05 Jul MEET JON ERICKSON – ECBID NEW DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Jon Erickson, and I am the Development Coordinator of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) where I have worked since 2019. I grew up in Warden and lived in the Columbia Basin until I left for Alaska in 2000. I moved back to Eastern Washington 10 years later and have lived here ever since. I sit on the Othello City Council and am on the Board of Trustees for the Columbia Basin Development League.
Outside of work I enjoy coaching my kids, camping, and doing anything related to hanging out with my kids.
What did you do before coming to the ECBID?
I have been working in construction for two and a half decades. I specialize in government contracting and have worked on multimillion dollar projects for federal, state, and local governments for the majority of my career. I specialize in solving problems: taking projects that are hard to build and getting them built, taking companies that are hard to manage and managing them.
What is your overall vision for the ECBID?
My vision for the ECBID is in line with the district’s vision as a whole. I am here to coordinate efforts between the district, the regulatory agencies, and the landowners not just in OGWRP but in all other aspects of development in the ECBID.
What are your priorities as the ECBID’s New Development Coordinator?
My priority is to work with the landowner groups and regulatory and funding agencies to help bring some of their proposed projects to light. Additionally, I want to help educate the landowner groups that are not quite sure how to move some matters forward.
What is your perspective on the Columbia Basin Project and its path toward completion?
The completion of the Project is very important. All of us would like to see the Project completed because it is what the Bureau set out to do. Right now, lots of effort is focused on the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program, a rescue mission, but it is just our temporary solution. There still needs to be a level of focus on the big picture of completing the overall Project – it is essential!
What is your involvement in the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP) Watershed Planning Project (PL-566)?
As you know, the PL-566 been funded $765,000 for the development of the watershed plan, which has to happen before additional NRCS funds can be secured. My role right now is to coordinate these efforts so we can move forward into requesting funds to build these delivery systems.