Islands' Sounder, December 09, 2015

Page 1

Sounder The Islands’

Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County

WEDNESDAY, December 9, 2015 n VOL. 48, NO. 49 n 75¢ n islandssounder.com

Winter sports are here

Energy bills set to increase by LESLIE KELLY

Special to the Sounder

Mandi Johnson photo

On Dec. 5 the Vikings boys basketball team won its home opener against rival Bush Academy, 67-64. Above, Viking Aidan Kruse is pictured going for a shot. For a full sports preview, see page 8 and 9.

COMMUNITY| For photos from the Chamber’s tree lighting event on Dec. 4, see page 2.

Get ready to pay more for electricity if you are a member of the Orcas Power and Light Cooperative. But the increase is projected to be minimal – about $6 a month for the average customer. The board of directors of OPALCO approved its 2016 budget Nov. 20, opting for an increase in electric rates of about 5 percent. “We want to keep measures in place that keep our co-op financially healthy, following two years of declining energy sales,” said General Manager Foster Hildreth. “Member’s bills will go up about 5 percent beginning in January.” Currently, the average monthly bill is $116. It’s expected to increase to $122 beginning in January. The decline in energy sales for the co-op is related to the weather, Hildreth said. But the 5 percent increase includes the co-ops costs of doing business, including energy costs and capital outlay costs, said Suzanne Olson, OPALCO spokeswoman. She said rates the co-op pays to Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) which supplies energy, have gone up about 6 percent annually. According to the budget document, the total budget for the energy co-op will increase from

the current year at $23.3 million to $24.8 million. The budget is based on a 3 percent inflation projection for 2016. Budget forecasts for 2017 to 2020 were also approved and the rate of inflation is expected to jump to 4 percent in years 2019

“Members bills will go up about 5 percent beginning in January.” — OPALCO GM Foster Hildreth

and 2020. The co-op doesn’t plan any new hires through 2020 and will remain operational with 51 full time employees. Wages are forecast to increase 2 percent in 2016, 3 percent in 2017 and 2018, and 4 percent in 2019 and 2020, as allowed by the current collective bargaining agreement with union employees. The budget also reflects a projection that power costs from BPA are expected to drop in November and December 2016 by about 2 percent. Olson said that is expected to happen because forecasters say the current El Nino weather pattern will end and temperatures will become colder; thus meaning more energy sales and a drop in

Town hall meeting covers revisions to Subarea Plan by MANDI JOHNSON Sounder reporter

Many questions were asked, few were answered. It was emphasized at the start of the town hall meeting about revisions to the Eastsound Subarea Plan that any statements made would not be public record, and any questions should be written so they could be recorded and addressed at the public hearing at 10:15 a.m., Dec. 8 in the Eastound Fire Station. The gathering held at the Eastsound Fire Station on Dec. 3 was not meant to be an open conversation but an overview of the items slated to be discussed at the public hearing. “This is akin to a study period before a test,” said County Council member Rick Hughes, who acted as a liaison for the Eastsound Planning Review Committee, the agency that faciliated the subarea plan changes. Colin Maycock, county planner, presented the proposed changes to the small audience. Changes include: defining what retail busi-

nesses would be permitted in the Service Light Industrial District; where off site A-frame signs will be allowed; restrictions on kiosks, food vending trucks and trailers; and termination of the non-existent “Parking Fund.” When the council began discussions about changing and updating the subarea plan, they originally decided to remove the parking fund in its entirety. Hughes hesitated, saying, “I have concerns with something we move without public comment.” Hughes said the council will take public testimony during the hearing on Dec. 8 and it may vote to approve the Eastound Subarea Plan. If voting does not occur at the public hearing, then a final vote is to scheduled for Dec. 15 on San Juan Island. Since planning started, the most controversial change was what will happen to the land where the dog park currently is. It is slated to move to a new location within the next few years. The parcel is split between two zones:

residential and industrial. The intention of the plan is to expand the industrial zone from its current boundary through to North Beach Road, making it only one zone in that parcel. One of the driving forces behind this change, besides the fact that it’s been only minutely adjusted since the plan was adopted, is an attempt to simplify the rules, and make the plan easier to understand. Maycock said review began as a very focused concept, the scope of the project has expanded from there into the plan it is today. Today, changes made to the existing Subarea Plan are only permitted once a year. Along with the zoning arrangements being amended, the proposition will allow adjustments to be made at any time of the year rather than annually. This will allow for the details not being addressed currently to be reviewed and possibly altered in the future. “[The Subarea Plan] allows us more flexibil-

SEE SUBAREA, PAGE 6

price. As for capital projects, OPALCO has budgeted $3 million for the submarine cable replacement project. About $4.4 million was spent in 2015 and $7.4 million is planned for 2017. The project will finish up in 2018 with $200,000 allotted. Other projects are outlined in the construction work plan which has a goal of achieving voltage stability, and a greater system reliability and overall system efficiency. In 2016, there is $2.28 million for replacement based on age, cable type, neutral degradation and outage frequency. Another $2.4 million is allotted for grid control communications infrastructure. One of the programs that the co-op is initiating in 2016 is the energy assistance program. The 2016 budget includes $90,000 for the program, which is just half of what was requested. Although specifics of the program are still being worked out, those who qualify will get a $10 credit each month to their $39 facilities charge. Additionally each consumer will pay .0005 cents per kilowatt hour, or for the average customer, 45 cents per month to help fund the program. Awards will be based on income and household size. The program stems from a

SEE OPALCO, PAGE 6

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