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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />PAGE 15 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN <br />State has limited economic development tools at its counties’ disposal, requiring creative means of securing <br />investment and attracting businesses. <br />Extensive community engagement will be essential to this effort. Continuous communication will serve as a trust- <br />building exercise through which the County can prove it is a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. It will also allow <br />community leaders to communicate the value these investments can deliver. Public-private partnerships will also be <br />important to ensure critical assets are in place, opening the door for additional investment in the County. <br />Strategies and Actions <br />4.1. Engage the public in conversations on the benefits of community investment in economic <br />infrastructure and quality-of-place amenities. <br />4.1.1. Launch a County-led internal marketing campaign to instill civic pride and educate residents on the <br />importance of economic development as well as the connection between infrastructure and placemaking <br />to a region’s economic vitality. <br />4.1.1.1. Regularly communicate economic development achievements, along with ongoing efforts, <br />projects, events, and stories of the County’s recent successes, through a quarterly newsletter and <br />regular social media posts. <br />4.1.1.2. Profile Kittitas County residents who are involved in interesting ventures and are positively <br />impacting the community. <br />4.1.1.3. Share talking points and messaging with regional partners to unify messaging and encourage <br />them to share communication on their platforms. <br />4.1.1.4. Leverage local events to continue building civic pride and regional culture. <br />4.1.2. Engage Kittitas County residents in discussions about economic development and the future of the <br />County. <br />4.1.2.1. Hold community discussions on economic development and the County’s potential. Use <br />language from the plan’s findings and guiding principles to help the community understand the <br />County’s vision. <br />4.1.2.2. Ensure residents have an understanding of the County’s strategic assets. <br />4.1.2.3. Celebrate current and future investments in place-based assets. <br />4.2. Identify and prioritize infrastructure investments that would support economic development <br />(e.g., transportation, aviation, utilities, water access). <br />4.2.1. Continue to support and enhance regional transportation connections to ease movement throughout the <br />County. <br />4.2.1.1. These efforts should include adding parking and signage to reduce traffic on main roads, as well <br />as evaluating public transit routes. <br />4.2.2. Support broadband initiative to ensure high-speed connections across the County. <br />4.2.3. Extend utilities access to sites that are well-positioned for development. <br />4.2.4. Continue efforts to add and improve signage in the County to improve visibility and access.