Minutes of General Meeting
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Date: Nov 3, 2008
Occasion: General Meeting
Called to Order: 7:12PM
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QUORUM
No quorum was present for a general meeting. There was a quorum present for a board meeting.
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AGENDA
North-East Area Rep was added to the Agenda.
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BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE
Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, NW, SE, SW Area Reps., Lions, Emergency Svcs., Library
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BOARD MEMBERS EXCUSED
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PTA
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the October 6, 2008 board meeting were amended to read “Senator Huggins is having an Energy Round Table forum on October 14<sup>th</sup> in ‘Wasilla.’ and then approved.
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GUEST SPEAKERS
1. Jennifer Ambrose:
Representing the Iditarod, Jennifer came to get acquainted and answer questions about the Iditarod restart in Willow. Willow is now the official restart location. Volunteers are being sought. Applications are found on the Iditarod website. Jennifer plans on contacting local groups seeking volunteers.
2. Debbie Trosper:
Also representing the Iditarod, Debbie explained that DOT and the FAA are working together to develop an 8.5 to 10 acre parking lot on Willow Station Rd. A buffer of trees will be kept between the parking lot and the Parks highway. Shuttles will run from Anchorage, Talkeetna and Wasilla to the restart in Willow. Iditarod has a six year contract with WACO to use the Community Center.
3. Darrell Davis:
Davis is in charge of security for the Iditarod. He will be securing the restart across Willow Lake and up to the neighborhood road on the west side of the lake. Snowmobiles are the greatest problem. Clearly marked alternative trails and fencing are planned to keep snowmobiles away from dog teams. The community center bleachers are now raised on blocks to facilitate moving in the winter. Port-a-potties will be more strategically placed avoiding driveways. Volunteers are also needed for security.
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OFFICERS REPORTS
1. Secretary:
- The Willow Planning Team meeting is Thursday Nov 6<sup>th</sup> from 6:30 to 9:00 at the Community Center
- Karen Kirkpatrick is looking for people interested in starting a Community Theater here in Willow. Her email address is [mailto: Ka_Kirk18@yahoo.com Ka_Kirk18@yahoo.com].
- The Mat-Su CVB annual meeting is Nov 7 at Settlers Bay Lodge beginning at 9AM. Contact Casey Ressler for more information at [mailto: casey@alaskavisit.com casey@alaskavisit.com] or phone 746-5037.
2. Treasurer:
- Copies of the treasurer’s report were distributed. There is a healthy positive balance of $36,926.73 in the bank. This should be enough to fund the Winter Carnival depending on how high the costs of fuel oil and electricity are this winter.
3. Vice-Chair:
- Ken Christianson is now helping Norm Wakeman to open doors and care for the community center.
- One of the boilers was removed and completely overhauled.
- Misinformation was corrected about where water was coming from to supply the community center. Mat-Su Water is bringing in the water until a water treatment plant is installed. The engineers have now completed a design for the water treatment plant.
4. Chair:
- The Surface Transportation Board is working on a document for the Railroad corridor that will come back to Alaska. No preferred route has been chosen.
- Charlie Huggins Energy Round Table meeting has been postponed until Nov 15.
- Comments are being looked at concerning power lines to be built between Knik and the Douglas sub station by MEA and ML and P.
- The District Court Judge granted our summary judgment against Richard and Delores Praelle. Excerpts can be found on the website. WACO’s Lawyer has submitted a request to reclaim lawyer fees. The timeline for Richard and Delores Praelle to appeal the original suit has passed.
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COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. Carnival:
- Meetings will continue on the 3<sup>rd</sup> Monday of the month at 7PM. This months meeting will be on Nov 17. Many individuals are currently working on the carnival. Advertisements are currently being sought.
- Oktoberfest made $4,804 dollars in proceed from meal tickets and the drawing.
2. Community Enrichment:
- There is additional funding available to support other events from the borough. Public ideas are welcome for other events.
- The beaded star class on Nov 29 costs $5. Contact Pat Madigan.
- Mat-Su Community College will meet at the Willow Community Center Nov 20 to discuss having classes in Willow.
3. Trails:
- Haesler/Norris, Amil Stancec and trails higher up on Hatchers Pass grants have been approved and combined.
