Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ellensburg, Kittitas County and CWU outline joint economic development partnership
Summary
City and county officials, with Central Washington University, presented a framework to coordinate workforce and economic development in Kittitas County; councilmembers asked whether .09 funds will support the plan and requested timelines and milestones.
On May 8, 2025, Kittitas County commissioners, City of Ellensburg officials and Central Washington University leaders discussed a proposed countywide economic development partnership to coordinate workforce training and local investment.
Commissioner Cory Wright reviewed the history of county economic development efforts while Central Washington University President Jim Wohlpart described university-led initiatives aimed at producing workforce-ready graduates. City Manager Heidi Behrends Cerniwey presented a partnership framework intended to align county, city and university roles.
Councilmember Nancy Lillquist asked whether the partnership is supported by “.09 funds,” and Councilmember Delano Palmer requested a schedule showing timeframes and milestones for partner deliverables. Presenters did not record a specific funding commitment in the minutes; officials said they would follow up with details.
The framework discussed would focus on coordinating workforce programs, aligning university training with local industry needs and establishing shared milestones for implementation. No formal interlocal agreement was adopted at the meeting; staff noted that an interlocal agreement and property-exchange materials are expected to be presented to respective parties by June.
Next steps included follow-up from staff and county partners to provide additional information on funding sources and a timeline for milestones requested by councilmembers.
