Your PUD
News Release
Monthly meter reading on the horizon
Chelan County PUD
News Release
1/31/2005
Wayne Wright, assistant general manager for Customer and Environmental Services, briefed PUD commissioners on Monday on a planned move to monthly meter reading to match last year’s change to monthly billing.
Wright, John Stoll and Mark O’Bryan from the Customer Service Department related customer frustration with the new system of reading customers’ meters every other month and estimating consumption in the off month. Many found the bills and the estimates confusing.
“We’ve been listening to our customers,” said Wright, “and our customer-owners are the most important thing to us.”
The change recommended by General Manager Charlie Hosken would add a handful of new meter readers and could be in action by mid year.
Commissioners Ann Congdon and Norm Gutzwiler expressed satisfaction when hearing of the potential change. “I’m happy to hear that you are moving forward on this,” said Congdon.
Commissioner Werner Janssen asked for a detailed cost analysis related to the change.
Staff will report back in two weeks with more information.
Maximus contract price reduced
PUD commissioners amended a contract with Maximus Inc., who helped design, develop and test a new PeopleSoft computer system and provided post-production technical support as the District switched business systems.
The change reflects a rescheduling of the original scope of the contract, resulting in a $173,368 decrease to the contract, for a revised price of $6.7 million.
The amendment also includes a reduction in technical support for applications that won’t be used at this time.
In addition, Maximus will not charge the District for 240 future technical support hours as a settlement for liquidated damages.
Avian predation study goes into third year
Commissioners approved the last year of a three-year, $2.5 million study on predatory birds around the Rock Island and Rocky Reach reservoirs.
The study, conducted by the University of Washington, has provided avian predation data for the Mid-Columbia River for the last three years. Final data gathering was completed in August 2004.
In 2005, data collected will be analyzed and reported. The District can then move forward with development and implementation of a plan based on scientific results.
This data will help the PUD more easily receive permits to control bird populations and protect endangered salmon. Salmon survival is the major component of the PUD’s Habitat Conservation Plans, which allow the utility to use least-cost methods to achieve survival standards.
In other business, commissioners:
- Heard from Rich Trimble from Energy Northwest, an organization made up of 19 public utilities. Chelan County PUD is a member of Energy Northwest and holds a 12.5-percent share of the Nine Canyon wind farm near Richland. Trimble updated commissioners on a recent Nine Canyon debt refinancing, a methane biomass pilot project near Pasco and future energy resource research.
- Received word that Chelan County PUD has received a 2003 audit without any negative findings from the Washington State Auditor. Click here for more information.
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The next regular meeting of the PUD commission will start at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, in the boardroom of the Headquarters Building, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave.
Most PUD commission meetings are recorded and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page, www.chelanpud.org.
Christine Shearer
Communications Specialist
509.661.4258
509.421.4258, cell
christin@chelanpud.org