Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ellensburg, Kittitas County push formal regional economic development partnership
Summary
City and county officials described progress toward a countywide economic development organization and an economic development director post, funded in part with local ARPA and county 0.09 funds, with a plan to formalize governance through the Conference of Governments by October.
City and county officials said they are moving to formalize a countywide economic development partnership intended to coordinate business outreach, workforce development and grant-ready strategic planning.
The initiative grew from a countywide economic development plan funded in part with American Rescue Plan Act dollars, county and city contributions and commitments from smaller cities. Officials said the new structure would centralize day-to-day economic development work under a Conference of Governments (COG)–organized entity and include an economic development director who would be contracted through the COG rather than be a county employee.
County presenters told the joint session that Central Washington University will play a role through its Business and Community Services unit and that the partnership aims to convert plan priorities into measurable work plans. Speakers said the group expects to present an interlocal framework and organization charter to the COG by October so the director position can be filled and program work plans created. One county speaker said the position will be administered through the COG on a contractual basis and will not be a county employee.
University and city representatives described several program priorities tied to the plan: an “Adaptive University” initiative to align curricula and expand internships and stackable certificates, new workforce-focused degrees and public–private partnerships for technology transfer; and expanded mental-health counseling capacity through a Central partnership with Comprehensive Healthcare. The university representative said more than 30 proposals from the university community are under consideration and that some proposals are already written into the countywide strategic plan.
Commissioners and council members pressed for schedule and funding clarity. County staff said the partnership’s organizational agreement will go before the COG in October and that the plan is roughly three years old and ready for implementation. Questions about costs were directed to county finance sources; officials confirmed the county’s 0.09 economic development funds are intended for economic development and will be part of the funding mix. A county speaker added that the position would be funded through designated 0.09 funds and contracted through the COG.
Officials emphasized that the partnership is intended as a regional, not Ellensburg-only, effort and that smaller cities asked for a plan that would be implemented rather than shelved. The presenters said the new structure will include downtown association representatives, chambers of commerce, city and county staff and university business services, with an organizing economic development director and potential consultant support.
Officials said the county and university intend to pursue a Strategic Economic Development Strategy (SEDS) to be eligible for federal Economic Development Administration funding and that the university has staff experienced in preparing EDA applications.
