On Tuesday, Oct. 18, the Eastsound Water Users Association board was prepared to hear the results of a series of community engagement sessions held the month prior. However, there was not enough time during the meeting and the review has been pushed out until the next gathering on Nov. 15.

“It did not achieve anywhere near what I had hoped,” said former EWUA board member Fred Klein, who facilitated the meetings. “We had a limited amount of time … I would give it a four or five out of 10 in terms of results.”

Driven by commercial users’ frustrations over a tiered rate structure introduced in February, three two-hour sessions were held on Sept. 20, 22 and 27 for EWUA members to recommend topics the board needs to focus on. The rate structure adopted earlier this year would penalize users who exceeded the amount of water they were allowed based on how many equivalent residential units (ERU) they owned. Every single-family household in Eastsound has at least one ERU. According to the EWUA bylaws, businesses are required to have 1.75 ERU per tax parcel. Local businesses had expressed their dissatisfaction with the rates after seeing an increase in their April water bills.

“I think it’s unfair,” said Leith Templin, who was chosen as liaison by the participants of the community engagement process.

During the board’s regular meeting in May, the new rate structure was put on a six-month hold, so that the board could review the plan and the assess the needs of the community.