MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF HARBOR WATER PUD

March 31, 2026

​

A special meeting of the Harbor Water P.U.D. Board of Directors was called to order by President Dan Fraser at 2:00 pm, March 31, 2026, in the administrative building, at 98069 W. Benham Lane, Harbor, Oregon
 

Board Attendance was taken
President: Dan Fraser “present” Vice President: Tom Beene “present” Board Member: Jim White “present” Board Member: Herman Bloemsma “absent” Board Member: Bill Frye “present” Superintendent: Ken Burshem “present”
District Manager: Ami Arneson “present” IT: Ariel Poston “present” Engineer: Matt Robart /Camas “present”
Pledge of Allegiance was said.

No modification, addition or change to the agenda, or conflicts of interest was made. White made a motion to accept the agenda, Beene seconded, the motion passed 4-0. Yes: Frye, White, Beene, Fraser. No: None
 

Items For Action:

Ranney Collector project / State of Emergency Board president Fraser explained the reason for the meeting to the guests in the audience. Over time, the river has shifted and scoured away the gravel that once protected the collector.
This has created a scour hole over some of the collector laterals, allowing saltwater to settle into the system more easily. The board emphasized that if erosion continues unchecked, the district risks structural failure or loss of the intake, which would jeopardize Harbor Water’s ability to operate.
 

Engineer report:
A major theme of the meeting was frustration over the lengthy regulatory and permitting process.
Robart stated that the district has been trying to advance this project for years, but progress has been slowed by permitting and mitigation requirements involving agencies such as:
- Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL)
- National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS / NOAA)
- Army Corps of Engineers
- DEQ

The board expressed concern that repeated delays have prevented timely action despite the clear public importance of protecting the community’s drinking water supply.

At the time of the meeting:
- The mitigation plan had been submitted to agencies
- The permit application was expected to be filed once final signatures were obtained
- Final permits could still take months
The district confirmed that FEMA funding has already been awarded for the project, and that the district has received an extension through August 29 for the funding timeline Robart checked with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and were told that a local emergency declaration would not negatively affect FEMA funding.

 

Public comments:
A local contractor from TCB attending the meeting stated that he has: Experience with stream restoration, installing riprap and log jams and has a crew capable of performing the work. The board acknowledged the offer, while also noting that the project would still need to go through the public bidding process under Oregon law.
Chris O’Connor with Harbor Fire asked whether the work would affect: Tank storage, water availability, and firefighting capacity. The response given was that the project itself should not interrupt normal water system operations, but the district remains concerned about broader water conditions this summer due to drought and salinity issues. Board

 

Comments:
Frye made a motion to declare a state of emergency. This is to expedite the project, to help reduce the saltwater intrusion, protect the community water supply, and to take advantage of low water condition in 2026 making it an ideal year for construction in the river. Seconded by Beene, the motion passed 4-0. Yes: Frye, White, Beene, Fraser. No: None

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:45 PM