History of Odessa's Public Development Authority
Last updated 4/28/2022 at 12:24pm
ODESSA- The local Public Development Authority formed in 2000 when the Odessa Economic Development Committee asked for assistance with the Industrial Park.
The Odessa EDC chose seven candidates from a list of 12 that expressed interest in serving on the panel.
Mark DeWulf submitted a draft of a resolution creating the PDA and its charter and by-laws for town council’s approval, which is required by state law.
The state Community Economic Revitalization Board’s Rural Opportunity Fund granted $22,500 in December of 1999 to fund the pre-development phase of the 15 acre Industrial Park.
Pam Kelley from the Lincoln County Advance Development Office along with the Odessa EDC created a proposal of the Industrial Park.
Funding was granted on the condition that a PDA be formed to become the lead agency for the development of the industrial park.
A PDA’s functions are similar to those of a port district, but it frees the town government of any financial liability in the venture.
Town council offered the land and sewer service to the site.
The PDA had its first board meeting on Feb. 1, 2000.
Council chose six of the 12 candidates to represent the PDA.
Jim Walter was named the board’s president.
Town council unanimously voted for the approval of Dave Frederick to be Vice President.
Kim Ramm, who was elected secretary, was the seventh candidate to be chosen by Mayor Carl Ryan.
Judy Scrupps was named the first elected treasurer for the board.
Officers also included Mark Cronrath, Todd King and Roger Sebesta.
Each officer was elected for one-year terms.
Inland Empire Oilseeds LLC, board members of the PDA, representatives of the state department of Community Trade and the EDC met on Dec. 13, 2006.
The group met for the signing of documents that provided $2.7 million for IEOS proposed canola seed crushing and the biodiesel plant.
In 2007 the biodiesel plant was established and in April of that year the PDA received another $1 million dollar loan from the state of Washington.
The total state fund for the biodiesel plant was for $4.3 million dollars.
The biodiesel plant closed its doors in 2013 to briefly re-open them in 2014.
The 24,000 square foot building sits vacant and had several that were interested in purchasing, but the prospective buyers, have yet to purchase the plant.
Due to a decline of state funds in recent years, it has been hard for development to continue in rural communities, but Lincoln County EDC Director Janice Jantz has an optimistic outlook for the future.
“My hopes for any PDA are that they will all be involved with their perspective City/Town to build a solid foundation and friendship through collaborative efforts,” Jantz said in an email. “The EDC is here to support the PDA’s through resources and grant opportunities while addressing the needs of each community (like housing shortages and business development).”
Jantz is looking forward to projects coming back to the local area.
“I’m one year into my new position here at the EDC and I’m looking forward to learning about the current projects they are involved in to-date and future endeavors they choose to partake in,” she said.
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