At the Ellensburg City Council candidates forum, several candidates focused on infrastructure needs, economic development and youth services while also debating parking solutions and term limits.

Candidates repeatedly named infrastructure — water mains and other aging systems — as a near‑term concern that shapes budget priorities. Delano Palmer, director of capital planning and projects at Central Washington University and an appointed council member, said the city had recent utility failures: “It's not a **** thing to talk about, but we've had 4 water main breaks in the last month. Do people understand that?” He argued infrastructure repairs and resiliency are prerequisites for housing and economic growth.

Why it matters: Infrastructure failures can force immediate unplanned spending and affect daily life. Candidates linked infrastructure health to the city’s ability to attract businesses and provide recreational services.

Economic development and jobs were another common theme. Palmer said his capital‑planning role positions him to support development that generates local revenue and keeps graduates in town; Nancy Goodlow described an imminent regional economic development plan the city and county are preparing to implement. Candidates said a stronger tax base helps fund parks, pool repairs and other services.

Parking downtown prompted repeated questions. Candidates acknowledged a problem but offered no consensus solution. Palmer noted potential tradeoffs for parking garages (“it’s tall, it's ugly”), while Sam Ezell said a parking garage could create revenue but asked where it would be sited. Candidates discussed alternatives including multimodal transportation and encouraging walking, biking and carpooling.

Term limits surfaced as a governance question. Palmer and Ezell both said they support limits in principle but cautioned that very short limits can hinder implementation and continuity; Palmer said eight years can be long but noted that overly rapid turnover can impede sustained projects.

Youth programming and mentoring attracted consistent attention across panels. Several candidates tied youth services to prevention of delinquency and urged expansion of mentoring, recreation and after‑school spaces.

Next steps: Candidates said infrastructure work, economic development implementation and parks planning will be part of upcoming council priorities. They urged voters to weigh those priorities in the primary election, which selects the top two candidates for the general election.