Ellensburg Insider

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Apply To Serve On The City Council

The City of Ellensburg is accepting applications from persons wishing to be considered to fill a vacancy on the City Council - Position 3. The unexpired term ends December 31, 2025. The City Council will appoint a qualified person to fill Position 3 until a qualified candidate is elected at the next election at which a member of the City Council would normally be elected, which will be November 2025.

Applications are available online or at City Hall, 501 North Anderson Street, Ellensburg, Washington 98926.

Required qualifications:

Registered voter of the City of Ellensburg, and
A resident of the City of Ellensburg for at least one year preceding the date of appointment.

Applications are due by Monday, February 5, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted. Applicant interviews are scheduled to take place at a Special City Council meeting on Monday, February 12, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. For additional information or an application form, contact the City Manager’s Office at the above address or call (509) 962-7221.

City Council members receive a monthly stipend of $500. The position does require service outside of regular meetings to attend local and regional advisory boards and commissions.

Unity Park Construction Starts February 26

Unity Park construction will start on February 26. Parking at the park site and in the alley between Main St. and Pearl St. will be closed starting February 26. There will be intermittent closures along Pearl St. and 4th Ave. fronting the park. Locate alternative free parking in the downtown.

Unity Park, located in the heart of downtown Ellensburg, will be enjoyed throughout the year as an informal gathering space, a venue for cultural arts and recreational events, and much needed open space to serve the influx of residential development in the downtown area. Elements for the park include a performance stage, water feature, picnic grove, pet relief area and public restrooms, all within an open and flexible space that can also accommodate large organized events.

Learn more

Get An Energy Audit

Looking for ways to reduce your monthly electric energy bill? Is the temperature of your home or business uncomfortable? It's time to find out what's causing these problems with an energy audit.

An energy audit is an assessment of your home that takes a look at current energy consumption and then identifies energy efficiency measures that you can conduct to make your home more efficient. An energy auditor can assess where your home is losing the most energy, and then proposes improvements to make to help save energy – and reduce your utility bills.

Professional energy audits can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours to complete, depending on the size of your home. These professional auditors use a variety of tools to establish problem areas within your property and come up with a list of suggested measures and actions that you can take in order to make your home more efficient. Provided through partnership with HopeSource.

Learn more

Coffee With City Council

Stop by the Adult Activity Center, 506 S. Pine St. for a cup of coffee and conversation with two members of the City Council from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.

No-Cost Ways To Pay Your Utility Bill

Customers can continue to access multiple convenience-fee-free ways to pay utility bills:

Cash in person at City Hall
A check via mail, in person at City Hall, or dropped in the City Hall utility lockboxes
ACH/E-check online with both Autopay and Paperless program participation

Please contact Utility Customer Service at 509-962-7201 for utility payment or billing questions.

Celebrate 25 Years Of Art Walk

Join the Ellensburg Arts Commission to kick off the 25th year of Art Walk with a First Friday event on February 2, 2024 from 5:00-7:00 pm. at Art Walk venues.

Thank you to this community for celebrating art, artists, creators, and innovators. We will have special moments throughout the upcoming year to share together and some wonderful announcements coming soon.

Rodent Prevention Tips

Rodents can be a problem for residents, property owners, businesses, and entire neighborhoods. Their gnawing and burrowing can cause damage and they can contaminate food, spread disease, and reduce our quality of life.

Rats seek out places to live that provide them with everything they need to survive: food, water, shelter and safe ways for them to get around. To keep rats out of your property or neighborhood, you and your neighbors can take steps to make life more difficult for rats:

Store food in rat-proof buildings, rooms, or containers.
Keep garbage in cans and other sealed containers.
Pick up fruit that falls to the ground.
Feed dogs or cats inside and clean up their droppings.
Prevent access to bird feeders.
Eliminate access to water.
Check for cracks or holes in the foundation of your building, walkway, and under doors and repair them by filling and sealing them.

Did You Know?

Did you know the Ellensburg Adult Activity Center will be holding beginning French lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. starting February 1st? The Adult Activity Center (AAC) serves as a drop-in recreation facility for adults 50+.

Save The Date

First Friday Art Walk 2/2

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

City Council Meeting 2/5, 2/12 & 2/20

There will be a Special Meeting on February 12 to interview City Council applicants. Due to holiday on Monday, February 19, the Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 20.

EthicsLab – The Good Life Project 2/6

February 6, 2024 at 6 p.m. at Hal Holmes Community Center

A monthly program that gives Ellensburg community members the opportunity to explore what it means to live well. Each meeting will feature several brief presentations before group discussion and dialogue. Brought to you by the CWU EthicsLab, the Ellensburg Public Library, and the Hal Holmes Community Center.

Open to youth in 3rd-8th grade. Learn the proper fundamentals of volleyball in a positive environment. Learn more and register online.

The Ellensburg Youth Running Club is a 6-week running and track skills program for kindergarten through 6th grade youth. Learn more and register online.

City Facilities Closed 2/19

City facilities are closed 2/19 for Presidents' Day holiday. Central Transit will not be running 2/19, but will resume service 2/20. Learn more at CentralTransit.org.

Missoula Children's Theatre Auditions 2/20

Auditions for "Rapunzel" will held on Tuesday, February 20, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Hal Holmes Community Center, 201 N Ruby St. There is a $45 participation fee for students that receive roles or become assistant directors. Auditions are open to grades K-12. For more information, please contact Ellensburg Parks & Recreation at 509-962-7210.