Your PUD News Release
PUD and city discuss riverfront development guidelines
Chelan County PUD
News Release
9/21/2009
PUD commissioners Monday endorsed joint principles for the District and the city to use as development on the Wenatchee riverfront continues in and around PUD parks.
With the city seeking funding for at least six more projects as part of a local revitalization financing district, PUD staff approached city counterparts with the idea of agreeing in advance on principles to follow during planning for each project as money becomes available.
Steve Currit, PUD Shared Services director, said a formal understanding will be “beneficial to our community in general, and I also think it’s beneficial to our parks as well.”
Included in the 10 principles discussed Monday are statements that:
The PUD won’t incur any increase in operating and maintenance costs or liability as the results of future projects.
At least 11 more boat trailer parking spaces needed for the new day-use dock at the boat launch near Orondo Avenue, but not included now, will be part of future plans.
There won’t be any reduction in the total net area of Wenatchee Riverfront Park.
Changes in park space for a marina would not be considered a reduction in park area.
Wenatchee Mayor Dennis Johnson and Allison Williams, city executive services director, attended the meeting to support the proposed principles. Wenatchee City Council members will discuss them next.
PUD Commissioner Randy Smith thanked city and PUD staff for the effort to work issues out in advance. “It’s a great step in my estimation,” Smith said.
Study of earthquake risk continues
Developing new criteria required by federal regulators to evaluate seismic risk at the PUD’s three dams is on track and likely to continue for several years, civil engineer Gene Yow reported.
Chelan County PUD, Grant PUD and Douglas PUD are working on earthquake safety studies as part of ongoing efforts to meet new mandates from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. While each PUD has its own consultant, all are collaborating, Yow said.
Work began in 2006. In this phase, Chelan PUD is analyzing what level of ground movement will provide the appropriate measurement of risk. Future analysis will determine what the PUD needs to do at its dams, if anything, Yow explained.
Commissioners approved a new contract amount with URS Corp. of Denver, Colo., not to exceed $500,000.
In other business, commissioners:
Heard from General Counsel Carol Wardell that the PUD has received a clean audit report from the state. The audit covered accountability as well as financial reporting for 2008. Extended the contract with external auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers for three years with no increase in annual fee. The contract now runs through 2011 at a cost not to exceed $230,000 a year. Previewed a video developed for the Washington PUDs Association about hydropower as renewable energy. Scheduled five special meetings: 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Entiat School to attend a community meeting; 9 a.m., Oct. 8, in the Rocky Reach Dam large conference room for a board retreat; 10 a.m., Oct. 9, at the tribal cemetery in Manson to attend the reburial of remains found during construction of PUD dams; 2 p.m., Oct. 13 in the PUD board room for a meeting with county and port commissioners; and 10 a.m., Nov. 5, at Campbell’s in Chelan for a Chelan River Project completion celebration.
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The next regular PUD commission meeting is at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, 2009, in the PUD boardroom at 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.
Kimberlee Craig
Public information officer
Chelan County PUD
Wenatchee, WA
(509) 661-4320, office
(509) 679-6858, mobile
kimberlee.craig@chelanpud.org