Business View Civil and Municipal l December 2022

12 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 entrally located in the heart of Washington State, the city of Ellensburg sits on the east side of the scenic Cascade Mountains, approximately 2 hours from the metropolis of Seattle, and is a community poised for growth. Positioned on two interstates, I-90 and I-82, with proximity to Washington’s many ports, the city of 21,000 is a central point for the transportation of goods. Although Ellensburg missed the opportunity to become the state capital in 1889, Mayor Nancy Lillquist shares, “Our consolation prize was Central Washington University, which started as a teaching school and has grown to a university with about 10,000 students.” The university draws a talented and younger demographic to Ellensburg, where the median age is 24. With vast outdoor recreation opportunities, beautiful surroundings, and a full offering of amenities, Ellensburg is an ideal place to enjoy a high quality of life, and a place to call home. “This is a really amazing community,” City Manager, Heidi Behrends Cerniwey, relays. “Ellensburg, with the university, has an amazing amount of talent, not just in the student population, but the folks who live and work here. We are investing more into becoming a creative district in Washington State, and working together to expand the local creative economy.” She adds that Central Washington University is one of the city’s largest employers, along with the hospital district. C