'Stand pat' no more

EPHRATA — The Grant County Public Utility District commission reversed the controversial "stand pat" telecommunications policy, which halted construction of the Zipp fiber optic network since early in 2005.

The commission unanimously passed a walk-on motion, at their regular meeting Monday, directing PUD General Manager Tim Culbertson to explore available fiber optic technologies and financial options for expansion of the network.

Commissioner Tom Flint, who pushed for further build out of the system since stand pat was implemented in March 2005, proposed the policy change. Flint pointed to the successful campaigns of first-year commissioners Bob Bernd and Terry Brewer, elected in November. Grant County's voters mandated building out the network, Flint said, when they elected the two pro-fiber candidates.

"It's only appropriate to follow through with campaign promises," Flint said. "(Bernd and Brewer) are just making good on what they told everybody they would do."

Flint said stand pat created uncertainty in the minds of business owners and residents about the future of the network, which he claims the PUD spent $100 million building. The stand pat policy, passed on a split, 3-2 vote, made the network a low priority for the district, he said.

Commissioner Greg Hansen said the PUD's core business is power, not fiber. He doesn't want build out of the network putting financial strain on the electrical system.

"My No. 1 question has been, 'Where is the money going to come from?'" Hansen said.

The way the system is built out in the future makes all the difference, he said. Take the wrong approach, he said, and ratepayers' monthly bills are going to increase.

Hansen acknowledges voters chose fiber to be built out, but he says it's going to come at a cost.

"How would you like a new Cadillac?" Hansen asked. "Well, OK, now how would you like to pay for one?"

Critics of Zipp build out complain about the costs, which they've said from the beginning were never completely or accurately disclosed.

"As citizens and ratepayers we have the right to know what it's costing us," said Quincy resident Bill Judge, a Grant County PUD commissioner from 1997 to 2002. Judge disputes the $100 million price tag Flint presented.

"To this date, we've never gotten a cost of how much has been spent on fiber," Judge said.

Before he left office in December 2002, Judge said the PUD had spent more than $105 million on build out. At the time, the PUD had approximately $70 million of fiber-related inventory, he said. The inventory would not be included in cost figures until it was used, he said.

"That's why I've always been so critical of (fiber)," Judge said. "When I was on the commission I asked all the time. I never could get the cost, it was always hidden. They'd let out a little at a time."

PUD spokesperson Gary Garnant provided a written cost estimate to the Columbia Basin Herald today, including equipment installed, inventory, labor and dollar losses accrued since the fiber project's inception.

"Grant PUD's Zipp telecommunications total system costs are approximately $105 plus million at year-end 2006," Garnant wrote.

One politically active group of Grant County residents, known as FiberActive, worked to reverse the stand pat policy since it was first implemented. FiberActive believes Grant County could be a leader in high-speed broadband, group spokesperson Alan Troupe said Tuesday.

"We can go from being one of the most backward counties to the most progressive in the state," Troupe said. "We are in a truly unique situation here and we need to take advantage of it. It takes leaders with vision and I feel that we have that again."

Steve Castillo, owner of Ephrata-based service provider Basin Networking, said the reversal on stand pat benefits his business.

"It's a step back in the right direction, finishing the project the PUD started," Castillo said.