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Bowers Field Joint Operating Agreement Advisory Committee <br />about closing CWU which brought the promotion of economic development <br />to the forefront of community thinking. Along with others, I helped to form <br />the Kittitas County Development Council in early 1982 and served as its <br />chair for several years. A county commissioner was always a member of its <br />board. We solicited private contributions and grants (the county, Ellensburg <br />and CWU were all contributors), eventually hired a development <br />coordinator, worked with the State Department of Commerce and the Puget <br />Sound Economic Development Council for assistance, and prepared, <br />published and distributed around the region the first brochure touting Kittitas <br />County as a good place to locate a business. I am not sure of the exact <br />linage, but believe the original entity lives on today in a bit different form. <br />I personally gave up on trying to help when it became clear that, regardless <br />of a lot of happy talk from the usual suspects, the area was not committed to <br />the serious effort needed to compete for economic growth: such as seeing to <br />having available, zoned and reasonably priced land in parcel sizes large <br />enough to allow for expansion; community provided utility and road <br />extensions with no surcharge to a proposed user; reasonable visibility and <br />access; a non -burdensome regulatory scheme; tax and other financial <br />incentives; and a community attitude that is not focused on what it can get <br />from the newcomer over the short term. <br />I maintain that the airport is the most important asset the county has today <br />for promoting economic development as it has at least some of these <br />attributes. And, its aviation facilities, not the land "outside the fence," <br />constitute the core economic value. Whether the community is now <br />prepared to do its part is yet to be seen, but fixing the airport facilities will <br />be a good start. <br />6. Why would you be a good resource for serving on the Bowers Field <br />JOAAC? <br />I can negotiate and write a pretty good lease. <br />7. Are you available for bi-weekly meetings for approximately six (6) months? <br />Page 4 of 5 <br />