Quackenbush delays again

CRESCENT BAR - The  decision about whether to grant a stay and injunction to Crescent Bar island residents in their lawsuit against Grant County PUD has been delayed again, to Sept. 9.

According to Crescent Bar Condos resident Nancy Polky, Federal Judge Justin Quackenbush has been derailed in this matter by a criminal case with greater import.

The decision was supposed to come on July 22. Quackenbush announced a delay to Aug. 19. Then condos counsel Dale Foreman asked for another delay. He has a Washington Apple Commission meeting on that date.

As things stand now, the decision will likely come after most of the island's summer dwellers have departed for their permanent residences. Polky said it's anyone's guess whether the delays are negative or positive for the residents.

On a positive note, Polky and condos resident Jan Shabro had a meeting with Spokane Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers on Aug. 10 and found her to be sympathetic.

"Some of our owners are in her district," Polky said.

Polky said Rodgers noted she is dealing with a similar situation on Lake Roosevelt. It involves cabins on National Forest land that is managed by the National Park Service.

"It's a bigger picture than just Crescent Bar," Polky said. "It's other agencies."

Polky reported that Rodgers finds the Lake Roosevelt matter on her agenda every week. Rodgers's staff agreed that there is a philosophy among the agencies that they are making their own rules.

"We had a real good day in her office," Polky said. "She's all about private property rights."

On the not-so-positive side, Polky said a meeting between Shabro and her and condo resident John Jessup and Congressman Doc Hastings' chief of staff Barb Lisk on Aug. 11 netted nearly nothing.

"He still doesn't really want to go near this," Polky said.

Polky said Hastings sees the matter as a conflict between constituents. She noted a recent fund-raiser for Hastings involved Foreman and Tim Culbertson of the PUD.

She added that Hastings would write a letter to the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) to encourage a clarification of the rules.

Rodgers may work out better than Hastings for the islanders. Hastings is a long-time Congressman with little national name recognition.

Rodgers is relatively new but appears often in national news coverage. She is the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress.