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2026-06-18 MINUTES 1 <br /> <br />KITTITAS COUNTY <br />FINANCE STUDY SESSION MINUTES <br />BOCC CONFERENCE ROOM, 205 WEST 5TH ROOM 108 - ELLENSBURG <br />Regular Meeting <br /> <br />THURSDAY 1:30 PM June 18, 2026 <br /> <br />Board members present: Cory Wright and Laura Osiadacz <br />Others: Zack Dehaven, Charlie Smith, Stephanie Mifflin, Chad Bala, Darren Higashiyama, Lisa <br />Murray, Heidi Behrends Cerniwey <br />Citizen: Pat Keller <br />Meeting called order at 1:30pm <br />Citizen Comment: Pat Kelleher via email <br />The Fieldhouse was never identified in the 2026 Budget as a funding priority. To now shift <br />$1,000,000 toward a project that has been discussed for years, is not included in the City's <br />Comprehensive Plan Capital Facilities Plan and has very little nexus to residents of Kittitas <br />County is interesting to observe. <br />My concern is that County funding would support a lease arrangement that the County is not, <br />and should not be, a party to. <br />If the Fieldhouse becomes operational, it is likely to require ongoing public subsidies. User fees <br />will never cover 50 percent of operating costs once all direct and indirect expenses are accounted <br />for. <br />I support public recreation and would like to see Kittitas County take a larger role in capital <br />funding for recreation facilities while avoiding becoming a recreation provider. We already have <br />many recreation providers in the county, including GPUD, BLM, WDFW, DNR, State Parks, <br />cities, and other agencies. <br />As an example, Kittitas County could provide a yearly capital contribution of $300,000 to <br />$500,000 to support the Kittitas Valley Memorial Pool, a recreational facility with a broad <br />countywide history of use and benefit. <br />Regarding City funding for the Grandstands, this issue should have been discussed and planned <br />at the beginning of the project, not addressed through crisis funding at the end. There is no crisis. <br />The County has more than $16 million in unrestricted General Fund reserves, along with <br />additional millions in other County funds. <br />Pay the bill and move on.