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Grant County PUD commissioners planning more study sessions

CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 weeks, 6 days AGO
by CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | December 8, 2025 5:06 PM

EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District commissioners will cut their business meetings to one per month and add a workshop instead, according to a resolution under consideration by PUD commissioners Tuesday. Commissioner Tom Flint said it’s an attempt to become more efficient.

“We’re getting rid of some of the commission meetings, but we’re adding work study sessions,” he said.

The longstanding schedule has been business meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday, with a workshop, if needed, on the third Tuesday. If commissioners approve the updated resolution, the first business meeting of the month will be eliminated. The change would go into effect Jan. 1.

“The board of commissioners believe that it would be in the district’s best interest to commence regular workshops and meeting of the commission to the second, third and fourth Tuesday of the month, beginning at 8:30 a.m.,” according to the resolution approving the change.

Like the existing business meetings, the workshops will include time for questions from attendees and for public comment.

“Anything connected to the PUD will have an opportunity for public input,” he said.

Commission meetings are recorded on the existing schedule, including the staff presentations as well as the business meeting. Workshops usually aren’t recorded. It’s unclear how recordings would be handled on the new schedule.

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