Port of Whitman receives CERB grant for Tekoa property

TEKOA — The Port of Whitman County received a $100,000 planning grant from the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board to identify site readiness barriers, solutions and costs in the Port’s Tekoa development site location during their regular commission meeting on Thursday, Jan. 18.

The grant will support the Port’s work in preparing the Tekoa property for future developments, with funds covering additional readiness costs such as identifying road access and availability of utilities.

The funds will also go towards a marketing strategy for the Tekoa development, including economic development analysis and identification of target industries.

Port Commission President Tom Kammerzell said that as Whitman County’s Associate Development Organization, the Port is dedicated to recruiting new businesses and helping existing businesses in the county to thrive.

Kammerzell said they seek to provide resources to entrepreneurs and businesses in the area. “This Community Economic Revitalization Board grant allows us to take the Tekoa site one step closer to these goals. We are grateful for their partnership,” Kammerzell said.

Tekoa Mayor Roy Schulz said that they are excited and intrigued to see what comes of the project. “We think it’s a wonderful property, and we appreciate the Port,” he said, noting that otherwise, the property would sit there. “We really appreciate the Port working to bring jobs into the county,” Schulz said.

The Port Commission completed the closure of the 14-acre property northwest of Tekoa on Friday, June 23, 2023, and is transforming it into an industrial leasing opportunity for tenants to bolster economic participation.

The Port completed an environmental site assessment and topsoil cleanup of the site to prepare the ground for safe development into a site-ready industrial real estate opportunity.

The planning grant study contracts are expected to be finalized in March 2024 and completed in December.