County, Port exchange reports

Topics ranging from the long-dormant Hawkins project to membership status for the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association were discussed at the May 1 joint meeting of the Port of Whitman commissioners and the county commissions.

The session at the Port office started out with a formal introduction of Kristine Meyer, the appointee to the Port seat formerly held by the late Dan Boone.

Responding to a Port question, Commissioner Art Swannack said the county has had no indication of development happening at the Hawkins project site located on the Washington side of the state line. Swannack added he does not anticipate construction of a brick and mortar shopping mall on the Hawkins property because of national growth of direct retailing.

The Hawkins agreements date back to 2008 when the county agreed to provide infrastructure in the event retail development took place on property purchased by the Boise-based company next to the state line along the Moscow-Pullman Highway.

One of two agreements signed by the county to assist Hawkins by providing infrastructure for a proposed development has expired.

The county has been putting aside .09 economic development tax revenue in the event it has to meet terms on the infrastructure agreement.

At the time the county planned to cover the added costs of its share of the project with bonds which would be paid off by sales tax revenue generated by business located on the site.

Also, Swannack relayed a report that the legislative proposal for revision of a the state’s fiber optic line is still alive in the legislature.

Port Commissioner Tom Kammerzell said the Port has been pushing for the fiber optics proposal which would extend the option to ports for providing lines to non-rural counties. He later explained amendments have been added in Olympia to the bill which the Port does not support.

Under its rural designation, the Port of Whitman has installed fiber lines.

Kammerzell, who represents the county on the advisory board for the state’s PCC railroad, told county commissioners the state this year plans work on bridges along the line between the McCoy Elevator south of Rosalia and the line’s junction with the BNSF mainline at Marshall. Washington & Idaho Railroad operates on the line, transporting 115-car grain trains north from McCoy on the line.

Kammerzell said work on 11 bridges by the state is expected this year.

He also noted the state Department of Transportation crews have opted to do work on the railroad crossing in lieu of hiring contractors.

County Commissioner Dean Kinzer, who this year chairs the committee for the multi-county SEWEDA organization, said the group has encountered a problem with Port staff members insisting in having a seat on the SEWEDA board. Kinzer said staff members for the Port of Clarkston and the Port of Columbia County are seeking the seats.

Ports are now listed as ex-officio members of SEWEDA.

Kinzer said the potential problem with Port officials holding seats on the board could be the tendency of Port staffers “bird dogging” potential economic development projects for their respective districts.

At the end of the joint session, county commissioners confirmed that work on another segment of the Almota Road will not happen this year. The county has received funding approval for the segment, but will delay the start until next year, Swannack reported.

Earlier this year the county had planned to call for bids on phase four of the Almota Road project which would extend from Union Flat Creek south to the top of the Henning Hill.

Phase four and phase three of the Almota Road project remain to be completed for the road which serves Almota, Boyer and the link to Lower Granite Dam.