Port working on rail

Industrial park tenants see need for labor, housing

ROYAL CITY — Things go a little slower at the Port of Royal Slope.

Port director Cathy Potter says it several times.

But that doesn't mean nothing's going on. Far from it, in fact.

The port is in the process of two projects she can't really talk about yet because a commitment hasn't yet been made.

"But we do have a couple that we're excited about, not necessarily in our port's industrial park, but in our district," she said.

The port is also in the process of working to revive a railroad that runs to Royal City from Othello. Potter said the rail is good and heavy, but hasn't been in operation for several years.

Due to fuel costs, truck shortages and removing hazardous materials off the roadways, the port feels the need for rail has intensified in the area. Potter said she has been in contact with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) over the last year and a half to two years.

"We know there's a couple of rock slides that have covered the tracks, which rocks slough off each year — it wasn't an uncommon thing," she said. "It just hasn't been kept up. So we wanted to get a simple agreement with (the) department of transportation, go and take our equipment, remove the rock slides and then possibly get a crew to go along the railroad and pick up the debris or branches off of the rail, so that at least the track can be assessed or it's going to look presentable for someone to operate the short line."

The port has been seeking a simple agreement with WSDOT to clean up the rail, but has not been successful in those attempts, Potter said, adding that a representative met with the port on site Thursday.

"We have several businesses that are going out of the area to get rail service, and of course that is a concern to us," she said. "We want to retain the industries we have, and if they have to go out of this area to get that service … Also, we miss out on the opportunities to bring outside businesses in because of lack of rail."

Potter thinks the WSDOT was impressed with the port's need, and said the next step would be to get support from legislators. Potter said the port is working to set up a meeting with Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Moses Lake.

In other port news, Royal Ridge Fruit & Cold Storage, a leading producer of tart cherry concentrate, recently completed an expansion of its warehouse.

Royal Ridge partner Kevin Dorsing said locating on port property in 2000 has been good because the Slope is in close proximity to apple and cherry production areas.

The freezer expansion project allows the company to store its product on site. Dorsing said it made more sense to expand into a freezing warehouse for the company's needs, and also extra capacity, making custom freezing available to the marketplace.

The company is in its first season of using the freezer for warehousing, and is installing a fruit drying process, having expanded a dry storage facility to the north of the facility in recent years.

Dorsing said labor will be a big issue in the future for the area. With immigration issues in Congress, he sees a need to legalize the current work force and create a guest worker program of sorts in order to be able to bring labor in and sustain the company.

"That I think is probably one of our number one concerns, that we have enough people to run the plant," he said.

Essential oil processor Norwest Ingredients was the last tenant to come into the port's industrial park, opening in March 2005.

Norwest managing partner Terry Cochran said he lived in the Royal area all of his life, and chose to expand into the port to utilize industrial zoning, good utilities and transportation access.

Cochran sees a need for quality housing in the Royal area.

"It's pretty hard to bring in employees to live in this area," he said. "Basically, they have to live in Moses Lake or in the surrounding communities."

Cochran said his company hopes to continue growing its business and expanding within the next five years, which is dependent upon market demand.

Potter said the port is excited about its industrial park, which is developed and lots are ready to go, possessing low power and good land prices.

"We're ready, but I think it just takes a little while for us," she said, noting that the port anticipates that the businesses that come into the park will probably be from the Royal City community. "But with what's gone on in Grant County, there's always a chance that a little side business might start off from one of the other ones, and we may get something from that."

Potter said several community members have gotten together in effort to show a little community pride and responsibility.

"We need to show everyone that we're proud of our area," she said, adding that there may be some leadership forums and local beautification projects, working with the city and community.

While the group is comprised of volunteers, Potter believes this is a good step, "because we fall in that category of the rural agricultural small communities that have areas that you struggle with," including poverty and language barriers. "If we can address some of these issues and change as we have grown, bring everybody on board together and make them all feel a part of the community, then I think we're all going to see the results and prosper."