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2025-01-28 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />CONFERENCE ROOM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 1:30 P.M. January 28, 2025 <br /> <br />Board members present: Chairman Laura Osiadacz; Vice-Chairman Cory <br />Wright; Commissioner Brett Wachsmith. <br /> <br />Others: Shelise Smithgall, Administrative Assistant; Amy McGuffin, <br />Chief Executive Officer - Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce; and <br />one member of the public. <br /> <br />SPECIAL MEETING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />At 1:31 p.m. Chairman Osiadacz opened a Special Meeting to receive a <br />quarterly update from the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce <br />CEO/ADO. <br /> <br />Amy McGuffin, Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive <br />Officer, provided and reviewed a handout consisting of the Q1 2025 <br />Washington SBDC & ADO Partnership County Activity & Impact Report <br />for Kittitas County. <br /> <br />Ms. McGuffin reviewed what the Chamber has accomplished as the <br />County’s ADO, including what projects she is currently involved in, <br />what projects they are planning for the future, and how the current <br />ongoing projects are creating jobs in Kittitas County. <br /> <br />Ms. McGuffin mentioned that they are tracking private investments <br />and what people are doing to create industry and expand their <br />current businesses. <br /> <br />Ms. McGuffin gave an update on the ADO Grant writing program and <br />said it is going well, and they have been able to help several <br />entities with the grant process. <br /> <br />Ms. McGuffin said they finished their first year of Agritourism <br />consulting. She said they have identified 305 working farms and <br />ranches in Kittitas County. The Chamber has provided 3 workshops on <br />farms and farmstands. She said they are giving farms technical <br />assistance by advocating for farms that have been shut down <br />unnecessarily by an inefficient USDA testing process. <br /> <br />Ms. McGuffin discussed their SCORE program in which they provide <br />mentors that give business advising for pop-up and in-home <br />businesses so that the SBDC can be more focused on established <br />retail businesses. She said they are hiring a new certified <br />advisor.