Lincoln County Tour
U.S. Senator Murray’s Eastern Washington Staff
Judy Olson and Danielle Joesten
July 30, 2008
The tour was facilitated by
Pam Kelley, Ex. Director of the Lincoln County Economic Development Council,
P.O. Box 76, Wilbur, WA. 99185, 509-994-7064 cell, 509-647-0545 office,
pamedc@accima.com, www.lincolnedc.org
Reardan Davenport Wilbur Odessa Harrington Sprague
PDF Version for Printing
Dale Swant, President of Reardan Area Public Development Authority –
509-979-6882
Projects Discussed:
- Audubon Lake Watchable Wildlife Reserve (WA. Dept. of Wildlife owner) – Now people stop along the highway to look at the water fowl and create dangerous situations. Could be that we can find funds through the Scenic Byway Program.
- Need assistance with viewing pull-out along highway.
- Reardan Railroad Museum – Reardan Area PDA wants to move the Historic Sprague Depot to the site west of Reardan as an anchor for the larger museum that will be made up of the collection of cars and artifacts owned by the Inland Empire Railway Historical Society that is being evicted from the Spokane Fairgrounds.
- Need assistance with moving the depot, water, sewer and roads.
- Agricultural Value-Added Manufacturing Plant -
This project is currently being sited at the East end of town and negotiations are taking place with the Coeur d‟Alene and Spokane Tribes. The project could yield up to 90 jobs and create an ag tourism attraction. - Need assistance with infrastructure once the ownership has been decided by the Tribes.
Jim Kowalkowski, Superintendent Davenport School District
509-725-1481
Ted Hopkins, Lincoln County Commissioner
509-725-3031
Tom Martin, Lincoln Hospital Manager
509-725-7101
Scott Hutsell, Vice President of Lincoln County Economic Development Council
509-721-1982
Mark Smith, Davenport Times
509-725-0101
Workforce Development was the main topic of conversation.
- The Davenport School District has an agreement with the Lincoln Hospital to train five high school students to become Nurse Assistant Certified. The hospital will conduct the training on-site and through Interactive TV, pay for the testing and the students will receive college credits and will perform the internship at the local hospital.
- The Lincoln Hospital is starting a school for nursing (training for Registered Nurse qualifications) in Fall 2009. It will be a pilot project and will offer scholarships to cover the tuition.
- Spokane Skill Center satellite in Davenport. The Davenport School District is working with the Spokane Skill Center on a feasibility study to find ways to offer Skill Center courses to students in local schools (Davenport, Reardan, Creston)
- The Davenport, Reardan and Creston School Districts are working with the Spokane Community Colleges to offer the first college courses in their schools on the Interactive TV systems.
This pilot project begins in October 2008.
Overall comments for Senator Murray:
Jim Kowalkowski:
“No Child Left Behind”has too much emphasis on testing and the punitive side of the program is detrimental to the goal of education.
“The Art of Teaching is the key, not so much the subject being taught.”
School infrastructure is deteriorating. Need infrastructure funding assistance.
Special Ed mandates are a serious budgetary problem in small schools. Unfunded mandate.
High school technology funding is drying up.
Tom Martin:
Please continue supporting the Critical Access Program.
Lincoln Hospital was on the front page of the National Rural Health Magazine and will send a copy to Judy Olson.
Paula Berg, Senator Murray’s Healthcare representative, will be coming in August.
Tom Martin would like to meet with her.
Ted Hopkins:
Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
Spokane Tribe River Initiative
Scott Hutsell:
As small business owner in Davenport, he is finding it more and more difficult to find employees. He is very much in favor of workforce development emphasis.
Robert Wyborney, Mayor
509-647-5821
Gerry Metcalf, Wilbur Town Council
Don Rolfe, City Council
Don Reid, City Council past Mayor
Tami Krause, Chamber President
509-647-5669
Lynn McWhorter, City Council, EDC Secretary
509-647-0777
Joyce Mings, EDC Administrative Assistant
509-647-0545
Larry Lindbloom, Senior Center President
Jon Gallow, Small Cities Initiative, CTED
509-777-1503
Waste Water Treatment Replacement
Mayor Wyborney provided information pertaining to the Washington Action Program lawsuit that has affected 30 small towns in the State of Washington. This small town of 950 people is faced with the cost of building a $6 Million facility.
