City of Cle Elum

What City of Cle Elum does

The City of Cle Elum is a municipal government entity incorporated on February 12, 1902, operating under a Mayor-Council form of government in Kittitas County, Washington. It delivers essential public services to approximately 4,614 residents and local businesses, including water treatment and distribution, sewer and wastewater treatment, garbage collection, building permits and inspections, business licensing, police protection (via the Cle Elum-Roslyn Police Department), volunteer fire protection (via an all-volunteer fire department established in 1903), library services (Carpenter Memorial Library), cemetery operations (Laurel Hill Memorial Park), and nine city parks. The city also operates the Cle Elum Municipal Airport (Runway 7-25, 2,379 feet) under FAA and WSDOT Aviation oversight, and manages approximately 25 miles of streets plus four I-90 interchanges that position it as the regional access hub to upper Kittitas County, Roslyn, Ronald, and Suncadia Resort.

The city's core physical infrastructure includes a multi-million dollar Water Treatment Plant (6 MGD capacity, expandable to 8 MGD, DOH Level 3 certified, online since January 2004) sourcing from the Yakima and Cle Elum Rivers, and the Upper Kittitas County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (3.6 MGD Sequential Batch Reactor with UV disinfection, completed 2005) that serves Cle Elum, South Cle Elum, Roslyn, Ronald, and Suncadia Resort under interlocal agreements. Capital capacity was deliberately designed for a 30-year regional build-out population equivalency of 18,956. Operationally, the city runs on roughly 21 staff plus the volunteer fire department, with field administration led by a City Administrator, City Clerk, Finance Director, Public Works Director, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Library Director, and a seven-member elected City Council.

Revenue is generated through monthly utility billing (water, sewer, garbage with tiered rates and low-income senior discounts), transaction-based building permit fees with 65% plan review surcharge, annual business license fees scaled by employee count, cemetery plot and interment fees, and intergovernmental revenues from interlocal agreements and regional service provision. Public records, council agendas, and utility payments are handled through CivicClerk, NextRequest, and XpressBillPay portals. In June 2025 the city filed Chapter 9 bankruptcy to safeguard essential services amid financial stress, and has since commissioned voter surveys and public communications around the City Heights judgment.

Name

City of Cle Elum

Legal name

City of Cle Elum

Website

https://cleelum.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The City of Cle Elum is a Washington State municipal government serving approximately 4,614 residents with water, sewer, garbage, police, fire, building, library, parks, and cemetery services, and operating a regional wastewater treatment facility under interlocal agreements with neighboring jurisdictions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Refuse Systems (4953), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Water and wastewater treatment
• Public safety services
• Building permits and licensing
• Parks and recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cle Elum

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Utility Services Revenue: Monthly utility bills for water, sewer, and garbage services. Water rates range from $63.79/month for 3/4-inch residential to $386.30 for larger lines. Sewer rates include base rates plus usage charges. Garbage rates range from $24.72/month for 20-gallon cart to $57.99 for 96-gallon cart.
2. Building Permits and Fees: Building permit fees based on total valuation of construction project, with plan review fees at 65% of permit fee. Administrative permit fees of $6.50 residential and $25 commercial per permit issued.
3. Business Licenses: Annual business license fees based on number of employees: 1-2 employees $30/year, 3-5 employees $60/year, 6-10 employees $100/year, 11-25 employees $150/year, 26-50 employees $275/year, over 51 employees $375/year. Contractor license $60/year.
4. Cemetery Services: Grave space sales ranging from $1,800 (city residents) to $3,000 (non-residents), opening/closing fees, cremains spaces, and liner fees.
5. Intergovernmental Revenue: Revenue sharing and service agreements with Kittitas County, neighboring cities (Roslyn, South Cle Elum, Ronald), and regional services like Kittcom dispatch and wastewater treatment facility serving multiple jurisdictions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The City of Cle Elum is a municipal government providing essential public services to residents and businesses within city limits and surrounding regions. Core offerings include water treatment and distribution (6 MGD capacity), wastewater treatment (3.6 MGD regional facility), garbage collection, building permits, business licensing, police and fire protection, parks and recreation, library services, cemetery operations, airport services, and planning and development services. The city operates under a Mayor-Council form of government and provides regional services to neighboring municipalities through interlocal agreements.

