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NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District board elected officers and set its meeting calendar at its Jan. 7 meeting.
Dave Rick of Ione was elected Pend Oreille Public Utility District board president. Rick was elected District 3 commissioner in 2022. Longtime PUD commissioner Curt Knapp was elected vice president and newly elected commissioner Troy Moody was elected secretary.
Knapp, of Newport, is in his fourth sixyear term as District 2 commissioner. He was first appointed, then elected in 2002. Moody, of Newport was elected District 1 commissioner last November.
The board also set its 2025 meeting calendar. The public comment period during commissioner meetings will now be held at 9 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. Meetings start at 8:30 a.m. Commissioner meetings will generally continue to be the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Newport office at 130 N. Washington Ave. If there is a fifth Tuesday, meetings will generally be held at Box Canyon Dam.
At the Jan. 7 meeting, commissioners approved General Manager John Janney executing a contract for $1 million in Emergency Rapid Response funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce for repairs to the Metaline Falls water transmission line.
Oct. 17, 2024, two sections of the aging water mains ruptured on a steep hillside, causing catastrophic failures that disrupted water service for 200 customers. The ruptures unleashed 3,000 gallons of water per minute, destabilizing the hillside and sending debris onto Highway 31, a vital transportation route near the Canadian border. While temporary bypass lines restored minimal service, the system remains insufficient for long-term reliability.
“This new grant represents a significant investment in our community’s infrastructure, providing the resources we need to address critical challenges without adding financial strain on our customers,” said John Janney, General Manager of the PUD. “This funding ensures we can move forward with essential repairs while safeguarding the stability and safety of our region.”
The fully-funded grant replaces the previous $500,000 grant and $500,000 loan from the Public Works Board approved in December 2024. The PUD will retain $200,000 in PWB funding as a contingency to provide flexibility for project needs.
