Mid Columbia Economic Development District strives to promote the creation of family-wage jobs, the diversification of the economic base, and the growth, development and retention of business and industry in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat and Skamania Counties
MCEDD is organized as a government non-profit in Oregon as an ORS-190 and in Washington through RCW 39.34.010.
December 28, 2017 – MCEDD is partnering with the National Association of Development Organization (NADO) Research Foundation and Klickitat County Economic Development to identify potential solutions to transportation needs of employers in eastern Klickitat County.
Klickitat County’s economic development partnership was a primary factor driving this study. “MCEDD’s established relationship with Klickitat County Economic Development has been fruitful for both organizations, leading to the successful implementation of projects that have had a strong positive impact on Klickitat County’s economic development. This new collaborative effort will create further benefits for the communities within our region,” stated Richard Foster. “MCEDD’s growing involvement in transit issues is a real plus for our workforce, many of whom are commuting long distances in personal vehicles. The NADO study will help identify the transit market and will lead to lower cost options for worker commutes,” noted Dana Peck, Goldendale Chamber and MCEDD Board member.
Contact Kathy Fitzpatrick at kathy@mcedd.org or 541-296-2266 to participate or learn more.
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October 24, 2017 – In partnership with MCEDD, The Next Door Inc. recently completed a project funded by the Association of Oregon Counties that will increase the use of transportation services by Limited English Proficiency individuals. The Next Door’s project staff gave very popular cultural awareness training sessions to Hood River and Wasco County transportation services providers. They also:
Created two engaging novellas that aired on Radio Tierra. Radio Tierra receives phone calls from listeners wanting more information about their public transportation options after a novella had been played. Click here to hear the Next Door Inc’s own Joel Pelayo and Andrea Flores give a lively performance.
Designed and distributed “plain language” guides to share public transportation information. Click to view the “plain language guides” for Columbia Area Transit and The LINK services.
This project’s successful outreach to Hood River and Wasco County’s LEP population is especially relevant now as Columbia Area Transit, Mt. Adams Transportation Services , and the Columbia Gorge Express begin to implement planned public transportation service expansions within the next six months.
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