Come to tentative agreement

EPHRATA — Pending approval from the Washington state Attorney General's office, an arbitration agreement was reached between Benton Rural Electric Association and the Grant County Public Utility District over alleged illegal payments made by the district to the telecommunications company, two commissioners said today.

The mediation meeting took place on June 21 in Yakima at the convention center, according to Commissioner Greg Hansen.

A legally binding vote will take place at a regular PUD commission meeting if the agreement receives approval from the attorney general.

According to Grant County Public Utility President Bill E. Bjork, Jr., the topic wasn't discussed at yesterday's commission meeting because last week's mediation agreement was more of a "straw vote."

He added, "It wasn't anything that we could do or say at the time, we haven't gone through the legal steps to accept or reject the offer yet."

Bjork said that a meeting or agreement of this kind would have to be entered into in a public meeting to be legal.

"We couldn't accept or turn down something like that unless it was done in an open meeting," Bjork said.

Bjork did not participate in the mediation agreement vote, because it took place while he was in Anahiem, Calif., attending the annual American Public Power Association Conference and he had "mixed feelings about a straw vote."

Vera B. Claussen was also attending the APPA conference, but participated by voting in favor of an agreement by phone.

Commissioner Hansen said, "I voted against it because I didn't feel it was enough money."

The PUD members attending the June 21 vote in Yakima were Commissioners Randall M. Allred, Thomas W. Flint and Greg Hansen. PUD Attorney Ray Foianini and attorney David Sonn.

"We were trying to get a settlement possibly reached, but it has to be brought into the commission room," Bjork said.