Area Governments To Share $250,000 Usda Grant

Thu., Jan. 14, 1999

By John Craig johnc@spokesman.com

Four economically distressed governments in northeastern Washington will share a $250,000 federal grant this year and up to $2.5 million over the next 10 years.

The city of Newport, the Spokane and Colville tribal governments and Ferry County make up one of 20 rural “empowerment zones” throughout the nation that were designated Wednesday.

A group of governments based in Poplar, Mont., was the next nearest recipient in the second round of the 4-year-old U.S. Department of Agriculture grant program. In the first round in December 1994, coalitions in Yakima County and in Oregon were the only Northwest recipients. There were 160 applicants for the 20 new awards.

“We’re elated,” said Ferry County Commissioner Dennis Snook. “It’s going to help, and we need all the help we can get.”

The coalition resulted from a formula based on census tracts, poverty statistics and population density. The group was identified by the Colville-based Tri-County Economic Development District, which screened all of the governments in Pend Oreille, Stevens and Ferry counties.

District Executive Director Warren Jimenez said the four empowerment zone members have developed a six-point plan to promote economic and community development, but haven’t determined specific projects for spending the grant.

Possible projects include water, sewer and telecommunications systems and housing development, according to Mary McBride, Washington state director for the Agriculture Department.

She said the award may be used as “seed money” for a variety of other federal grants. Some federal agencies have money set aside for empowerment zones.

Snook said new water systems in Curlew and Orient, a fire station in the Curlew area and tourism promotion in conjunction with the Colville Confederated Tribes are among the ideas being discussed in Ferry County.

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