Absence of potential .09ers rankles Blue Ribbon panel

Members of Whitman County’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Task Commission were disappointed with the turnout at their initial meeting last Wednesday to discuss potential awards of .09 economic development funding.

Kristie Kirkpatrick, director of the county library system, attended the informational session which kicks off the annual funding award process.

“I just hope that’s not an indicator of how many applicants we’re going to get,” said Ron Wachter, a member of the commission from Pullman.

Each year since 2000, the county has awarded grants for projects intended to pump up the economies of Whitman County communities.

“This is one of the few real opportunities the county has for people who want to start new businesses,” said Wachter. “We really need people to take advantage of it.”

The .09 funds derive from nine-tenths of one percent of the state’s share of local sales tax revenues. They are given to counties to fund economic development.

Since first awarding the funds in 2000, the BRATC has granted $1,153,367 to entities from all over Whitman County.

Those awards have helped renovate the Empire Theatre in Tekoa, the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown, the cafe in Garfield and Rosalia’s Texaco Station.

“We’ve really seen a lot of economic benefits from these grants in the past,” said BRATC chair Mitch Chandler of Pullman. “Just look at what Uniontown has done with this program.”

Dale Miller, a former member of the BRATC and director of the Uniontown Development Authority, said the grants have been key to the town’s economy.

“We have people from all over stop in on the weekend to check out the art at the barn and pick up something from the Sage (bakerky),” said Miller.

Oakesdale received funding in 2008 and 2010 to remodel the upstairs part of its former fire station into an incubator space for businesses.

Last year First Wind set up an office in the incubator space as it develops its wind farm proposal on Naff Ridge.

Clerk Mary DeGon said rent from the space has been important to the city’s coffers.

“It’s really helped us keep up the services that people expect,” she said.

Commissioners earlier this year discussed the possibility of withholding .09 funding out of concern the legislature would stop the program in a move to balance the state’s budget.

After reviewing the funds, they decided to proceed with this year’s award of $100,000.

Entities looking for .09 grants have until March 11 to submit their applications to the county commissioners’ office.

The BRATC will review those applications at a March 15 meeting and will call back applicants for presentations at a March 22 meeting.

The commission will then recommend projects to county commissioners, who will award funding April 4.