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development plan. <br />We have included in this application a copy of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment that <br />CenterFuse submitted to the City of Ellensburg in June 2019.These amendments align with <br />the goals and strategies of CenterFuse to create a proactive economic development <br />environment. <br />8.Describe any research your organization has conducted which shows the need for <br />this position.Please include the data upon which your claims are based for ourreview. <br />It is well documented that economic performance in rural regions of the US lag behind urban. <br />In order to stabilize and ultimately thrive,Harvard Business School's Institute for Strategy <br />and Competitiveness points to six key steps for boosting rural economies;these are <br />1.Rural economic development should focus on the unique strengths of each area, <br />rather than concentrating on ameliorating generic weaknesses <br />2.The appropriate economic unit for strategy purposes must include not only rural areas <br />but also adjacent urban centers <br />3.Rural economic development should address and harness the efficient spatial <br />distribution of economic activity rather than attempt to replicate urban economies <br />4.A single national rural policy is unlikely to be meaningful and successful <br />5.Each communityshould bear responsibility for its economic success,not the federal <br />government <br />6.Federal and state governments need to provide rural regions with the necessary tools <br />and financing mechanisms to develop and executive an effective strategy <br />Stauber in 'Why Invest in Rural America'discusses the need for a set of agreed-upon <br />outcomes including survival of the rural middle class,reducing concentrated rural poverty, <br />and sustaining and improving the quality of the natural environment. <br />The Executive Director position,in concert with the board,is focused on achieving high <br />economic performance that includes curating new business and grow existing businesses <br />that provide living wage jobs,encourage economic activity for all,and protecting our natural <br />assets.In doing so,the Executive Director contributes to the growth of human capital <br />contributing to our community and economy,an increase in regional competitive investments <br />and facilitating investment in infrastructurethat support the expansion of new competitive <br />advantages. <br />As per the Ellensburg Comprehensive Plan 2017 chapter on Economic Development, <br />EIIensburg's employment target for 2017-2037 is the addition of almost 7,000 jobs.Overall <br />countywide employment is projected to annually grow an average of 2%;with 80%of <br />employment growth projected to occur in incorporated areas and their (Jrban Growth Areas. <br />Further,the Plan calls out local development organizations to prepare an economic <br />developmentvision and strategy for Ellensburg which identifies the types of land use <br />designations and the relative priorities of capital investment needed to foster economic <br />developmentand promote living wage jobs.Centerfuse's Executive Director is advancing <br />land use needs and capital investments to secure living wage jobs for people in Ellensburg.