Port adopts updated strategic plan

MOSES LAKE — Within five years Port of Moses Lake officials have set the goal of completing a rail line to the port and will be working to provide additional electricity to its tenants – or will already be providing it. The port will be operating its own water system and will have additional businesses in the property on its western edge. Those are among the goals in the five-year strategic plan, approved by port commissioners Monday.

Commissioner Kent Jones said it’s a work in progress, building off the previous plan. And since it’s a plan, it’s subject to change.

“Our thought process is that this is a plan of what we expect to do over the next five years,” Jones said. “It doesn’t tell us who’s going to do it or how it’s going to get done – and some of these are aspirational goals anyway.”

Kim Detrolio, the port’s director of finance and administration, said port officials already are working on some of the projects, but more are planned.

“it’s an expansion of what we’re doing,” Detrolio said.

The port has its own sewer system and wants to make it bigger. Port officials also want to build a water system for their customers.

Port officials are in the process of building new lines and rehabilitating existing ones to bring rail service back to port property. The rail line will join the existing railroad at Wheeler Road, about five miles of new track will be built and about 4.5 miles rehabilitated. The strategic plan sets a goal to have that project completed within five years.

Port commissioners approved agreements for the last two sections that needed a right of way at the Feb. 10 meeting.  A construction schedule is still being determined.

The strategic plan also includes the goal of securing – or developing – alternative sources of electricity for existing and future port tenants.

The plan also sets a goal of improving roads, including the ongoing extension of Drumheller Road south of Ephrata. Preliminary work has started on Drumheller Road and is slated to continue in 2025, Grant County Engineer Dave Bren said in a separate interview. The road would provide access to State Route 17, and port property, from the west side of Moses Lake.

Port officials also will be looking for better access to Interstate 90, according to the strategic plan. The goal is to encourage logistics companies to come to the port – which could increase opportunities for air cargo transport. Part of that would be developing better freeway access, either east or west of town. Writing a plan for infrastructure improvement would be the first phase of that project.

 Improving air transport is part of the plan, including determining if regular passenger air service is feasible, with an annual review of the possibilities.

Commissioner Darrin Jackson said Feb. 10 that as of now it’s still as affordable, if not more affordable, to drive to Spokane or Seattle rather than fly from Moses Lake to a major hub.

“Everybody wants service in here. We have a huge airport, a nice facility that we use to do that, facilitate that, but you’re going to have to pay for it,” Jackson said.

Port officials want to increase available industrial land and encourage development on the west side of port property. Part of that will be developing a marketing plan for the west side property.

The plan also recommends looking for new manufacturing tenants, working with private businesses and Big Bend Community College.

Other goals target continuing education and certification for employees and reviewing budget and investment procedures. Port officials want to attract enough business to reduce the port’s reliance on taxes – and possibly cut them. One element of attracting business would be the development of marketing and communications plans.