Chair / Annual Review 2009/10

Annual Report 2009/10

Note: Minor corrections appear in italics or strike out—mrb

WACO/Board Composition and Structure

  1. Norm Wakeman (Vice-Chair), Michael Bishop (Treasurer) and Linda Anselm (NW Rep) were all re-elected April, 2009.
  2. Pat Madigan is appointed, Secretary. Dana Hills appointed the NW Rep. Louise Wallace appointed the SW Rep in Oct.
  3. Kitchen committee without active members as of December.
  4. Mary Shreves: co-chair of Carnival committee for 50<sup>th</sup> year
  5. Pattie Schultz will be handling scheduling and taking the phone calls.
  6. Roni Widner resigned her rep seat at WACO and has been appointed to the Willow Fire Service Board of Supervisors.
  7. Jane Dale has accepted appointment as the Vice Chair filling Norm’s vacated seat pending confirmation by the Board in special meeting to be announced. (effective 4.2010)

Major Actions Achieved in Last Year

  1. Signed letter of support for the Alaska Farmers Association and their grant request to the Department of Agriculture from which money came for Market Day.
  2. Supported the WHO in their request for $3000 from MSB for Market Day in Willow.
  3. Letter written about the next in a series of 5 year Timber sales.
  4. Letters written regarding draft of the Hatcher Pass Management Plan.
  5. Letter of thanks for CERT’s use of facilities at Willow Area Self Storage since November ‘06.
  6. Mr. Brodigan was guest speaker about the Willow Fire Service and financial risks becoming more worrisome.
  7. Bylaws Committee drafted several changes to allow WACO to become compliant with Borough regulations and State Code. The motion to accept the whole of the bylaws failed by 5 votes. So individual portions of the changes are being addressed one at a time to assure that the community has a chance to evaluate each proposed change. The aspects already addressed: Trails and CERT be defined as standing committees. Therefore: remove Special Standing Committees definition as redundant; and clarify how the committees’ leadership will be determined: the Chair of each committee will be selected by the respective committee and endorsed by the WACO Chair for both the Trails Committee and CERT.
  8. WHWF be permitted to operate (keep) the log building on WACO managed property.
  9. Wrote a letter of support for our Library as the best small library in America.
  10. Summer Trails Project. Steering committee is set up with several community members. Request for proposal (RFP) announced to hire a master planner. Funding: $25,000 achieved by WHO from the Mat-Su Health Foundation and $5000 from WACO (from the Revenue Sharing monies)
  11. Ran a raffle on behalf of the PTA which earned them about $5000.
  12. Submitted several items have been added to the MSB CIP list for the Community Center: New Septic System; New Hall Floor; Rewire Kitchen, Restrooms & Office.
  13. Letter written to MSB Manager Duffy regarding the fuel running out in follow up to previous letters of dissatisfaction with process used to let out fuel contract.
  14. Sent letter of support on behalf of the Food Bank.
  15. Attended meeting held in Willow between representatives from MSB and from WACO, the Chamber of Commerce and Roads Service. Several items were on the agenda including: The Old Log Building, The Fuel Deliveries and Supplier to the Community Center, Road Issues including the flooding of Willow Creek., A letter written by the Fire Chief, not wishing to be a part of District 4, MSB paying for a DOT permit on Willow Lake for all organizations that may wish to use it.
  16. Ran a raffle of a print on behalf of Willow Library Association.
  17. MSB Natural Resource Management Units. Letter written regarding the sections in Willow that might be affected.
  18. Letter of support written for the Willow Clinic for grant funding to continue building.

Major Events Successfully Conducted or Supported

  1. Annual Willow clean up day; thanks Jane Newman for organizing this event!
  2. July 4th celebration with thanks to Fire Department Auxiliary for cooking, the Willow Health Organization for the loan of canopies, the Willow Dog Mushers for the Pet Costume Contest, the Willow Lions for games and ice-cream, Doyle Holmes and Shawn Sidelinger as parade marshals and all those who built parade floats. A true team effort for community fun and celebration!!
  3. Octoberfest Dinner; many thanks to Walter Adolfs for several years of excellent food and all the groups who made table decorations. This was the last year for Octoberfest unless there is another cook who would like to step forward and take the reins from Walter.
  4. Annual Holiday Bazaar – Lisa Johnson did a great job in her first year as Bazaar coordinator.
  5. Annual Holiday dinner – 290 people served!! Thanks Mary Shreves for coordinating this event.
  6. Iditarod restart, another successful and fun day with a great kitchen and clean up crew!

