The Year in Review

November

After a nearly 10-year effort, the Board of Directors of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District adopted a resolution to allocate the first 17,639 acres of new Columbia Basin Project water to replace ground water permits in the declining Odessa Subarea aquifer.

The Board’s resolution designated water for an initial pump station and pipeline system which would serve about 10,000 acres of eligible deep-well irrigated lands south of Interstate 90, utilizing new East Low Canal delivery capacity created as a result of more than $35 million in state and federal investments in Weber Coulee siphons and canal expansion. The Board’s action clears the way for staff to continue working with landowners to finalize design, water-service contracts and construction financing.

The Board also reserved water for about 7,700 acres from new water supplies for deep-well irrigators whose eligible lands may not be served immediately by District delivery systems. This would be similar to acres currently served on the east side of East Low Canal, where farmers take delivery of project water at the East Low Canal and convey it through individual pump systems.

With the assistance of a Big Bend Community College Title V grant and staff services from an organization called Washington Campus Compact, the Odessa Community Knowledge Center is now open to the public for basic computer literacy classes.

The purpose of these classes is not only to teach the basic tools needed for further education, but also to help bring equality to the community.

The proposed budget introduced by Mayor Doug Plinski at the Odessa Town Council would increase local water rates by five percent, sewer rates also by five percent and garbage rates by three percent (garbage is a contracted service and the provider has raised rates by that much) in order to keep up with expenses incurred for maintenance and repair of the town’s water and sewer systems.

Small cities and towns throughout eastern Washington have been hard hit by reduced revenue streams over the past few years, said Plinski.

December

The Odessa High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America has partnered with the Lincoln County Economic Development Council to tackle the problem of out-migration by youth and not returning to fill many open positions head on.

Together, the two organizations hosted a career fair for Lincoln County students, with special emphasis on careers needed in Lincoln County.

The annual Christmas Fest put on by the Odessa Junior Livestock 4-H Club and the many volunteers who helped out December 3 was once again a well-attended local event to kick off the holiday shopping season.

The Town of Odessa is all decorated for the holidays, following the hard work of town citizens willing to volunteer their time and equipment to the effort. The snowflakes that line the downtown area of First Avenue were refurbished by Chamber of Commerce members last year with new LED lights.

The final decorations were put up when lights were put on the evergreen tree at the Old Town Hall.

Many of the downtown businesses also decorated their windows and/or doorways with signs of the season, so the atmosphere in the town center was quite festive.

Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center held a series of discussion groups to listen to community members and help with understanding of concerns and perceptions regarding the services provided. The discussion groups were hosted by the Washington State Hospital Association and facilitated by Health Facilities Planning & Development.