Eastsound Water Users Plans Annual Meeting, Community Input

— by Margie Doyle —

At its June 21 monthly meeting, the Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) Board made plans to hold its annual meeting and to involve the community in a conversation about setting fair rates.

The board also decided to refund the additional rates that were collected from some of its users in April, before it decided to suspend the rate hikes that went into effect that month.

Board Chair Brian Ehrmantraut said that the board is represented by seven full positions, one of which is currently vacant. Dan Vekved and Fred Klein are serving out the remainder of terms that will be up for re-election at the annual meeting. The board members currently are Ehrmantraut, Bill Burrell, Klein, Vekved, Bob Connell and Patrick Shepler. Joe Cohen has approached the board about filling the seventh position.

The board tentatively agreed to hold the annual meeting on the third Tuesday in August. The board discussed the advisability of designating representatives from special interest groups, such as commercial members, but came to no decision to implement such a change.

Privacy of Member Data
Ehrmantraut brought up a non-agenda issue about the privacy policy of the organization, regarding member identification, usage patterns, and other data. The current policy restricts disclosure of members’ email address, home mail, credit card numbers, etc.

The board indicated that it would like to add a specific item in the seven-paragraph policy that would limit water usage and personal identification, and Mike Stolmeier suggested that only account numbers be used in public disclosure. EWUA General Manager Paul Kamin advocated implementing “a path that those uncomfortable with release [of their personal information] can address the board on an individual situation,” of water usage or hardship information.

The board decided to identify specific situations by account number only “or some other not-easily identifiable information;” and to draft such a policy and vote by email.

The board then discussed fulfilling individualized data requests and release of financial information. They brought up the extensive time involved in fulfilling such requests. It was proposed that the EWUA’ website be updated to make all information available to all members so that they could get that information from the website.

As the site is in need of updating, the board discussed hiring someone to update the site. Kamin brought up the historic problem of past board meeting minutes including private information. Ehrmantraut suggested that past minutes should reflect only actions, not the discussion; and that future minutes follow such a format.

Refund of April Rate Increases
The board decided to refund the $3,000 collected fees to members who had been charged and paid the surplus fees. Ehrmantraut advocated for such a refund, saying that only some people had been billed for the additional amounts, not all residential users.

Clyde Duke spoke up about the utility surcharges, saying his commercial account had gone from $404.07 to $1,305.05; with the suspension of rate increases, it was “pulled back” to $584. “I’m waiting with baited breath as to how [the rate issue] is resolved. We can’t reduce much more water; you need to hear it.”

Working group for rate structure
An hour into the meeting, the board began discussion of how to form a working group to decide upon a fair rate structure. A rate study analyzed by a third party was suggested. Klein proposed inviting community members who wanted to engage in that question to a group discussion, similar to the “Way Forward” community meetings that preceded the public school district’s capital funding campaign.

Vekved asked if a professional facilitator should be employed to “keep people on task and make sure everyone’s voice is being heard.” Several suggestions for such a facilitator were entertained.

The board said that the first part of the process will be asking the questions that need to be addressed. Shepler drafted such a question as “How do we meet members’ needs and [EWUA’s] responsibility for compliance and sustainability?”

Klein agreed to craft a proposal for such a group within two weeks, and Shepler agreed to work with him.

The next regular meeting of the EWUA board is July 19.