Community Center Improvements

  1. The water treatment system for filtering arsenic was installed by MSB. The water is again, safe to drink!
  2. Lions supported to hold their meetings and store their paraphernalia in the apartment upstairs in the WCC.
  3. Garage door over the counter to the kitchen repaired.
  4. Storage building built and being used for emergency preparedness for the Red Cross, WDMA, CERT and WACO with grant money from the state. supplemented by money from (state) Community Revenue Sharing program.
  5. Increased fee paid for cleaning services by 5%. (A raise for our excellent cleaners.)
  6. Three bike racks have been built and painted. and will be painted (powder coated) this week. This project was funded by WACO and the Willow Library Association.
  7. Heating thermostats have been fixed.
  8. Spent about $3500 on a snowblower, to be used for the Community Center.
  9. Heating is now fixed, but the boiler is leaking.
  10. Radio mast approved for top of WCC.
  11. Deep cleaning of WCC begun.

Finances In/Out

  1. $10,000 available from WACO funds after expenses was used to fund building and community projects: Upgrade to kitchen equipment, A frame Display sign plus letters, Race Bibs, Table trucks and Bike racks totaling $4,500; $500 and $750 for initial provisioning of CERT’s area within the Secure Storage Building; $1000 to the Willow Elementary School swimming program, (and the $3500 for the snowblower addressed above).
  2. Audit of the books completed with excellence in management for WACO, Trails and CERT.
  3. Bought with many thanks, Stella Houghton’s Carnival Pins for $540.
  4. $3,000 to the Market Day Planners for awnings, money from Community Revenue Sharing.
  5. Willow PTA given $12,000 to improve the Community Fields at Willow Elementary School; money from Community Revenue Sharing.
  6. $5,200 from the Community Revenue Sharing Improvement Funds be allocated to the Willow Trails Committee to develop a master plan for the Willow Pedestrian Trails Project.
  7. WACO’s insurance has increased because of required insurance for the Trails Committee equipment. Trails were advised in December that insurance was unnecessary under certain conditions; $1,000 refunded on insurance paid as a result.

Processes that will continue into the next year

  1. Support the Carnival volunteers as they plan the 50<sup>th</sup> year celebration!
  2. Support the Comp Planning team if they need forum to share work with the community.
  3. Attend and monitor/respond with feedback to the Rail Spur process.
  4. Track and participate as appropriate with the energy legislation and impacts on Willow.
  5. Track and participate in the Hatcher Pass Management Plan draft process.
  6. Track and participate in the Master Plan for the Willow Airport.
  7. Revival of a Kitchen Committee.
  8. Continue to support the Summer Trails Project.
  9. Watch for CIP approved lists – seek other ways to fund the needed changes.
  10. Chamber of Commerce, the Lions and WACO working together to run the election for the Carnival King & Queen and the Service Awards for 2010.
  11. Run a raffle on behalf of Luke Delia if their plans continue to need our support.
  12. Continue to move forward on the changes needed in our bylaws. One specific is whether to adopt a properly drafted map of areas for representation or to have 4 at large members. (The drawn map and the written description do not match. Common understandings of the areas are in use until this issue is discussed and settled.)
  13. A deep cleaning process for WCC to be evolved.
  14. Work with borough staff to continue work on the major needs of the building that still exists, eg balancing the air exchanger.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, FIND WAYS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE FUN AND FUNCTIONS OF WILLOW!!!!

Respectfully submitted,
Linda Oxley, Chair
4.10

Willow Area Community Organization
Linda Oxley, Chair
Phone: 2615 Email: chair@waco-ak.org
Meets: 1st Monday/Month, WCC, 7:00PM

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