Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
McMorris Rodgers
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers listens during the meeting in Colfax Tuesday afternoon.
A group of 14 leaders from various county and city governments met with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Colfax Tuesday to discuss issues ranging from water to fiber optics, road permits and river traffic.
McMorris Rodgers arrived from earlier events in Walla Walla for the two-hour session at The Center in Colfax. The topic of the meeting was transportation and infrastructure.
She reported the new secretary of transportation has asked her to put together a wish list.
“Everything's on the table right now,” McMorris Rodgers said. “Roads, bridges, broadband, ports, airports, sewer, water.”
A member of her staff walked over, placing a smartphone on the table.
It was Ninth District Rep. Mary Dye joining on conference call.
“Thank you for inviting me to your meeting,” her voice emanated from the speaker to those seated around the long table.
“You're not taking up much space,” said Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson, with a chuckle, seated to one side of McMorris Rodgers.
The congresswoman then spoke about how President Donald Trump talks about “the Trump way” as completing projects under budget and ahead of schedule.
“It's not about changing the requirements, it's about giving more flexibility to how you meet the requirements,” she said. “And fulfilling the environmental standards that we all want to see.”
After introductions around the table, Pullman Public Works Director Kevin Gardes spoke on Pullman roads and streets, bus replacement and “water supplies in the medium-term.”
McMorris Rodgers then told of how bipartisan conversations were underway about a total government funding package to replace the one expiring April 28.
“I haven't heard whether we have an agreement. The goal was by the end of this week,” she said. “It would be an appropriations bill, an omnibus. If we're unable, then we'll be looking at a CR (continuing resoluton)."
Moscow-Pullman Airport Executive Director Tony Bean talked about the airport's runway realignment project and mentioned the idea of privatization of air traffic controllers.
“Do you have thoughts on that?” the congresswoman asked.
“I like the concept. I don't know how you do it,” he said.
Mayor Johnson added a comment.
“The FAA is a fantastic federal agency, you always hear the opposite,” he said.
Mark Storey, Whitman County Public Works director, volunteered to talk next.
He told of how the county has similar problems from year to year.
“I used to push for new (infrastructure) projects, but now I see we really need more assistance in maintenance and preservation,” he said. “I would urge Congress to keep that in mind.”
“I appreciate the idea,” McMorris Rodgers said as part of the exchange. “That's the way we need to be thinking.”
Also in attendance were public works directors for Garfield County and Asotin County.
Discussion followed about whether federal money could be directly distributed to counties and cities.
Storey also mentioned streamlining the permitting process.
Whitman County Commissioner Dean Kinzer spoke.
“We need container transportation going down the river again,” he said.
Tom Kammerzell, Port commissioner, added to the subject.
“If we lose this river system, that puts that much more pressure on everybody else,” he said, gesturing to the rest of the table.
A representative from the Port of Clarkston mentioned cruise boat lines and the growing numbers of people taking river cruises. Many are tourists from Europe.
Kammerzell talked then on fiber optics.
“It is the one thing that will lead to economic gain,” he said. “Just like rural electrification.”
Rep. Dye then gave an update on a bill in the Washington state legistlature.
She noted that the effort would “tweak” the current law that allows ports to build infrastucture.
A McMorris Rodgers staff member then noted that it was time to wind down, and the congresswoman asked if there was anything from Avista.
Avista Regional Manager Paul Kimmel noted the utility's $400 million per year in infrastucture projects and how they are also building for electric vehicles.
“Some of the dollars from the Volkswagen settlement may come here,” he said, referring to the auto manufacturer's federal fines following the scandal about manipulating emissions gauges on hundreds of thousands of vehicles sold in the U.S.
Kristie Kirkpatrick, Whitman County Library executive director, host of the meeting, then thanked the congresswoman and made a comment about the speed of broadband, saying that many library patrons are not able to use online features of the library due to lack of fast-enough access.
As the meeting concluded, Storey offered help to McMorris Rodgers' staff with federal permitting on National Environmental Policy Act issues.
Afterward, the congresswoman traveled to Pullman for the last stop on the day's schedule, a tour of the Schweitzer Engineering Family Center.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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