Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2018-2022 March 2018 FINAL CEDS 2018| Page1 CEDS 2018| Page2 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Adopted by the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments Board of Directors March 29, 2018 This document was prepared to meet the requirements of 13 CFR § 303.6(b)(3)(i) and the terms of award ED17SEA 3020068 from the Economic Development Administra�on, US Department of Commerce The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommenda�ons are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administra�on or the US Department of Commerce. Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments Economic Development Program CEDS 2018| Page3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CWCOG Board Bill Hallanger, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue General/Special Members (vo�ng) Victor Leatzow, Cowlitz Fire District No. 5 Dennis Weber, Cowlitz County Dell Hillger, Beacon Hill Water & Sewer District Mike Backman, Wahkiakum County Scot Vydra, City of Longview Associate Members (non-vo�ng) Mike Karnofski, City of Kelso Chris Bailey, Lower Columbia College David Vorse, City of Castle Rock Ilona Kerby, Lower Columbia CAP Rosemary Siipola, City of Kalama Ted Sprague, Cowlitz EDC Susan Humbyrd, City of Woodland Chris Pegg, Housing Opportuni�es of SW WA Sue Cameron, Town of Cathlamet Bill Marcum, Kelso-Longview Chamber Dave Quinn, Cowlitz PUD Meg Morris, Wahkiakum Chamber Jeff Wilson, Port of Longview Debra Dudley, City of Rainer, OR Troy Stariha, Port of Kalama Jeff Cameron, River Ci�es Transit Dale Boon, Port of Woodland Bob Kizziar, Wahkiakum Port District No. 1 Affiliate Members (non-vo�ng) Jim Mabbot, Castle Rock School District Jennifer Gorsuch, City of Camas Eric Nerison, Kalama School District Tamara Gunter, City of Batle Ground Scot Westlund, Kelso School District Jeanete Cefalo, City of Washougal Dan Zorn, Longview School District Debbie Stanley, Three Rivers Regional Waste Water Michael Green, Woodland School District Plant CEDS 2018| Page4 The Economic Development District Board: Ci�zen Lower Columbia College Bob Gregory Chris Bailey City of Castle Rock Port of Kalama Ellen Rose Troy Stariha City of Kalama Port of Longview Adam Smee Jeff Wilson City of Kelso Mike Karnofski Port of Woodland Dale Boone City of Longview Mike Wallin Small Business Development Center Jerry Petrick City of Woodland Susan Humbyrd Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council Cowlitz County Alyssa Joyner Dennis Weber Town of Cathlamet Cowlitz Economic Development Council Sue Cameron Scot Walstra US Bank Cowlitz Tribe Ka�e Ribelin Tim Van Mechelen Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council Meg Morris Shawn Nyman Wahkiakum County Eureka Engineering Mike Backman Marilyn Young-Skogland Wahkiakum Port District #1 Gallagher Jackie Lea Corey Balkan Washington State University (WSU) Extension – Gibbs and Olson Cowlitz Rich Gushman Gary Fredricks Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce Washington State University (WSU) Extension – Bill Marcum Wahkiakum Carrie Backman CEDS 2018| Page5 CEDS Commitee: Dave Nelson, Lighthouse Law Ray Johnson, Cowlitz PUD Kevin Willis, Waste Control Adam Davis, UA 26 Plumbers Shawn Nyman, C-W Central Steve Wilcox, Wilcox & Flegel and Steamfiters Labor Council Oil Co. Lance Brown, Eric Fuller, Inc. Rich Gushman, Gibbs and Olson Gary Fredricks, WSU Extension Mike Bridges, IBEW Rob Harris, JH Kelly Carrie Backman, WSU Extension Vee Godley, NWIW Marcel Goulet, SCORE Kathi Wallace Chris Paolini, Airport Mat Peerboom, KapStone Sandi Benbrook-Rieder, Wahkiakum Chamber Julie Nelson, American Bill Marcum, Kelso-Longview Workforce Group Chamber Nicci Bergseng Corey Balkan, Arthur Gallagher Dan Zorn, Longview Schools Shannon Brit Brian Magnuson, Cascade Ilona Kerby, Lower Columbia Deb Howie Networks CAP Marissa Washington, Bank of Steve Madsen, CATS/CARP Chris Bailey, Lower Columbia the Pacific College Pat Kubin, Ci�zen Boone Mora Karen Sisson, North Pacific Valaree Squires, Ci�zen Laurel Waller, Hotel Cathlamet Paper Company Dave Vorse, City of Castle Rock Linda Barth, Linda Barth Spencer Wiggins, NW Motor Insurance Paul Helenberg, City of Castle Services Rock Bob Kizziar, Wahkiakum Port Paul Youmans, Pathways 2020 District #1 Rosemary Siipola, City of Becki Tapley, Peace Health Kalama Jackie Lea, Wahkiakum Port Eric Yakovich, Port of Kalama District #1 Stephen Taylor, City of Kelso Jeff Wilson, Port of Longview Lee Tischer, Wahkiakum Port Tammy Baraconi, City of Kelso District #2 Norm Krehbiel, Port of Chet Makinster, City of Longview Richard Erickson, River Mile 38 Longview Brewing Co. Jennifer Keene, Port of Joe Phillips, City of Longview Woodland Mat Kuhl, Futcher Group CPA Mike Wallin, City of Longview Jake Oja, Propel Meg Morris, Wahkiakum Jerry Flaskerud, Coldwell Banker Chamber Taylor Aalvik, Cowlitz Tribe Dennis