PORT INFORMATION

Mission

Vision

• Provide leadership for economic growth in Douglas County and promote change of public policy for stimulating prosperity.
• Focus on economic development infrastructure and projects to enhance the collective wealth of citizens of Douglas County.
• Facilitate the creation of new primary jobs that provide family-wage employment for Douglas County and North Central Washington citizens.
• Search for economic development opportunities that make the most of our indigenous resources such as power, labor, and agriculture.
• Search for opportunities to create public-private partnerships for economic development, and cooperate with other public agencies to enhance prosperity for the private sector.
• Promote and market Douglas County and North Central Washington as a prime location for companies to start, relocate, or expand.
• Assist existing or new businesses with resources for expansion, retention, relocation or start-up support such as land or building leases, industrial revenue bonds, inter-agency coordination or other business needs.
• Provide efficient management of public facilities such as airports, industrial buildings, and public lands.
• Support tourism efforts to attract visitors to Douglas County and North Central Washington.

Values

• Value the public’s opinion and respond respectfully.
• Act cooperatively with public and private entities.
• Lead with integrity, creativity, and courage.
• Use wisdom and good judgment in managing public resources.
• Efficiently and prudently manage Port assets for long-term value.
• Support stakeholders, customers, and tenants in their growth efforts.

Strategic Plan

1. Recruit companies to locate in Douglas County and North Central Washington. Provide information for these companies to locate on either private or public property.
• Target manufacturing and technology companies that provide family-wage jobs.
• Pursue market development opportunities for the creation of a pork industry in Eastern Washington that benefits feed growers and hog farmers in Douglas County.
• Distribute information on Douglas County and NCW that describes indigenous resources available for businesses through various marketing channels such as target-industry trade shows, advertising, direct marketing, public relations, and internet promotion.
• Cooperate with the Washington State Office of Community, Trade and Economic Development for new businesses requesting information on Douglas County and NCW.
• Distribute lead information to private property developers for prospective business siting, relocation, or expansion.
2. Pursue opportunities to expand economic development in rural Douglas County.
• Pursue infrastructure improvements in the rural communities of Rock Island, Waterville, Mansfield and Bridgeport such as water, sewer, power, signage and industrial buildings to stimulate economic development.
• Support the development of tourism in Douglas County.
• Continue to manage and improve airport facilities at Waterville and Mansfield to stimulate private and commercial use of the airports for hangers and general aviation.
3. Pursue development opportunities for Douglas County land and water resources.
• Search for environmental clean-up sites to purchase that are prime locations for industrial development but lack an able private developer.
• Evaluate waterfront development opportunities for public marinas and boat launches.
4. Manage Port land, building, and equipment resources for maximum customer service and efficiency.
• Continue to work with county officials for appropriate zoning and land-use restrictions, both on and off-site, to comply with state & federal requirements for airport operations.
• Work with private developers for construction of non-retail industrial/commercial buildings on both private and Port property.
• Share equipment and services with other public agencies to maximize resource utilization
• Provide career development opportunities to maximize staff performance and job satisfaction.
• Examine and improve procurement procedures to assure responsible spending of public resources.
5. Pursue leadership solutions for economic growth challenges in Douglas County through innovation and inter-agency cooperation
• Initiate communication with public agency boards and participate in joint meetings.
• Increase visibility of the Port with the general public and leadership groups to influence and direct economic development activities in NCW
• Produce newsletter and press releases to keep the public informed of Port activities.
• Generate economic development data for use in measuring growth impacts and benefits of targeted industries.