Friday, December 1, 2023

New Rotary Park Master Plan Approved

At the November 20, 2023 meeting, the Ellensburg City Council unanimously adopted the new Rotary Park Master Plan. The plan includes a location for the Fieldhouse that will replace the Ellensburg Racquet & Recreation Center.

A park master plan is a conceptual plan that lays the foundation for the general location and uses within a park. The planning process for the update included two stakeholder meetings and a community online survey.

The new plan adds field lights and field turf infields at all the baseball/softball fields, a new turf soccer/baseball field, the fieldhouse building, 1,110 additional parking stalls in the southeast corner of the park, a riding railroad, a splash pad, additional picnic shelters and playground areas, soft surface perimeter trail, disc golf area, six new restrooms, eight new pickleball courts at West Ellensburg Park, and three new youth baseball/softball fields. A new access road into the park is also being planned off Anderson Road. No changes will be made until funding is secured.

Learn more

Changes Coming To City Code Website

The City of Ellensburg will be switching to a new online city code publishing platform on December 1. If you have bookmarked previous links to the City's code, you will need to update them to the new link to continue to access City code.

The new platform will provide better searchability, accessibility, and transparency.



Learn more

Natural Gas Rates Increasing January 1, 2024 To Comply With The State’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap And Invest Program

In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Invest Program otherwise known as the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), establishing a comprehensive market-based program to reduce carbon pollution and achieve greenhouse gas limits set in state law.

The City’s Natural Gas and Electric Utilities are required to comply with these laws and invest utility funds in carbon auctions to cover emissions, effective January 2023. The Ellensburg City Council approved a natural gas rate increase at the November 6 meeting to cover approximately $2.7 million in 2023 & 2024 carbon allowance investments over the next three years. 

“Legacy” customers—natural gas service addresses established on or before July 25, 2021—will receive a credit against the full rate adjustment, resulting in $.2343/Ccf increase in 2024. For services established after that date, the full rate adjustment will be added ($.3626/Ccf). Low-income senior citizens, low-income disabled citizens, and non-profit customers (meeting the City's current definition) are exempt from this rate adjustment. 

The City has approximately 4,223 residential and 772 business customers using natural gas. This rate adjustment will add between $30.76-$44.86 a month to the average residential customer’s bill and $70.01-$104.63 to the average commercial customer’s bill in 2024 (the lower end of the range is for legacy customers). However, individual bill impacts vary depending on weather, household use and efficiency factors. Rate adjustments take place on January 1, 2024. Additional rate increases will be required through 2030.

Municipal gas utilities like Ellensburg are disproportionately impacted by the costs of the CCA. A portion of the City’s 2024 legislative priorities include advocacy for the State to deliver assistance programs such as incentives to assist customers to switch to low and carbon-free energy equipment; increase “no cost” allowances; and decrease the burden for small utilities to comply with the law. 

For energy bill assistance, please contact HopeSource’s Energy Assistance Program online Energy Assistance (hopesource.us) or call 509-925-1448.

Snow Plow Information

The City of Ellensburg provides winter care for our roads. The City is divided into six plowing sections, and there are three priority levels that guide the snow removal crew's work. First priority goes to primary arterials and streets which buses use to reach public schools. Secondary arterials and the downtown core area receive second priority. All remaining streets are third priority. Under normal snowfall conditions, all roads within the City are plowed according to this plan.

Winter snow and ice response in Ellensburg starts when:

• Snow accumulation reaches four inches, and it is still snowing with additional snow or extended cold in the forecast; or

• When roads are icy or snow accumulation has reached one inch, and it is still snowing, crews begin sanding and salting of arterial streets and hills.

How you can help winter road crews:

• Give plenty of room to snow plow drivers.

• Park vehicles in driveways or parking areas off the main streets.

• If you don’t have a regular off-street parking area, consider moving your car when the road is scheduled for plowing.

Don't forget to help your neighbors clear sidewalks!

Submissions Open for the Walking Chapbook Poetry Project

The Ellensburg Arts Commission’s Poet Laureate Program is accepting submissions to the Walking Chapbook Project, a temporary public art installation on the theme of In the Spirit of UNITY. Anyone living in central Washington may submit a poem. Poems chosen will be featured on storefront windows in downtown Ellensburg during National Poetry Month in April 2024. Entries should be family-friendly and inspire hope and positivity. A walking launch will take place on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 1 p.m. Submission guidelines may be found on the City’s Poet Laureate webpage. Deadline to submit entries is December 31, 2023.

Finance/Utility Counter Limited Services Dec. 7-11

The Finance/Utility Counter in City Hall will have limited services December 7-8 and a full closure on December 11, 2023 as staff works to implement the new online utility customer portal. The new portal will allow customers to pay their bill, track and compare usage, and go paperless.

Please plan ahead if you need to make a payment or set up service. 

• December 7: Staff can help you with cash or check payments (no electronic payments) at our Utility Counter at City Hall.
• December 8: Our Utility Counter representative will be able to help you only with urgent business such as starting and stopping services.
• December 11: Our Utility Counter at City Hall will be completely closed. 

Learn more about the new utility customer portal.

Channel 191 Goes High Definition

The City of Ellensburg is pleased to announce that Spectrum's Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Channel 191, will be broadcast in High Definition (HD) starting December 22.

Spectrum Channel 191 provides Ellensburg residents an additional way to stay informed with content such as City Council meetings, candidate forums, and other community programming.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner Served 300

The Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner was a success thanks to our sponsors, donors, and volunteers. This year's Community Thanksgiving Dinner served over 300 people. Thanks to our 50 volunteers who helped and thanks to CWU for cooking the food.

Did You Know?

Did you know the Ellensburg Public Library has book club sets available for checkout? The library currently has 19 sets that contain 4-6 books each. Let your book clubs know about this resource and if you’re not currently in a book club, now's the perfect time to gather your friends and start one. Happy reading!

Save The Date

First Friday Art Walk 12/1

Join the Ellensburg Arts Commission, artists, and downtown venues for First Friday Art Walk from 5-7 p.m.

City Council Meeting 12/4 & 12/18

The Good Life Community Discussion 12/5

Join a community discussion offered by the CWU EthicsLab and the Ellensburg Public Library from 6-7 p.m. at Hal Holmes Community Center.

Finance/Utility Counter Limited Services 12/7-12/8 & Closure 12/11

The City's Finance/Utilities Counter will have limited services 12/7-12/8 and will be closed 12/11. Payments can be left in the drop box in the parking lot (checks only please).

City Facilities Closed 12/25

Central Transit will not be running 12/25, but will resume service 12/26. Learn more at CentralTransit.org.

Calendar

Agendas & Minutes

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