Buchanan replaces Riley as Big Bend EDC director

New executive director believes in community planning

COLUMBIA BASIN - There's a new face in charge of a local economic development council.

Mike Buchanan became the executive director of the Big Bend Economic Development Council Oct.1. He replaces Bill Riley, who became executive director in August 1993.

Buchanan had been working as a senior planner with the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments. He is in the process of marketing his home in Yakima to purchase a residence in Moses Lake.

Buchanan previously served as deputy director for the council in the mid-1990s.

"Actually, Bill Riley was my first employer, hired me right out of college," Buchanan said. "I graduated from Central Washington University and about five months after I graduated, I started work here."

Buchanan always believed the executive director position would be a wonderful way to work in the community.

"I truly believe in community planning, and community planning is a big thing," he said. "It's not just bringing infrastructure to companies so they can create jobs. There's also looking at land uses and the issues which come up to affect the people and affect the growth of business and communities."

Buchanan said the council has been an effective organization and he hopes to continue along the same vein.

"Everybody does things differently," he said. "I am really interested in customer service, listening to communities and finding out what are their issues and what are the things we can do to put in the overall economic development plan for the region?"

The council does a planning document required by the Economic Development Administration, and tries to implement it as much as possible.

The council covers Grant, Adams and Lincoln counties.

"Each one of those counties are different, and each and every city is different," Buchanan said.

Buchanan said he is determining the council's biggest need.

"I'm finding that out, that's part of listening," he said. "It could be industrial wastewater, it could be roads, water systems, water rights, the need to protect the water we use. It could be a lot of different issues and it varies from community to community."

Buchanan has always been amazed by the potential of the Big Bend area.

"Grant County has a wonderful airfield that hasn't even begun to reach its potential for international air flights for cargo," he said. "This would be a great area where it's not impacted by traffic gridlock. It also has the lowest electricity rate in the country, so that's just another great attraction to businesses, and we need to make sure we let the rest of the world know about that."

Buchanan also pointed to Adams and Lincoln counties as great agricultural areas.

"All of them have connections in terms of roads we have to make sure are maintained and those transportation linkages are there - rail, air and roadway," he said.

Buchanan welcomes suggestions for projects or things to bring to the attention of the council board.

For more information, call the council at 509-764-8591.