Need alternative rules/regulations for rural areas
Judy’s suggestion: Invite Region 10 EPA and discuss the regulations that are forcing this issue
DOE, CTED and Governor’s office need to be asked to lobby the Federal agencies for alternative rules
Whitestone Winery
The one and only winery in Lincoln County that grows all the grapes for its award- winning wines on the banks
of Lake Roosevelt.
Keith Bailey, Manager, Ag Ventures
509-721-0650
Pearson Burke, Marketing & Logistics, Inland Empire Oilseeds
509-982-2970
Doug Plinski, Mayor of Odessa
509-982-2401
Danielle Scrupps, CFO, Inland Empire Oilseeds
509-982-2970
Carlos Soza, Technical Process Manager
509-982-2970
Brooks Agnew, Green Star Products, www.greenstarusa.com
(270) 875-3777
Biodiesel Plant Tour
From Left to Right: Brooks Agnew, Judy Olson, Danielle Joesten, Doug Plinski, Keith Bailey
Biodiesel Plant Laboratory
Inland Empire Oilseeds submitted an appropriations request in 2008 for assistance with building a laboratory that will ensure high quality biodiesel on the site and will also act as a research lab for universities and students who will be studying at the site.
Gordon Herron, President, Harrington Opera House Society
509-253-4594
Ed Haugan, Treasurer, Harrington Opera House Society
(509) 253-4345
Linda Wagner, Harrington Opera House Volunteer
Tour of Harrington Opera House
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Harrington Opera House Society
www.harringtonoperahouse.org
The HOHS has been working on this building since 1992. They are making great progress, but have miles to go. The vision for the building is to become the cultural focal point of Lincoln County.
Mike Evans, Mayor of Sprague
(509) 844-4648
Mary Daniels, President, Sprague Public Development Authority
Rex Harder, Treasurer, Sprague PDA & Lincoln County EDC
(509) 257-2800
Vicki Glock, Sprague PDA
(509) 257-2035
Farrah Brittain, Sprague PDA Secretary
(509) 458-4000
Scott Clemenson, Fire Chief, Lincoln County Fire District #1
(509) 257-2926
George Kiddoo, Sprague PDA
Kay Dirks, Sprague Planning Commission
Karl Goolsby, President, Sprague Horizons
New Fire Station
Chief Clemenson gave a brief description of the plans for a new Fire Station. The situation in a nutshell:
- L.C. Fire District #1 is supported by 1,000 people and covers 400 square miles
- 80% of the emergency calls come from I-90 – the Fire District doesn‟t receive any financial assistance for its proximity to I-90
- The volunteer fire fighters are stretched to capacity
- LC Fire District #1 just received a SAFER grant to send four students to the fire fighting program and four students to EMT courses at Spokane Community Colleges
- The City of Sprague and the Fire District want to partner to build a new facility that will house a residency program.
- A residency program will lower response time and increase the volunteer crew numbers.
- The Sprague PDA prepared a feasibility study for the new facility with a State grant. Preliminary cost estimates have determined the cost of the new facility at $1.76 Million. This includes site preparation and infrastructure development.
- The Fire District submitted an appropriations request to Senator Murray’s and Senator Cantwell‟s offices in 2008. They are very anxious to know about the chances for funding.
- Judy Olson suggested that the Fire District partner with the Lincoln County Sheriff, the WA. State Patrol, BLM and DNR for cost sharing on the fire station.
Lincoln Hospital Clinic in Sprague
The Sprague PDA and the Sprague Horizons group are partnering with the City of Sprague to recruit a part time clinic in Sprague. They are currently in negotiations with Lincoln Hospital.
Industrial site by I-90
The Sprague PDA is working with a private landowner to develop some freeway property. The project is impeded by the fact that it has limited access.