Sharing secrets of Grant County's success

GRANT COUNTY— One of Grant County's economic development leaders imparted wisdom onto members of the Washington State Grange, in hopes of spreading success statewide.

Grant County Economic Development Council Executive Director Terry Brewer spoke before the convention Thursday at 2 p.m. in the commercial building, building number 16, at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

Brewer relayed the history of the council and its mission in drawing businesses to the area to benefit local citizens.

"We firmly believe without growth, there will be stagnation in a community or its economy," Brewer said. "If left unattended long enough, there will be decline, and that's surely no good for anyone."

The basics to attract outside firms include low-cost power, a skilled work force, adequate infrastructure, the ability to communicate issues, long-term vision and hard work, Brewer said.

"We know how important agriculture is to our community and to the state, but we also feel it's important to have a well-diversified economy, so we focused on the industrial and value-added sectors," he said. "It brings a significant tax base to the community, and the wages paid to our industrial sector are well above the Grant County average wage."

In 2006, the county added 1,100 new jobs, Brewer said, and in 2007 stands to add between 743 up to possibly 1,280 new jobs. Brewer listed projects already announced, such as the Moses Lake Fabrication Company, LLC, which is already in business in Moses Lake with 36 employees; Moses Lake Ethanol, Ask.com and four or five unannounced projects.

"Our local research and economic modeling shows us our local economy will expand further as a result of those 743 or 1,280 direct jobs in the industrial sector, and expand at least by another 1,200 jobs in the other sectors of our economy over the next three to five years," Brewer said.

Brewer offered tips to the Grange convention audience for similar success in their own communities:

? Be a community ambassador, as word of mouth is more powerful than advertising

? Be aware

? Get involved

? Be part of the solution — stay engaged, be positive

Washington State Grange News Editor Dave Howard introduced Brewer, and told the audience he met him in 2002 during a trade delegation with then-Gov. Gary Locke to Japan and South Korea.

"He was talking with CEOs of multi-national corporations, trying to convince them to open up plants or offices in Grant County," Howard said.

Howard was interested in Brewer's enthusiasm to bring economic development to Grant County, and noted a recent article in the News shows the pace has picked up considerably in the county since he first spoke to Brewer.

"It's an amazing success story and I'll go out on a limb and say I bet it's due in large part to the enthusiasm and talented leadership of that man I met in Tokyo," Howard said.

Grange Communications Director Dan Hammock said things are going well for the first convention to locate in Moses Lake.

"The facilities are holding up, and we've got plenty of room for all our displays and all our other stuff," he said. "It's a good size hall, it's staying fairly cool and things are proceeding along fairly briskly."

Moses Lake was the first site selected after Grange delegation chose a new, regional system of picking a location, two years on the eastern side of the state, and two years on the western side.

"We have a convention committee which explores different options, and they found this facility would work out for us," Hammock said.

Hammock estimated the convention drew about 300 voting delegates. Adding in their spouses and participants in the convention's contests, 500 to 800 people are in Moses Lake at any time as the convention lasts through Saturday. The bulk of activities took place Thursday and Friday, Hammock added.