The Ephrata City Council convened on April 2, 2025, to discuss several key initiatives aimed at enhancing community collaboration and communication among local organizations. The meeting highlighted the formation of a new group, previously known as Revitalize Ephrata, which aims to foster better cooperation among municipal entities, including the city, public utility district (PUD), county, hospital district, school district, and the chamber of commerce.

The primary mission of this organization is to address the longstanding communication gaps that have hindered collaborative efforts in Ephrata. Council members noted that there has been a chronic lack of awareness among these organizations regarding each other's projects and initiatives. The new group seeks to create a more active forum for dialogue and planning, inspired by a similar successful initiative in Wenatchee.

A significant action proposed by this group is the launch of a community survey designed to gather open-ended feedback from residents about their vision for Ephrata's future. Unlike traditional surveys that focus on rating priorities, this survey aims to capture a broader range of thoughts and ideas. To ensure a thorough analysis of the survey results, the group plans to engage a professional organization to interpret the data and provide actionable recommendations.

During the meeting, council members discussed the financial implications of the survey analysis, with the proposal suggesting that each of the major stakeholders contribute one-fifth of the estimated costs. This proposal is expected to be voted on in the next council meeting.

Concerns were raised regarding the involvement of the Chamber of Commerce, which had not participated in previous meetings. Council members emphasized the importance of including business community representatives in these discussions to ensure a comprehensive approach to community planning.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue fostering collaboration among all stakeholders and to keep the lines of communication open as the community survey progresses. The next steps will involve finalizing the proposal for the survey analysis and encouraging broader participation from local businesses in future meetings.