Public reacts to PUD's 'stand pat'

Citizens comment on both sides of argument

EPHRATA — A recent vote by the Grant County Public Utility District Commission to "stand pat" on the build out of Grant County's fiber optic Zipp network in 2005 turned into a heated discussion at the commission's weekly business meeting Monday. Public comment went beyond the standard 30 minute time limit, as the public split their reactions to that decision.

Guy Driver told the commission that he was promised fiber at his home in two years by the PUD, back in 2000. Driver said he was lied to by the PUD, and asked them why the project had to pay for itself. He said commissioners could find a way to pay for limited build out if they wanted to continuing building the system.

PUD commissioner Greg Hansen asked if a certain percentage of Grant County ratepayers would allow for an electrical rate increase to pay for fiber, pointing to a farmer he knows who wouldn't be able to pay for the cost of such an increase.

"If there's a project and you deem it equitable," Driver said, "You'll find a way for it."

Bill Edwards of Ephrata has been on the system since the beginning and he told the commission that the people of Grant County were promised the system would be countywide by now. Edwards said after the meeting that a lot of money has been invested in the fiber infrastructure, and the only way to benefit that infrastructure is to continue a build out of the system.

Vern Corkins is a past employee of the PUD, and said he saw fiber as big for the future. He likened the payment of fiber to that of the county's road system.

"There's a lot of county roads that I don't drive on," Corkins said, "but I still pay for them."

The talk centered primarily around the commission's March 3-2 vote to stand pat on the system. Commissioners Bill Bjork, Randy Allred and Hansen voted in favor of the stand pat model, while commissioners Tom Flint and Vera Claussen voted against it. The decision means there won't be any build out of the system in 2005, but does allow citizens to sign up for fiber access if it is available in their area.

Juanita Hackler told the commission that she was thankful for Allred, Bjork and Hansen, and called those who came in support of build out the "death rattle of reasoning." She said after the meeting that she is for fiber, but said the PUD had previously wasted much money on the system.

Former PUD commissioner Bill Judge also responded to the discussion, and said the PUD was lied to without limits by previous management. He said that after all the money that has been spent, each user of fiber should be paying hundreds of dollars for their service each month.

"We were lied to by a master," Judge said, "and we're paying for it now."

Bjork pointed to the number of fiber customers on the system at the moment, and also said last year's fiber advisory group voted by a slim majority for the stand pat model. He said the PUD is going to build out fiber, but he wants to pursue a more economically sound method.

Following the comments of some in the audience, Craig Jungers, with Internet service provider Network Essentials, defended his vote to stand pat as part of last year's fiber advisory group. Jungers said that he would be perfectly in favor of building out fiber, but wanted a plan to do so.

"I did not think that it was worth bankrupting the system without a decent plan," Jungers said of his vote on the fiber advisory group.

Commissioner Claussen apologized that she didn't know about the improper dealings that were going at the time she was president of the commission, but added that the future of the economy of Grant County depends on the fiber system.

"I think it's unfortunate that we've gotten to the point that we're yelling at each other," Claussen said.

Claussen said after the meeting that when the fiber system was first talked about, completion was a 30- to 40-year project.

"That's the way most public purpose projects are financed," Claussen said, "Public systems are used to doing it that way."

She added that people have lost site of the fact that the fiber project hasn't been the biggest project for the PUD, pointing that the utility is still going through a long process of obtaining a new license by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for its dam project.

Flint said after Monday's meeting that the PUD has the capability and reserves for a limited build-out of the system. He said he didn't want the system to move forward the way it did in the past, but said the PUD should move forward in a more cost-effective manner. Flint said people who have come out against fiber want the system to pay for itself "right now," a method he said is just not practical.

After voices had been raised, Hansen told members of the audience that there needs to be some public discourse, and in the past the commission just went ahead and did things.

"The fact that some voices were raised," Hansen said after the meeting, "I guess shows the level of interest of this subject."

Hansen said after the meeting that people can't expect the PUD to continue build out merely because past commissioners and past managers promised they would. Hansen said lower power rates have been a drawing card for Grant County in the past, and said he was not going to to do anything that would put the PUD's electrical system at risk.

If fiber is a benefit to the community, Hansen added, saying that he was speaking for himself, other entities such as chambers of commerce and the Grant County Economic Development Council should help fund it.

"If everybody benefits from it," Hansen said, "Let's let everybody contribute to fiber."