD meet federal license requirements for flowage easements.
• Approved the concept of separating certain Utility Services policies from rate schedules so they can be grouped for easy understanding by the public and be more efficiently handled when changes are needed. Under the new process, for example, line extensions would be part of a new policy section instead of being treated as a change in rates.

***

Commissioners canceled the April 14 board study session meeting due to a lack of urgent business. However, they set a special meeting for 1:30 p.m. April 15 in the PUD auditorium in Wenatchee so that commissioners can attend a Tri-Commission meeting of representatives of Chelan County, Chelan County PUD and Chelan County Port District commissions.

Commissioners also rescheduled a meeting of the Medical Customer Partnership Group from April 15 to April 29 at the Wenatchee Roaster. The April 17 meeting of the Manson Customer Partnership Group has been moved to the Blueberry Hills restaurant at noon.

The next regular meeting of the PUD commission will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 21, 2008, in the boardroom at PUD headquarters, 327. N. Wenatchee Ave.

Most PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at www.chelanpud.org.

Jeri Freimuth
Chelan County PUD
(509) 661-4504
(509) 668-0267 cell
Jeri.freimuth@chelanpud.org