Business View Civil and Municipal l December 2022

17 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 “We need to decide what our strategy is for those utilities, to reduce our carbon footprint, and do a check-in of what our carbon footprint is,” says the mayor. “We haven’t done that accounting yet, as many communities have. We will have a lot of community input on how they want to address the climate crisis.” As for community partnerships, Ellensburg works closely with Kittitas County to continue to advance a strong economy in the region. The city also has a business development authority, known as CenterFuse, which Behrends Cerniwey acknowledges is a key partner as the community works to bring in new businesses and industry. The Ellensburg Downtown Association is another important partner in helping to retain and build a strong business district and support economic vitality in the city’s historic downtown. Highlighting Central Washington University as another crucial relationship, she says, “They are the major employer, a center for amazing talent, and they’re really elevating their role in economic development in our community as we speak.” The Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce acts as Ellensburg’s Visitors Center, while also managing tourism promotions for the city, and is another valuable partnership. Behrends Cerniwey also mentions the critical relationships with the city’s nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity, transit operator HopeSource, and FISH, a Community Food Bank. “I could go on with our ecosystem but that’s the shortlist,” she clarifies. The city of Ellensburg is a hub of activity, which has prompted the creation of a new town square, to be known as Unity Park, in the center of downtown. The park, which is currently in the design phase, will provide the community with event and gathering space, while also offering an attractive option for visitors. “We have such an active population who likes to put on events. Curiosity has always been the foundation of how we’ve conducted business. Our cousinhood (employees) is a collection of contrasting people from different backgrounds, perspectives, some conventional, others unconventional but this melting pot of uniqueness is what makes our second family so quirky and oftentimes likable.We are an Oddstock. Can we be different from what is usual or expected; Can we be strange but respectful? Why do we have to do something the way it’s always been done? Oddstock seems like the perfect representation of a cider journey that will take the untraveled path for the simple reason of challenging the status quo because that is exciting. Please join us for this wild ride. Look for updates and more information at www.oddstockcider.com