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Port of Whitman outlines 2025 accomplishments and 2026 priorities, including Oakesdale Mill and broadband projects
Summary
The Port presented its 2025 Strategic Report Card and 2026–2030 priorities at a joint workshop with the county, highlighting completed CERB-funded studies, a $2 million Green Jobs grant, FTTH projects for about 100 homes, Oakesdale Mill feasibility and planned site upgrades, and broadband/EV charger plans.
The Port of Whitman County presented a 2025 Strategic Report Card and its 2026 Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements during the Jan. 20 joint workshop with the Whitman County commissioners.
The report cited completed projects (CERB-funded planning at the Oakesdale Mill, $1 million in county .09 funds plus a $2 million Green Jobs Grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce for the Technology Transfer and Commercialization Scaling Facility), and ongoing broadband projects including FTTH expansion to about 100 homes and proposals to submit for BEAD funding across four project areas in the county. The Port also listed planned capital items in its 2026 scheme, including water/sewer work at the Oakesdale Mill and cleanup/demolition at the St. John property supported by an EPA cleanup grant of $500,000.
The Port's comprehensive scheme includes estimated costs for several projects: Tekoa development ($4 million), POWBAC site prep/hangar ($2.5 million), an Oakesdale Mill roof replacement ($300,000), and FTTH/fiber projects ($2.5 million for certain areas). The packet also notes grants and low-interest loan awards totaling millions in 2025 and the Port's role as Whitman County's Associate Development Organization.
Why it matters: the report frames the Port's near-term capital priorities—economic development parcels, broadband expansion and site cleanups—that intersect with county land use, transportation, and community health priorities.
Next steps: the Port will continue grant-seeking and advance specific projects per the timeline in its Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements.
