ECRET: Boeing study did little good

MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake council member voiced his disappointment in an aerospace competitiveness study meant to help the city land Boeing's next assembly line.

Moses Lake donated $5,000 to help fund a study to examine several possible assembly sites for Boeing's 737 MAX jet, including Moses Lake, Renton, Spokane, Bremerton, Snohomish County, Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, New Mexico, Idaho and California.

But this week Boeing announced tentative plans to build the new jet in Renton, as long as the machinist's union there ratifies an agreement with the company next Wednesday.

Councilman Bill Ecret last week reiterated the reasons he decided to accompany Councilwoman Karen Liebrecht in voting against funding the study, which discussed Moses Lake just three times in its 120 pages.

"In my opinion we paid $5,000 to have our city highlighted in a negative light," he said; adding the city would have been better off using the money to focus on itself, including the availability of low cost land, low cost power and other attributes.

"I think the council needs to take into consideration before we do this again that we at least have a presentation and ask what is the worst that could happen if this report comes out negatively against Moses Lake?" he said. "It was not a good report for Moses Lake."

Councilman Dick Deane said he was pleased the city didn't spend more than $5,000 on the report, but held out hope residual benefits could still come the city's way.

Mayor Jon Lane too said while Renton was the leading contender, local boosters hadn't yet given up on staying in the game for some consideration from Boeing.

"Your point is well taken that we need to be careful where we spend our money," Lane told Ecret. "We do need better communication."

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