Mike Conley mug shot

Projects will increase job opportunities in Mattawa industrial parks CERB approves Port's applications for sewer, water, fire flow

MATTAWA — The future of the Port of Mattawa's industrial parks is taking shape, and hopes are high that it will mean more jobs for the area.

"We're going to get some property back on the tax rolls down there, and help attract more jobs in the area," said Port of Mattawa Manager Mike Conley. "That's our whole goal — the ability for year-round jobs to be created in the community."

Conley said that Mattawa still has one of the lowest per capita incomes, noting that it was less than $15,000 in 2003.

"That's below the poverty level, so that's the idea, to get some year-round jobs," he said.

At a recent Washington State Community Economic Revitilization Board (CERB) meeting, the Port was approved for an infrastructure project in its Industrial Park # 1, and to substitute a fire flow system for its Taylor Orchards CA Storage project in Industrial Park #2.

The infrastructure project will provide sewer, water, electrical and phone conduit along with road construction, Conley said.

"That opens up about 30 acres of ground in Industrial Park #1," he said. "It's sewer, water and roads, so then we can have buildings that we can build or lease ground and have people build buildings."

CERB will provide a $180,000 1.87 percent 20-year loan, and a grant for $70,000.

The Port will contract with an engineering firm to update the designs for the project, and Conley hopes to have the item out for bid by the end of the month, have it awarded in December and completed by late spring.

"That project now is a precursor to us having the ability to build more buildings," Conley said, noting that the three buildings already established in the Port's industrial park are all occupied.

In the second industrial park, four 10-acre lots have been purchased. An onion packing and storage facility sits on two, and Taylor Orchard fast-tracked completion of their storage.

"I was there yesterday, and that CA storage is already almost full of apples," Conley said. "They said it didn't do any good to bring it online after the harvest, so they fast-tracked to get it done."

Conley said that Shaw Vineyards, which was originally intended to receive the fire flow system in place of Taylor Orchards, is still expected to move forward, but not in the initial time line.

"They've just got themselves wrapped up in this new vineyard development on what's called Red Mountain down by Benton City, so this hasn't been a high priority for them," he said, noting that Shaw still has money on a lot in the second industrial park.

Conley said that he will be putting in an Request For Proposal (RFP) before the end of the month to put in a well, in order to move forward with installation of the fire flow system.

Conley said that both of the projects utilize funding from the county's strategic infrastructure program.

"We're real happy to see the county put these kind of dollars back out in the infrastructure of the rural parts of the county," he said.