Kittitas County EDSP 2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON PAGE 6 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN Strategic Action Plan The most important aspect of any strategic plan is its implementation. Executing the wide range of actions needed to positively impact a community’s economic vitality requires extensive collaboration and cohesion among local stakeholders. Further, strategic plans take years to implement, and as such cannot rely on specific individuals to carry them forward. Instead, they depend on organizations, strong networks, and enduring systems for cooperation. While Kittitas County has seen progress in the past decade, implementing economic development initiatives remains a challenge. Specifically, barriers to communication and information sharing limit the County’s effectiveness. Kittitas County has an opportunity to coalesce behind this strategic plan to collectively foster a more vibrant and resilient economy for everyone in the County. To that end, a few organizations will be primarily responsible for leading the plan’s implementation. They include the following. • Kittitas County • The City of Ellensburg • Kittitas County Conference of Governments • Central Washington University • Economic development partners within Kittitas County (including the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce and CenterFuse) While these organizations will take the lead on strategic initiatives, they will require the support of other local organizations and community stakeholders. Additionally, given the significant time and effort required to implement economic development strategic plans, this plan also recommends that the City of Ellensburg and the County partner in creating a full-time position dedicated to carry forward the strategies outlined in the plan and track progress toward goals. This position should be viewed as a step toward institutionalizing economic development at the County and City levels to ensure continuity in the execution of strategic initiatives. This plan outlines the strategies and actions needed to accomplish the five main goals. However, the tactical level will be determined by the plan’s implementers. Goal 1. Collaboration Unite upper and lower County government and organizations in shared goals and actions that benefit the County as a whole. Collaboration within a community is essential to making the most of available resources and building a dynamic economy. Uniting the upper and lower County governments and organizations behind shared goals and actions and increasing communication and cooperation will strengthen the County’s ability to be a reliable partner in attracting tourism, businesses, and funding opportunities. By improving how Kittitas County stakeholders work together, there is a lot the County and the cities could accomplish. For instance, developing a cohesive retail strategy would allow the County to be intentional in the opportunities it pursues, while also increasing the tax base and improving access to services locally. It could also remove the barriers to doing business in the region by unifying planning and permitting standards. In addition, it could strengthen the community’s identity by enhancing ties with and supporting CWU. In short, working better together will lead to greater success for the entire County.