Okanogan County PUD board members reviewed some small changes to their districts at a Nov. 22 public hearing. The discussion continues until the next board meeting Dec. 13.

By law, the PUD must review its district boundaries every 10 years following the US Census to equalize the population in each district. A few adjustments were made in the Omak and Okanogan areas to account for changes in the population levels. One boundary line was adjusted, in an area with no residents, to align with school, hospital and county commissioner boundaries.

The district maps can be viewed here.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a broadband application to the Washington State Broadband Office that seeks funding to bring fiber to homes in the areas of Twisp, Pateros, Crumbacher and Malott - a change in some of the original planning (Riverside and Aston Estates had also been considered). The project seeks just under $10 million, with the PUD required to supply a 10% match.
• Heard a staff report regarding the Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP), a part of the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) of 2019. Although the PUD is already in compliance with the target of 80% carbon-free by 2030 (the district is about 94% carbon-free), the PUD still needs to prepare a report about the transition to clean energy. Additional reporting has already been done and is yet to come. Staff sought public participation regarding vulnerable populations in the community in keeping with the requirements of CETA. The plan will be considered for approval at the Dec. 13 meeting.
• Heard that wholesale sales (as of October) are $142,000 behind budget; retail sales (as of September) are $462,578 above budget, making total power sales $319,917 better than budgeted.
• Heard that the PUD has installed 94 fiber connections through October this year, bringing the total fiber connections to 637, and the total of all end users – wireless and fiber - to 3,854.