Granco set to open Moses Lake branch in April

MOSES LAKE — At the ground-breaking for Granco Federal Credit Union last June, CEO Roger Johnson said he expected Granco's second branch to be open by the end of the year.

With 2015 almost a month in the rearview, Johnson said he expects Granco's Moses Lake branch to be "open in April."

Johnson said he wants the branch to be opened as quickly as possible, but the project was delayed because of dealings with the city of Moses Lake.

Anne Henning, a Moses Lake senior planner, said there haven't been any delays from the city, and the only delay she knew of had to do with the roofing material Granco was using.

Johnson said there was an issue with the roofing, but that it had to do with the supplier, not the material, and the issue was resolved.

He attributed the delays to bureaucracy, saying there are too many "different opinions and specialties within the city office."

He said one person would approve something, only to find out later that someone else either didn't approve of or didn't see the given item up for approval.

Slow responses were another concern of Johnson's. He said it took "two to three weeks" to get approval for a hydrant.

The city of Moses Lake's website lists three people within its Building Permits and Inspections Division, as well as one engineer, and another three in its Planning Division.

Johnson said as soon as he has a date for the opening, it will be posted on Granco's website and stressed the difference between banks and credit unions. "Banks are for-profit," he said. "We're not. My goal at the end of the year is zero. We care about who you are, not what your credit score is."

According to their site, Granco was organized in 1956 by members of the Grant County PUD. and is member-owned, directed and served by 17 volunteers and 19 full-time employees.

"Every credit union member is an owner with an equal voice in his or her credit union regardless of the dollar amount held in his or her account."