OTHELLO – The Othello City Council voted unanimously on Monday evening to authorize Mayor Shawn Logan to enter into a $4.2 million purchase agreement with AJ and Jodi Ochoa for a 77.12-acre property needed for a new surface water treatment plant. The plant will be part of a long-term plan to help alleviate the city’s dependence on groundwater.
Over the past eight years, Othello has participated in a study to determine whether water from irrigation canals can be successfully treated and injected into the underground Wanapum Aquifer. That study proved that water can be injected into the aquifer and later recovered for use, however, it requires treatment to be suitable for public use. That’s where the new facility will come into play.
The transaction involves a dizzying exchange of properties between the Ochoas, Othello School District, and the City of Othello.
The 77.12-acre property, located between N. 7th Ave. and N. 14th Ave. along Lee Rd. is currently owned by Othello School District. The district recently approved an exchange of property with AJ and Jodi Ochoa. That agreement acknowledged that the Ochoas intended to sell the property to the City of Othello upon closing. Minutes from the OSD board meeting do not indicate that any public discussion was held regarding the exchange of properties. The new property acquired by the district totals 65 acres. It consists of two parcels within the larger parcel owned by the Ochoas across from Walmart
OSD Superintendent Pete Perez said in an email message that the district and the city did not directly negotiate “because the land was originally part of a broader agreement with the Ochoas.”
The agreed valuation for the new parcels acquired by the school district is $4.73 million. The property to be acquired by the City of Othello was originally purchased by Othello School District for $2,434,300 from Terra Gold Farms in 2017. Terra Gold Farms is owned by AJ and Jodi Ochoa.
