The Bainbridge Island Fire Department Board of Commissioners approved at its Sept. 10 meeting to allow fire chief Jared Moravec to negotiate an agreement with Puget Sound Energy to acquire property to replace portions of the Winslow Tap Transmission Line.

The project aims to replace portions of the 4.5-mile transmission line, which has been in service since the 1960s and requires upgrades. PSE anticipates construction to start in 2027 and run through 2028. The Winslow Tap serves the Winslow Substation, which supplies power to roughly 4,500 homes and businesses on the south end of the island, per PSE.

On July 25, PSE notified BIFD of the need to acquire property at 7934 NE Bucklin Hill Road, the site of Station 22, in order to complete the project, per PSE documents.

No formal agreement has been reached as part of the Sept. 10 board meeting, and with the board’s approval, Moravec can enter into an easement agreement with PSE and negotiate any additional terms, BIFD finance manager Ed Kaufman said.

The board also discussed the implications of compiling a public records index, as state law requires agencies to maintain an index for certain records. Moravec said public records requests will not be impacted by work on a proposed public records index, and the agency will continue to locate and process requests from the public, he said. The board will discuss the matter and may take further formal action at a future meeting.