Development Council hears about Legislative issues

AWB vice president gives 'inside scoop'

MOSES LAKE — The first edition of Washington Business magazine was about Moses Lake.

Gary Chandler, vice president of the Association of Washington Business, provided that tidbit as he addressed the Grant County Economic Development Council (GCEDC) quarterly membership meeting Thursday morning.

"It would be interesting to go back and read what you guys talked about in economic development then, and what you've achieved today," Chandler opined.

When he worked as a Grant County commissioner with a Big Bend economic development group, and when the GCEDC was starting as he was leaving, he remembered, he would get calls from people asking why he was promoting people moving into the area.

"That was usually the 206ers that had moved over here, and they didn't want anybody else," he said. "As I told them, I grew up here, I want my kids to live here, and I want my grandkids to live here. That's why we need economic growth."

In what council President Brian Meiners called an "inside scoop," Chandler provided the audience with a list of the issues that will come up before state legislators, and their impact upon business owners.

Chandler told audience members of the AWB's mission to recruit candidates with a business background to serve on the state's legislative floor.

"Quite frankly, I'll tell you, I don't care what party they're in as long they stand up for the business issues that we need over there, and make the changes that we need to turn this state back around," he said.

Chandler touched upon issues businesses face including the death tax, property rights, the energy portfolio, the possibility of family medical leave in smaller businesses and mandatory sick leave, the minimum wage, retirement health care, the importance of education to the workforce and the possibility of a state income tax.

Prior to Chandler's speech, Executive Director Terry Brewer updated members on the council's activities, including some of those projects which have not yet been formally announced:

The two-years-in-the-process Guardian Industries purchased property on Road N across from REC Silicon this week, he announced, and an "energy guru" from the company will meet with Brewer and the PUD on energy matters. The company is actively engaged meeting the State Environmental Policy Act criteria and working with the Department of Ecology on an air quality permit. The department indicated to Brewer the air quality permit will be finalized in January, allowing the project to go forward sometime in 2007.

Specialty Chemical has a lease with purchase option on 6 acres at the former Pacific Northwest Sugar Company facility, now called Central Terminals, and is working with engineers to make plans for their project. The company is seeking financing for a $35 million chemical processing project, Brewer said, adding it will hopefully go forward in 2007.

Warden-based Washington Biodiesel is closing final documents on state loan and grant money made available to the local port district for biodiesel processing facilities.

Due to a change in ownership, Moses Lake Ethanol is now Washington Ethanol, LLC. In June the company purchased 100 acres at the former sugar plant site, with an option for an additional 40 acres.

"The news I got this week talking with their local project manager is that the new corporate group finally understands what they've got here and how far along this project really was," Brewer said. He noted that in pursuing four to five projects in the United States, Washington was initially pushed back in line. "They told me that, as of this week, they are moving it up, possibly to the very front end of the queue, because they've thought about how far the previous development group had taken this project."

Washington Ethanol is working on final engineering matters that lead to permit applications, Brewer said. He concluded with the sentiment that more good news is to come in the end of the year and 2007.