CEDS Meeting Sets Priorities

DAYTON – Fifty-one stakeholders attended the annual Port-sponsored Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy meeting held at Fire District No. 3, on December 20.

Columbia Pulp

Kristi Kobetich, Product Line Manager for Columbia Pulp, LLC, gave an update on the progress of the Lyons Ferry Straw Pulp Mill. Kobetich is the liaison between customers and the production facility, making sure all systems are in place and that customers are satisfied.

"We believe our straw pulp is going to be a good substitute for hard wood pulp," she said.

Good access to wheat straw, land, water, rail and interstate access on the Snake River makes the location of the Lyons Ferry Straw Pulp Mill ideal.

The "tree free" milling process, using locally sourced wheat and alfalfa, requires less energy and water than traditional mills.

When the facility is at full production, at the end of 2018, 400 metric tons of wet pulp will be milled each day, bundled, and sent to customers where the pulp will be molded into containers for egg and apple cartons, printing and writing paper, packaging and other items.

Kobetich said the co-product from the milling process also has useful applications for road dust abatement and de-icing, erosion control and agricultural uses.

"It's very exciting from a sustainability aspect. It took a pretty exciting project for me to be interested in packing up and moving across the state," said Kobetich, who moved to Dayton, with her husband, from Port Townsend, three months ago.

Kobetich said resumes are currently being accepted at resume@columbiapulp.com. She said the demand is for skilled trades including millwrights and pipefitters.

Downtown Task Force

Betty Lou Crothers talked about some Downtown Dayton Task Force (DDTF) projects.

"The task force is always busy with 501 3C projects," she said.

The Task Force completed landscaping at the DOT building on West Main Street, which is one of three west-end projects. She said the city recently installed sidewalks, landscaping, benches, and bike racks.

"I knew it was going to be awesome and I didn't realize how much that was going to tie the east and west end, contiguously," Crothers said.

The DDTF contracts with the Chamber of Commerce in organization, promotion, design and maintenance.

"With B&O money we are allowed to help private small businesses improve their property," she said.

Some of those projects are the new public restroom at the Dayton Historic Depot, façade improvement through grants, regional wayfinding signs, maintenance at Caboose Park and the Commercial Street Walkway and downtown flowers.

"We've had more positive feedback on those flower planters the last two years than anything I can remember through all of the years," Crothers said.

In 2018, the DDTF will work at Caboose Park to get railroad-themed playground equipment and picnic tables, installed.

Chamber of Commerce

Bill Clemens, President of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, announced board members for 2018.

They are: Kathy Berg, President; Ann Walsh Vice President; Bev Rising, Treasurer. Clemens will serve as Past President.

"Events are the biggest focus. We will continue with that and look for ways to make it better," Clemens said.

The job of the chamber is the general promotion and marketing of Dayton, which is done through hotel/motel funds. Clemens said the chamber stepped out into the social media realm fairly successfully in 2017.

Port manager Jennie Dickinson agreed, "There is no doubt that Justin's (Nix) additional promotion of Octoberfest brought different people to our town."

The Chamber will continue to work with the DDTF and on the Shop Local Campaign, and will keep an eye on targeting the market that was identified through a recent tourism survey, Clemens said.

CEDS Project List

Port Manager Jennie Dickinson spent considerable time updating the CEDS Project List in areas including: Education and Training, Infrastructure, Business Development, Tourism, Housing, Community Development, and Accomplishments.

Dickinson said she thinks upgrading the city's wastewater treatment plant is essential because the Department of Ecology has ruled there can be no new commercial connections without a discharge permit.

"I know one instance that caused a business to look elsewhere," she said. "That's my number one keeping Jennie up at night," she said.

Dickinson said she would like to see an internship program for jobs for teens and aging schools tops her list of priorities.

Also, recycling has come to a standstill because of the failure on the part of the state legislature to pass a capital budget.

"It's important for the planet," Dickinson said.

Economic Indicators

Dickinson spoke about some economic indicators for Columbia County.

In 1993, the county had a 15% average unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted. The rate for the end of 2017 is 4.7%, which is "pretty astonishing." she said.

"It's very, very exciting. With tourism wind development and other things, we're not hit so hard," she said.

The largest employer in the county is CCHS with 159 employees, followed by Ski Bluewood, with 130. The Dayton School District employs 107 workers.

The biggest gain overall has been Seneca Foods Corporation which has almost doubled its workforce through increased seed production.

"It is full and busy, and we are very lucky they have kept their seed production here," Dickinson said.

The largest taxpayers in the county are those with wind facilities: Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp and Puget Sound Energy, which are keeping individual tax rates steady or increasing very little, she said.

In 2003, the total county valuation was $265 million. Dickinson said that because of the way wind facilities are valued, it has gone up 227 percent, to almost $1 billion in 2017.

"Another really, really long term sign for our community," she said.

All taxable retail sales show a percent increase of 7.36% from second quarter 2016 to second quarter 2017. Taxable Retail Sales for the Retailing Industry shows an increase of 14% from 2016 to 2017, Dickinson said.

2017 Priorities

Dickinson also gave an update on the top three priorities for our region, which were voted on by stakeholders at the 2016 CEDS meeting.

Walking/Biking Trails

Stakeholders identified a bike trail going from Dayton to Waitsburg as a top priority. With help from a grant from the National Park Service, a plan that will connect nonmotorized trails throughout the region is in its final stages.

The finalized plan will be adopted by the Palouse Regional Transportation Planning Organization, and incorporated into regional city and county comprehensive plans, after which prioritization and funding can begin, she said.

Fairgrounds/Community Center/Historic Fairgrounds Building

Early in 2017, County Planning Director Meagan Bailey formed a committee to create a Facilities Improvement Plan for the fairgrounds and golf course. Since then, another group, the Friends of the Fairgrounds, has also formed to help.

Bailey said the Fairgrounds Pavilion has been upgraded with a new HVAC, sound system, tables and chairs, and is being used for community events.

The BOCC is creating a new maintenance department, under Dave Finney. Finney will be able to track expenses at any county-owned property, she said.

Security cameras at the golf course and horse arena will be installed to collect all associated use fees.

The Touchet Valley Golf Board will rent the restaurant and golf sheds from the county to help get the county out of heavy subsidization of those facilities, Bailey said.

Affordable/Senior/Assisted Living Housing

Dayton General Hospital CEO Shane McGuire addressed Affordable/Senior/Assisted Living Housing.

He said the systems already in place only address long-term care and end-of-life care. He said there is a significant "donut hole" in care for older people who need intermediate care between living in their own home and nursing home care. People who need nursing home care are currently in facilities in Walla Walla, he said.

Columbia County Health System (CCHS) is looking into preliminary designs for a 24,000 sq. ft. memory care/assisted living facility.

"Seventy percent of the residents in the Booker Rest Home could qualify for that," McGuire said.

He said business plans and concepts will be finalized in 2018.

"We want these people to stay local. This is their home," he said.

CCHS is also looking into creating dementia-friendly communities

2018 Priorities

At the end of the meeting those present were asked to identify top priorities for 2018. Of the 51 attendees, 38 people voted with the following items receiving the top five votes:

1. Wastewater Treatment Plant

2. School Facilities Plan/Improvements/Levies/Bonds

3. Workforce/Senior/Assisted Living/Memory Care Housing

4. Boys & Girls Club

5. Recycling

"These priorities help our economic development partners with decisions on how and where to allocate time and resources throughout the year," Dickinson said.