Find Residents in Ellensburg
The Ellensburg Residents Directory pulls together city clerk files, Ellensburg Police records, and city attorney records for people who live in Ellensburg. The City Attorney's Executive Assistant is the Public Records Officer for most city files. The Ellensburg Police Department runs its own records division. The city sits in Kittitas County, and felony and family cases go to Kittitas County Superior Court. The Ellensburg Residents Directory is a free way to look up residents, pull case files, and find city documents. Most searches start online, and walk-ins are welcome during business hours.
Ellensburg Residents Directory Basics
Ellensburg is a city in central Washington. It is the seat of Kittitas County and the home of Central Washington University. The city runs under a Council-Manager form of government. The city clerk keeps the official records for the council. The city attorney's office handles most records requests for city departments other than the police.
The city follows the state Public Records Act at RCW 42.56. Under RCW 42.56.520, the city must reply within five business days. The reply may be the record, a time estimate, a request for more detail, or a denial with a statute cite.
Ellensburg Records Division
The City of Ellensburg Records Division page is the main entry point for public records requests. The city's policy is to respond to all requests for identifiable public records in a timely manner. You can submit a request online, by mail, by fax at 509-962-7281, or by hand delivery to either the Ellensburg Police Department or City Hall.
The screenshot shows the City of Ellensburg Records Division page, the main hub for the Ellensburg Residents Directory.
Police records requests go to the Ellensburg Police Department at 100 N. Pearl Street, Ellensburg, WA 98926. All other city records go to City Hall at 501 N. Anderson Street, Ellensburg, WA 98926. Walk-in requests are welcome at either location, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The city's fee schedule is simple. Inspection is free. Email delivery is free. Printed copies are $0.15 per page per RCW 42.56.120. Disks or other media cost $1 each. Payments must be cash, check, or money order. The city does not take credit cards for records requests.
Ellensburg City Clerk
The Ellensburg City Clerk is responsible for the city's legal documents. The clerk records and maintains the official minutes of the City Council and reviews business licenses. The clerk also collects gambling taxes and admissions tax records. The clerk keeps custody of the official City Seal and attests deeds, ordinances, resolutions, minutes, and contracts.
The image shows the City Clerk page, where residents can find council meeting info, business licensing, and city code links for the Ellensburg Residents Directory.
The clerk's contact is Beth Leader at 509-925-8614. Her services include support for City Council legislative work, production of council meetings, agenda and packet prep, bid openings, and the business licensing process. The Ellensburg City Code is hosted by Municode and can be searched online. A hard copy lives at the Ellensburg Public Library at 209 N. Ruby Street.
Note: The city clerk is not the public records officer in Ellensburg; that role belongs to the city attorney's executive assistant, which is a little unusual for a Washington city.
Ellensburg City Attorney and Records Officer
The Ellensburg City Attorney's Office is the chief legal adviser to the city. The city attorney is appointed by the city manager. The office advises city council, departments, boards, and commissions on civil legal matters. It also drafts and reviews city ordinances and resolutions.
The screenshot shows the City Attorney's Office page, which explains the public records role and lists links used in the Ellensburg Residents Directory.
The City Attorney's Executive Assistant is the city's Public Records Officer, appointed per RCW 42.56.580. That officer intakes and processes records requests, other than police department requests. Requests can be made online, in person, or by phone. The assistant city attorney also acts as city prosecutor for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases filed in Kittitas County Lower District Court.
Ellensburg Police Records
The Ellensburg Police Department handles its own records. Police reports do not go through the city attorney's office. Instead, requests for police files go to the Ellensburg Police Records Division at 100 N. Pearl Street. Common exemptions for police files come from RCW 42.56, RCW 10.97, RCW 13.50, and RCW 46.52. Juvenile records and non-conviction data get strong protection under these laws.
If any part of a file is exempt, staff will specify the exemption that applies. The city does not keep a single central index of records. The city found that keeping a full index would be unduly burdensome due to the number and complexity of records from police activities.
Search Ellensburg Resident Records Online
The Ellensburg Residents Directory mixes city and state tools. The Washington Courts Odyssey Portal shows case summaries from Kittitas County District Court, Superior Court, and Ellensburg Municipal Court. The Washington State Digital Archives holds older files. The Washington Secretary of State CCFS tracks business filings.
The Washington State Patrol WATCH tool gives statewide conviction data for $11 per name. Vital records go through the Washington Department of Health. Only qualified applicants may get birth and death certs under RCW 70.58A.560.
Ellensburg Residents Directory Legal Framework
The state Public Records Act drives the Ellensburg Residents Directory. RCW 42.56.010 says the people of Washington do not yield their sovereignty to their government. RCW 42.56.070 makes city records open unless a statute says otherwise. RCW 42.56.240 is the long exemption list. RCW 42.56.120 sets the default fee schedule that Ellensburg follows.
Court records are governed by Washington Court General Rule 31 and GR 31.1, not by the Public Records Act. The burden is on the city to prove that a file is exempt under RCW 42.56.550, and courts in Washington tend to side with the public when the law is unclear.
Channels for the Ellensburg Residents Directory
Each office has its own role. Use the right one for the file you want.
- Ellensburg City Clerk for council minutes, business licenses, and ordinances
- City Attorney's Executive Assistant for general city records
- Ellensburg Police Records Division for police reports
- Kittitas County Superior Court for felony and family cases
- Washington State Patrol for statewide criminal history
Sending a request to the right office saves days of routing time.
Washington Residents Directory
Ellensburg sits in Kittitas County. Kittitas County does not have its own page on this site, so the Washington state directory covers the county level files that cross over with the Ellensburg Residents Directory.