Weber, Cowlitz County Sue Cameron, Town of Donald Rodman, Rodman Realty Bianca Lemmons, Cowlitz Cathlamet Jerry Petrick, Small Business County Title Devel. Center Mike Backman, Wahkiakum Mike Karnofski, City of Kelso County Alyssa Joyner, SW WA Ted Sprague, Cowlitz Econ. Workforce Robert Jungers, Wahkiakum Development Council Erin Theony, Theony Family PUD Scot Walstra, Cowlitz Econ. Trust Development Council Bill Wilkins, Windermere Ka�e Ribelin, US Bank CEDS 2018| Page6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments 4 List of Figures & Tables 8 List of Acronyms 9 Introduc�on 10 Summary Background 10 Geography, Governance, Transporta�on, U�li�es, Educa�on 10-16 Map of Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Economic Development District 17 SWOT Analysis 18 Strategic Direc�on 19 Visions Statement – Regional Priori�es and Goals 20-22 Ac�on Plan 23 Regional Projects 24-37 Evalua�on Framework 38 Economic Resilience 38 Appendix Demography 42 CEDS 2018| Page7 LIST OF FIGURES & TABLES Figures Page 1 Planning Area Map 11 2 Amtrak Cascades Route 14 3 Educa�onal Atainment 15 4 Map of Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Economic Development District 17 Tables 1 Performance Metrics 38 2 Community Challenges 39 A1 Cowlitz County Overview 42 A2 Wahkiakum County Overview 43 A3 Race 44 A4 Age 45 A5 Living Arrangements 45 A6 Educa�on 46 A7 Housing 47 A8 Popula�on Change 47 A9 Income 48 CEDS 2018| Page8 LIST OF ACRONYMS 100RC 100 Resilient Ci�es project of The Rockefeller Founda�on BPA Bonneville Power Administra�on CDBG Community Development Block Grant CEDS Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy CRF City Resilience Framework CWCOG Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments EDA Economic Development Administra�on, US Department of Commerce EDC Economic Development Council EDD Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Economic Development District EIS Environmental Impact Statement GMA Growth Management Act GTFS General Transit Feed Specifica�ons I-5 Interstate 5 LCC Lower Columbia College MPO Metropolitan Planning Organiza�on MRSC Municipal Research and Services Center MSA Metropolitan Sta�s�cal Area NTIA Na�onal Telecommunica�ons and Informa�on Administra�on NWIW Northwest Innova�on Works PERC Public Employment Rela�ons Commission PUD Public U�lity District SR State Route SWRTPO Southwest Washington Regional Transporta�on Planning Organiza�on WSDOT Washington State Department of Transporta�on WSW Workforce Southwest Washington CEDS 2018| Page9 Introduction What is a CEDS? The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG) has requested a federally designated economic development district to include Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties through the US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA).1 The(CWCOG) has developed a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) designed to identify regional priorities for economic and community development. This CEDS was developed to serve as the region’s plan in anticipation of the Economic Development District (EDD) designation. The CWCOG will serve as the District Organization. This plan follows the new guidelines released by the US Department of Commerce, EDA. The following four sections form the basis for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum CEDS: 1. Summary Background of economic conditions in the region; 2. SWOT Analysis to identify regional Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats; 3. Action Plan incorporating tactics identified through planning process, other plans, and stakeholder feedback to develop the priority strategies for the region; and 4. Evaluation Framework to identify and monitor performance measures associated with this plan. In its role as the planning organization, CWCOG is responsible for submitting an “annual updated CEDS performance report”2. The CEDS guidelines anticipate that the performance measures included in the CEDS will be used for evaluation within the annual performance report. Performance measures are established as part of the CEDS and will be reviewed and modified as necessary to ensure a viable approach to tracking progress toward the CEDS goals. Summary Background For the most part, economic condi�ons have remained stable over the last few years as the country has moved beyond the recession. The region con�nues to struggle in many areas including overall employment rate, income rate, many health factors, and other related indicators. During the last half of 2017, the Cowlitz County unemployment rate has seen a recovery, but wages con�nue to lag in both coun�es. Despite this, the region is experiencing strong economic ac�vity in certain sectors. Cowlitz County is experiencing some significant development opportuni�es that could result in as much as $4 billion in investment in the coming years from several projects. Wahkiakum County faces con�nuing challenges