Product overview

City of Cle Elum is a municipal government providing essential public services to residents and businesses. The city's offerings include water treatment and distribution (6 MGD capacity plant), wastewater treatment (regional 3.6 MGD SBR facility serving multiple jurisdictions), garbage collection with recycling, building permits, business licensing, cemetery services, fire protection, library services, parks and recreation (nine parks including trail systems), airport operations, police services (Cle Elum-Roslyn Police Department), and comprehensive planning and development services. The city operates under a Mayor-Council form of government and contracts with various regional partners including Kittitas County for dispatch services and multiple cities for regional wastewater treatment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Treatment Services The City operates a multi-million dollar water treatment plant that generates potable water by filtering and processing raw Yakima River and Cle Elum River water, with a capacity of 6 million gallons per day expandable to 8 million gallons per day. Serves City of Cle Elum, Town of South Cle Elum, and Suncadia resort area.
• Wastewater Treatment Services Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) biological wastewater treatment system with ultra-violet disinfection. Provides wastewater treatment for City of Cle Elum, Town of South Cle Elum, City of Roslyn, City of Ronald, and Suncadia Resort.
• Garbage Collection Services Mandatory weekly garbage pickup contracted through Waste Management of Washington for residential and commercial customers within city limits, with various cart sizes (20-gallon to 96-gallon) and optional recycling services.
• Building Permits Review and inspection of all building permit applications for residential and commercial construction, enforcing building and fire codes to ensure safety and energy efficiency. Fees based on total valuation of construction project with plan review fees at 65% of permit fee.
• Business Licenses Annual business licensing for all businesses conducted within city limits, including contractor licenses, mobile vendor licenses, taxi company licenses, and rideshare driver licenses. Fees range from $30/year (1-2 employees) to $375/year (over 51 employees).
• Cemetery Services Laurel Hill Memorial Park provides burial services with grave spaces ($1,800 residents to $3,000 non-residents), liners ($810), opening/closing services ($2,392.50), cremains spaces ($900-$1,500), and memorial features including the Douglas A. Munro Memorial for veterans.
• Fire Department Services All-volunteer fire department established in 1903, providing fire suppression, emergency response, and recreational fire permitting within city limits. Operates from a modern fire station constructed in 2005.
• Library Services Carpenter Memorial Library offers checkout services, computer and internet access, northwest book collections, and curbside pickup services. Library created by ordinance from City Council nearly 100 years ago, renamed 30 years ago after Carpenter family bequest.
• Parks and Recreation Nine city parks including Centennial Park, City Park, Fireman's Park, Hanson Ponds Park, Memorial Park, Howard Carlin Memorial Trailhead Park, Miller-Guzzie Park, Wye Park, and Rotary's Flagpole Park, plus Park and Ride facility. Offers sports fields, disc golf, playgrounds, trails, and community garden.
• Airport Services Cle Elum Municipal Airport, owned and operated since 1959, features a 2,379-foot runway (Runway 7-25) at 1,945 feet elevation, serving small aircraft under 12,500 pounds. Free tie-downs available, five private hangars on leased city land.
• Police Services Cle Elum-Roslyn Police Department provides law enforcement to Cle Elum and Roslyn, including traffic safety, community policing, accident investigation, crime prevention, and public education. Operates through KITTcom dispatch services.
• Planning and Development Services Long-range planning including comprehensive plan implementation, zoning enforcement, design review, environmental permitting (SEPA, shorelines, floodplains), and development regulations administration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water treatment capacity of 6 million gallons per day with expansion capability to 8 million gallons
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Town of South Cle ElumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWastewater Treatment and Disposal Service agreement; Public Library Services Agreement with Board of Trustees; Public Works Services Interlocal Agreement; Animal Control Services.
• City of RoslyncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMutual Aid Services Interlocal Agreement; Public Works Services Interlocal Agreement; Coal Mines Trail Interlocal Cooperation Agreement and Reciprocal Easements.
• City of RonaldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWastewater treatment services for City of Ronald and nearby unincorporated areas through Upper Kittitas County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.
• Kittitas CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple interlocal agreements including: Court Related Services, Housing of Inmates, Certified Acceptance Services for speed cameras, Consolidated Lodging Tax and Grant Process, Housing of Inmates 2025-2027, Kittitas County Economic Development Partnership, Firewise Airport task order, Joint Cooperation and Cooperative Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Investigation Services.
• Kittcom (Kittitas County 911 Center)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmergency dispatch services for Cle Elum Police Department through Kittcom located in Ellensburg. Mutual Aid Agreement for Call Coverage.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreTechnology or IntegrationAirport regulatory oversight and funding source. City applies for FAA funding for airport improvements including runway expansion, perimeter fencing, and infrastructure.
• Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation DivisioncoreTechnology or IntegrationState aviation regulatory oversight and funding. City applies for WSDOT Aviation funding for airport improvements per Airport Layout Plan.
• Kittitas County Conservation District (KCCD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirewise Airport task order; Joint Cooperation and Cooperative Services Interlocal Agreement.
• Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Recovery BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlocal Agreement for environmental conservation and fish/wildlife recovery programs in the Yakima Basin.
• Washington State Department of EcologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShoreline Master Program approval and oversight per Washington State Shoreline Management Act. Department approved updated Master Program effective October 25, 2021.
• Department of Natural Resources (DNR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNR Forestland Response Interlocal Agreement for Cle Elum Fire Department coordination on forestland fire response.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tacoma Public Utilities: Washington-based municipal utility providing water, wastewater, and power services; comparable as a public-sector operator of treatment infrastructure with regulatory and DOH compliance obligations similar to Cle Elum's.
• Seattle Public Utilities: Large-scale municipal utility operating water, wastewater, and solid waste services in Washington; relevant as a comparable for utility rate structures, regulatory compliance, and regional service models.
• City of Yakima: Larger central Washington municipal government that also operates its own water and wastewater utilities and police/fire services, providing a benchmark for scaled municipal operations in the same climate.

Direct peers

• City of Roslyn: Adjacent Kittitas County municipality served by Cle Elum's police mutual aid and wastewater treatment under the same interlocal agreements, making it the most directly comparable peer jurisdiction.
• City of Snoqualmie: I-90 corridor small city in Washington serving roughly similar population size with comparable municipal service portfolio, water/wastewater treatment, and growing resort-adjacent development.
• City of Ronald: Small Kittitas County municipality receiving wastewater treatment through Cle Elum's Upper Kittitas County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility and similar in scale and rural-mountain operating profile.
• City of North Bend: Small King County, Washington municipal government at a similar population scale to Cle Elum, also providing water, sewer, police, and planning services within a mountain-pass I-90 corridor.
• Town of South Cle Elum: Neighboring town linked to Cle Elum via wastewater, library, public works, and animal control interlocal agreements, sharing the same regional service footprint.

Regional players

• City of Ellensburg: Kittitas County seat and regional peer city of Washington; operates its own water, sewer, and police services and provides the Kittcom dispatch center Cle Elum uses for emergency calls.
• Chelan County PUD: Washington public utility district serving central Washington with water/wastewater and electric services; comparable as a regional public-sector infrastructure operator in similar terrain and climate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofcleelum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-cle-elum

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Cle Elum