City: "We've struggled in a challenging economic climate"

Enumclaw residents make more than 60 percent of their retail purchases outside of the city limits.

71 percent buy their furniture and appliances outside of town. 82 percent go elsewhere to general merchandise stores. Boiled down, taxable retail sales in Enumclaw are less than other comparable cities.

Yet, money that could be spent by locals in our area is available. Disposable income is actually higher than the rest of Washington State on a per household basis. The Enumclaw household's annual consumer buying power is $71,000 compared to $53,000 for the entire state (in 2011 dollars).

Wanting to recapture the money flowing out of the city while maintaining the city's uniqueness, city officials are pushing forward with a proposed five-year plan to "strengthen and expand the city’s economic base and ... strengthen the community, livability and quality of life."

The plan, compiled by an appointed task force, is laid out in the Enumclaw Strategic Plan for Economic Development.

It says:

"The tremendous growth over the past several decades in adjacent cities (MapleValley, Covington, Bonney Lake, etc.) created new and accessible opportunities for goods and services, as well as jobs. In contrast, over the same period of time, (Enumclaw) saw little in the way of new growth.

The continued export of jobs and income is of growing concern to city government, citizens and local businesses. This trend coupled with the recent economic downturn has constrained local growth to a point where it is now difficult to retain and attract new businesses and residents. If left unchecked, the current economic situation will have a long term impact on whether the city is able sustain itself, and potentially, to grow."

After identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the town, several specific ideas for growth are proposed in the plan. Among them:

• Create more local jobs, which is crucial
• Take advantage of opportunities the Expo center offers
• Make sure sustainable growth maintains the small town atmosphere
• Take advantage of the proximity to Mt. Rainier and its tourists
• Overcome the geographic isolation of the city

Now, the city is asking for your input on the plan. You can submit comments on the draft proposal. You can also arrange for a presentation of the plan to your group or organization. Here's how to do it.

Contact:

• Erika Shook, Community Development Director
• 1309 Myrtle Avenue
• Enumclaw, WA 98022.
• Email is eshook@ci.enumclaw.wa.us.
• The phone number is (360) 825-3593.