Vibe Coworks and the City of Poulsbo Partner to Strengthen Community Resilience

A new MOU designates Vibe Coworks as the City’s tertiary operations site in case of disaster, underscoring how coworking spaces contribute to community resilience and are increasingly understood to be a vital part of civic infrastructure.

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POULSBO, Washington (October 27, 2024)—As Poulsbo enters a new chapter of leadership, Vibe Coworks and the City of Poulsbo have formalized a new agreement designed to strengthen community resilience and emergency preparedness. Through a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the City of Poulsbo has designated Vibe Coworks as a tertiary operational site under the City’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).

The agreement ensures that, in the event that Poulsbo City Hall becomes inaccessible due to a catastrophic emergency, essential municipal functions can continue without interruption at Vibe Coworks. It’s a forward-thinking partnership that underscores the role local coworking spaces can play in bolstering civic resilience, infrastructure, and the overall well-being of the community.

Vibe Coworks Director of Operations, Amber Sallay, commented:

“This MOU represents the best of what partnership looks like in Poulsbo. It’s about being ready, being connected, and recognizing that spaces like Vibe aren’t just for business—they’re part of how our community stays strong, adaptive, and prepared.”

Vibe Coworks offers access to a fully furnished, flexible, and ADA-accessible workspace equipped with the amenities needed to maintain continuity during a disruption. These include:

• Multiple private and shared conference rooms
• Gig-speed fiber internet and wired ethernet connections
• Projector and panoramic webcam for hybrid operations
• Whiteboard walls for planning and coordination
• Dedicated wellness room and mother’s lounge
• Private phone booths for secure communication
• Bike storage and ample parking for accessibility

With a layout designed for collaboration and adaptability, the space can quickly be configured to meet emergency operational needs while providing a calm, professional setting for City staff.

For the City, the MOU adds another layer of redundancy to its emergency management framework, ensuring leadership and staff have multiple safe, functional environments to operate from if primary facilities are unavailable.

Poulsbo City Administrator, Rob Gelder, said:

“With the City’s renewed focus on emergency preparedness, training and operations, it’s vital for our ability to respond that we have redundancy and resiliency in our planning. This partnership with Vibe is just that, and we thank them for stepping up.”

For Vibe, the agreement formalizes an already strong relationship with local government and the greater Poulsbo community—one rooted in trust, connection, and shared responsibility.

Sallay added:

“We hope this plan never has to be activated, but if it does, we’ll be ready to open our doors and stand beside the City to keep critical operations running. That’s what it means to be part of a resilient community.”

As Poulsbo looks ahead to its next chapter of civic leadership, the collaboration between City leadership, local businesses, and community partners will remain essential. This agreement demonstrates public-private partnerships—grounded in preparedness and shared values—can proactively plan together for the unexpected while strengthening the everyday connections that make communities like Poulsbo thrive.