WASHINGTON: Moses Lake gives to Boeing study

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake is among a group of entities statewide contributing money toward a $600,000 study to ultimately have Boeing's next aircraft made in Washington state.

The Moses Lake City Council agreed to contribute $5,000 to the aerospace assessment this week.

The Grant County Economic Development Council is donating $5,000 toward the study, with the Port of Moses Lake offering $10,000, Millionaire Moses Lake contributing $10,000, and Grant County providing $5,000, according to information presented at the city council meeting.

The Machinists Union District Lodge 751 is donating $100,000 to the study, according information posted on the lodge's website.

About 100 miles from here, in Spokane, a $50,000 contract increase for economic development work on "Project Pegasus" was approved by Spokane County Commissioners Sept. 6.

"Project Pegasus" is the name for the push to keep Boeing's next aircraft made in Washington state. It wasn't clear from the contract if the extra money was being used for the aerospace assessment, but the contract did list the following services:

"Convene Spokane County stakeholders, including Spokane County, cities in Spokane County, aerospace companies and the Spokane International Airport to develop a plan to quickly respond to opportunities around the next generation of the Boeing 737,"

"Continues to ensure that aerospace-related resources, including workforce development, incentives, shovel-ready sites and other assets, maintain a high-level of visibility and focus to position Spokane County as an ideal site for Project Pegasus,"

"Expand the Inland Northwest Aerospace Consortium industry group assets - newsletter, website, directory - as a differentiator for bringing new companies and projects to the region."

According to the contract change, a new outcome measure is now to "elevate the visibility of Spokane County as a highly competitive site for the next generation of Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers."

The contract is between Spokane County and Greater Spokane Incorporated, which is the town's combined chamber of commerce and economic development council.

A spokesperson for the Snohomish County executive's office said he wasn't aware the county had put forth any money for the assessment.

In Snohomish County, Everett is the home of Boeing's 787 plant, which was selected instead of Moses Lake in 2003.

In the meantime, Moses Lake was selected as the new site for the BMW/SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers plant, which was completed this year. The plant produces carbon fiber material for BMW's new line of electrical cars.

In Grant County, BMW and SGL company officials said publicly that hydropower's availability was a main factor in Moses Lake being selected for the plant. Grant County PUD owns and operates two hydropower-producing dams on the Columbia River.

During this week's Moses Lake City Council meeting, Mayor Jon Lane introduced the aerospace assessment funding proposal.

While explaining the contents of a letter from the Grant County Economic Development Council (EDC), he said Grant County is being asked to contribute a total of $25,000 for the study.

The next competition would be for Moses Lake and there would likely be a need for additional monies, Lane said.

In the next six to eight months, some type of decision should be made.

Councilmember Richard Pearce said there isn't a lot cities can do to cause companies to chose their community.

"We can't put on festivals, invite people in and give them dinner," he said.

But the Grant County EDC can, he added.

"If the state does get it and we don't get it, I'm sure we'll get some feedback, because of our airport," Pearce said.

Councilmember Dick Deane said he agreed with Pearce.

"Right down the line, it could be worth millions and millions of dollars to our community," Deane said.

Moses Lake needs to be players in its future, he said.

Deputy Mayor Bill Ecret said he was concerned because he didn't feel the council had enough information about what the city was paying for.

He later voted against the funding request, with council-member Karen Liebrecht.

Ecret mentioned another study that focused on Moses Lake, which cost $150,000.

Lane said he serves on an aerospace committee and offered to make the presentation to the Moses Lake City Council.

There is some sense of Moses Lake not promoting itself too much, he explained.

"It seems like when we promote ourselves, something comes up," he added, referring to The Seattle Times' gangs in Grant County article, released in July.

The organization handling the study, wants to "keep it close to their vest," he said.

"We are a big, big threat to Puget Sound," Lane said. "They felt, if they know what our proposal was, some of the talk at some of the meetings, is they would pick us apart."

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