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USDA state director visits Franklin County as communities press for water, infrastructure and economic aid after plant closure
Summary
USDA Rural Development State Director Kirk Pearson toured Franklin County June 30, met local officials and residents from Connell, Basin City and other towns, and heard requests for funding for water systems, wastewater, housing and economic recovery after a major employer closed a plant.
USDA Rural Development State Director Kirk Pearson and agency staff visited Franklin County on 2025-06-30 to hear local infrastructure and economic needs, including failing small water systems, sewer challenges and the economic fallout after a potato processing plant closed in Connell.
Pearson described USDA Rural Development’s three program pillars—housing, community facilities and business programs—and said the agency’s goal on this tour is a community assessment to identify projects that could be supported with loans, grants or technical assistance. “We’re nonregulatory,” Pearson told the board and the audience, “but we … want to prop up, especially our local government.” Phil Aigman, USDA regional staff, distributed program information and contact cards to county staff.
Local officials and residents outlined immediate needs. Basin City water‑district board member Matt Neff said the district is “running out of water,” described repeated line breaks and a recent deep‑well drilling attempt that cost roughly $250,000 and “was a bust,” and said the district had shifted to a high‑nitrate well to keep service. Neff said the district struggles to match project bids to available grants and that customer rates currently fall short of levels lenders expect for some financing.
Connell City Administrator Kathleen Koch said her city lost a large employer, reporting that about 400 plant employees were affected and roughly 150 of those live in Connell. She said the city’s general fund and utility revenues dropped—Koch said the Connell water fund “saw a 50% reduction in revenue”—and asked for infrastructure investment to restore economic momentum. Koch said Connell already had a $2 million state grant for a new well planning project and that the city was pursuing industrial site readiness work with the Port of Pasco and consultants.
Other speakers described small, aging water systems—steel mains that leak, systems with frequent pump failures and communities that have applied for state money with unsuccessful results. Local emergency‑service leaders also said volunteer EMS and fire resources are stretched by large service areas, tourist traffic near Palouse Falls and responses to a nearby corrections center.
USDA staff said their programs can cover small water and wastewater systems, community facilities such as rural hospitals and fire/emergency equipment, housing repair grants for seniors, and business development grants and loan guarantees. USDA staff asked counties and local utilities to share project lists and contact information so the agency can prioritize funding and bring federal partners to a future coalition meeting.
What happens next: USDA staff will collect local project information, provide program contact materials, and plan follow‑up visits and technical assistance as appropriate. Local officials said they will share water‑system studies, project bids and grant applications with USDA staff for coordination.
