Commission presses staff for study after marina electrical, lift-station and insurance concerns

Oak Harbor — Commissioners pressed staff to produce an evaluation of electrical risks and funding options after hearing about aging power pedestals, a proposed lift-station relocation and insurance questions tied to repeated claims.

Speaker 6 and others raised concern about a proposed $200,000 relocation of the Building 2 lift station, which staff said would move electrical panels to comply with code because the current closet location contains service panels and a water heater and presents an explosion risk. Elise, Harbor Master, said the wastewater department is having difficulty finding replacement parts for some older electrical panels and that relocating panels to weatherproof exterior boxes could approach the $200,000 estimate.

“I would have to look into that,” Elise said when asked whether explosion-proof Class 1 DIV 1 panels might be a lower-cost mitigation; commissioners asked staff to evaluate that option and other mitigations before committing to full excavation and relocation.

Separately, commissioners discussed unmetered electrical pedestals and reports of abnormal zinc wear on a boat; the chair noted electricians inspected the vessel and found no fault on the boat itself, suggesting stray currents at pedestals could be a factor. Commissioners recommended a formal risk assessment and staged plan to replace or retrofit pedestals with ELCI breakers and to prioritize these upgrades alongside dredging and whaler projects.

City staff and commissioners agreed to form a workgroup within the project subcommittee to run a risk-versus-probability prioritization exercise (safety and critical infrastructure first) and return recommended top projects and potential funding trade-offs to the full commission.

No formal action or funding approval was taken at the meeting; staff will report back with alternatives, estimated costs and prioritization recommendations.