“It stuns me that there wasn’t a public forum,” said Robert Freund, a Vancouver contractor. “It’s been a great service all these years, and maybe we could have found a way to keep it alive.”

Utility commissioners on Tuesday voted 2-1 to discontinue the appliance repair program, which provided repairs to electric appliances and also offered a $2.95 monthly water heater maintenance program. Its more than $1 million in revenue was not enough money to cover costs, despite the fact that 16,000 were enrolled in the water heater program and about 3,550 called for appliance repairs in 2007.

No refunds will be issued and guaranteed hot water participants will be billed for March, the final month the service is offered.

“I love public participation when it can affect the results,” said Carol Curtis, utility commissioner, who voted to end the popular program. “Many people do not realize that for almost three years now we have been struggling with auditors and the state to continue the program and have it make a profit. I felt it would give people a false hope that they could make a difference if we held a forum.”

Many of Curtis’ constituents say they disagree.

“The way they shut it down was a mistake,” said Thomas Matica of Vancouver. “It’s a public program. I don’t know that I even agree with the program, but allowing the outcry is important. They are short-circuiting democracy.”

Slide in service

Clark Public Utilities could have raised guaranteed rates by less than 50 cents per month to more than make up its $64,241 accumulated deficit, an idea not considered, Freund said.

“If they opened it up to public comment, they could have heard more ideas for keeping the program going,” he said.

But Curtis countered that the only fixes the utility could find would have been accompanied by a continued slide in service. Already, appliance repair technicians have been criticized by some in the community for failing to live up to their previously high standards.

“We needed a lean operation to make budget,” Curtis said.

Because of union contracts, the utility paid its technicians significantly above market rates, according to an internal survey. For example, an average heating, ventilation and air conditioning tech in Clark County earns $15 to $26 per hour. Clark Public Utilities paid $37.52 per hour. To make budget, the utility limited its employees’ hours and raised rates.

“But we couldn’t keep the operation lean and respond the way people expected us to respond,” Curtis said. “When our customer service started failing, that was my biggest concern.”

No rebates

Regardless of the utility’s financial challenges, many customers feel that after years of paying for guaranteed hot water, they should get something back.

“What happens to the hundreds of dollars that I have paid in for the past 17 and a half years?” asked Audrey Meyer. “I probably could have gotten two water heaters replaced for the amount of money we’ve sent in, but we never used the service. I felt comfortable with the idea that if something happened, if I had a flood in the garage, I had protection.”

“There’s an implied promise to the people who took part in this program,” said Sandye Talbert of Battle Ground. “No matter what happens, your hot water heater will be repaired.”

Customers may want rebates, but none will be issued, said Mick Shutt, Clark Public Utilities spokesman.

“Guaranteed hot water is not an insurance program, but in how it works it’s not that different than a car insurance or homeowners insurance policy,” Shutt said. “When you quit paying on it, or when it is discontinued, the coverage ends.”

It’s the law

At the heart of Clark Public Utilities’ decision to shut down appliance repair and guaranteed hot water is a state law passed in 2005, which required those services to turn a profit. The utility could no longer subsidize its programs.

“We’re really in a no-win situation,” Shutt said. “To continue to operate appliance repair would be illegal. We can’t do that. But it disappoints a lot of people.”

“They say they can’t subsidize this program, but the government can subsidize Bear Stearns?” Freund asked. “The government is of the people. But they have stopped serving the people. It doesn’t make sense.”

Freund lobbied the state Legislature to keep the program alive in 2005 and would have done it again, he said.

“I thank our customers for their previous rallying and helping us to continue this for as long as we could,” Curtis said. “We got another three years out of it thanks to them. But we could not continue.”

Courtney Sherwood covers Clark Public Utilities. Reach her at 360-735-4335 or courtney.sherwood@columbian.com.