Governor planning visit to Moses Lake
Gregoire to speak at luncheon at BBCC
MOSES LAKE — Governor Christine Gregoire is planning to talk to Moses Lake residents about transportation and other issues during a visit to the area next month, her first official stop in the city since taking office earlier this year.
The governor will be visiting with community and business leaders on Oct. 5, highlighted by a luncheon discussion at the Grant County Advanced Technologies Education Center (ATEC) on the Big Bend Community College Campus.
Moses Lake Noon Rotary Club members are assisting to bring the governor to the county, along with the help of 13th District State Sen. Joyce Mulliken.
Larry Peterson is one of the organizers for the visit on behalf of the Rotarians, and said Gregoire's talk will be centered around transportation issues impacting central Washington. Peterson said the trip will include tours of facilities like ATEC and industrial facilities, and he hopes it gives the governor a good picture of economic development issues in the Grant County area.
"We'd like her to leave here with a good image of the Columbia Basin," Peterson said, "and what we can bring to the state's economy."
Peterson said the luncheon talk was originally planned for the Noon Rotary Club, but was later broadened to include a number of different organizations interested in the visit. He said the trip was initiated by an invitation by Mulliken, R-Moses Lake.
"I hope we will graciously welcome her and show her that we are a great place," Mulliken said.
Mulliken said that it's important that she maintain a relationship with Gov. Gregoire and her administration. If the 13th District has an issue, and the governor wants to be a part of that, Mulliken said she wants that open door of communication.
"I don't agree with her philosophy on most public policy," Mulliken said, "but this is about policy, and not about politics."
Mulliken said that the visit would be an opportunity to highlight places like the ATEC center, and the aviation and nursing programs at BBCC. Mulliken said the governor is also interested in health, education and business efforts in the area, and will be meeting with community and business leaders while in the county.
Gregoire's press secretary, Carol Andrews, said the governor tries to travel around the state and speak with different citizens, at events like the one in Moses Lake.
One of the subjects will be transportation, and Andrews said the governor feels an importance to fund different transportation projects around the state. Andrews said that particularly in light of the recent impacts of Hurricane Katrina, Gregoire is concerned about making sure the state's transportation structure is as strong as it needs to be.
"She just basically wants to be there to hear what people are talking about and what they're concerned about," Andrews said.