Open House in Chelan Scheduled for March 21

Submitted by Chelan County PUD

After more than three years of study, Chelan County PUD commissioners Tuesday said now is the time to hear from the community about the proposal to combine customer and utility operations at a new Service Center in north Wenatchee’s Olds Station area.

Open houses around the county start on March 18, with the Chelan Open House scheduled for March 21 from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce (see full schedule below). Board members invited customers and community members to attend and give feedback on the preferred option.

People who comment at the open house meetings, online or at PUD offices can enter a drawing for an iPad. See details and background at chelanpud.org/ServiceCenter.

In addition to seeing concept drawings for the first time, commissioners reviewed refreshed analysis of the dollars and cents behind the proposal.

Dan Frazier, Shared Services director, said updated analysis confirms that a combined Service Center is the long-term least-cost option, offering the best customer service and safest working conditions.“Our evaluation continues to show that a combined service center offers the best value for the most people over the longest time,” Frazier said. Specifically:

  • Least cost over the life of the facilities
  • Highest employee productivity
  • Best customer service, closest to the center of our customer-owners
  • Improved safety as current facilities are challenged to meet modern standards

The utility’s business case also identifies the significant cost of staying at existing facilities that need major refurbishment, Frazier said.

The estimated net cost of consolidating at one location is $124 million over the 50-year study period. All other options cost more. Commissioners have $50 million already set aside from previous years when actual positive financial results exceeded budget expectations.

A new, combined center does cost more in the short-term, but provides longer-lasting value — just like investing in the PUD’s hydro units, he said.

“Our analysis of cost-effectiveness was tested under various scenarios and consolidated facilities consistently came out the best choice for our customer-owners,” Frazier said.

PUD staff also is working with the City of Wenatchee and Port of Chelan County to study potential future uses of the PUD’s property at Fifth Street and Wenatchee Avenue. Each entity has committed up to $75,000 for redevelopment planning focused on creating viable options for future use of the property. Key stakeholders from downtown Wenatchee as well as the entire community are encouraged to get involved.

“Watching this presentation, I realize that no matter how we look at this, the direction we’re going makes the most fiscal sense,” said Commissioner Steve McKenna.

Frazier said he’ll be back on April 1 to discuss the results of customer outreach and seek further direction from commissioners.

Service Center open houses, 4-6 p.m.:

  • March 18 – Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, 127 S. Mission, Wenatchee
  • March 19 – Cashmere Riverside Center, 201 Riverside Drive
  • March 20 – Chelan County Fire 3 station, Leavenworth, 228 Chumstick Hwy
  • March 21 – Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce, Chelan, 216 E. Woodin Ave
  • March 25 – Entiat Fire Hall, 2200 Entiat Way