- Grand money from snowmobile registration fees is approved for the purchase of a snow track and grooming equipment in the amount of $13,500.
- $13,500 grant for maintenance and gas is approved.
- A route for a new groomed trail from Big Lake to Denali with public access has been chosen.
- A pedestrian trail project possibly paved to augment the current bike trail along the Parks Highway going into residential areas has begun. Land Design North has done a description and quote. URS will soon have a scope of service and quote. WHO is involved and it would be nice to have a steering committee to help make some of the decisions.
- Nicole Pease is working on creating a trail day here in Willow to include people from surrounding areas on Feb 14. “Winter Trails Day” is a national event that the Mat-Su Borough has been involved in at Hatchers Pass the last 5 years for people to learn more about outdoor activities. REI donates the use of snowshoes and skies. REI will loan Willow 20 sets of snowshoes and skies for this event. Classes would also be offered.
4. Planning:
- The borough is putting together a questioner for Willow residence concerning land use. The borough will be paying for this questioner. Comments from the community are welcome at the Nov 6<sup>th</sup> meeting as to what should be included in the questioner.
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NEW BUSINESS
- The trail committee is required by the State to have insurance for the trail groomers. Steve Charles has talked to Integra who have the policy for WACO and they will add the trail insurance to WACO’s policy. The premium for the addition will be paid for with the grooming grant they receive from the State.
MOTION: Add a trail grooming addendum to the WACO liability insurance policy at no cost to WACO.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
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AREA REP REPORTS
- South-East
- The Holiday dinner is Dec 6. Eleven to thirteen pound turkeys can soon be donated for the dinner. WACO supplies stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. People bring in additional dishes to share. There is no charge for the dinner.
- Wayne Bissel is taking comments for revision of the Nancy Lake State Recreation management plan done in 1983.
- # ATV conditional use permits for people to access private property beyond the park
- # Dock regulations and permits considering 270 current docks and only two with permits
- # Access to Red Shirt Lake property which is currently restricted until 18″ of good snow in on the ground
- # Wednesday is a scoping meeting in Anchorage.
- South-West, North-East and North-West
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LOCAL ORGANIZATION REPORTS:
1. Emergency Services:
- There was a fire Friday up Hatcher’s Pass road. The house was saved.
- More firemen and EMT’s are needed.
2. Library:
- Saturday Nov 15 during the Craft Bazaar there will be a children’s craft time between 11 and 2PM in conjunction with the Methodist Church.
- December 11, our local author, Ann Dixon will be signing her new book, “When Posey Peaked at Christmas,” at 6:30PM.
- Raffle tickets for Carol Vance’s wall hanging are on sale for $5. The drawing will be on December 20.
- `Singing around the Bonfire’ outside the community center on Dec 20.
- Decorate a Christmas tree to display inside the community center for `Forrest of Trees.’
3. Lions:
- The Giving Tree is happening again this year.
4. WHO:
- 501C-3 status is approved.
- Strong Women’s Program held at the Methodist Church is for middle to elderly age people. Eight weight lifting exercises specifically designed to prevent hip/spine and other fractures is sponsored by She-Mon-Sun. Nov 22 there will be training classes for people interested in leading similar exercise classes. Nina Davidson is interested in teaching seniors at the Senior Housing common room and other individuals in private homes.
- WHO meets Tuesday Nov 11.
- Work is continuing on Farmers Market Day
- Would like to offer classes this winter here in Willow from the extension center if there is interest.
- Six races were held last year in the Runner Series. A sponsor is needed. An ad will run in the `Anchorage Runners Calender.’
- The Health Fair made $1,000. Ideas for improvements and advertising are sought. Volunteers are needed for next years Health Fair. Adding a Bicycle Rodeo day to the Health Fair is a possibility.
- WHO’s spending has gone from $500 the first year to a projected $15-20,000 this third year.
5. Garden Club
- Regular meeting is Nov 20 upstairs in the Community Center apartment.
6. Chamber of Commerce, Roads, She-Mon-Sun, PTA, Seniors, WDMA and 4H
No reports
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Scott Anderson introduced himself as a representative for the “Talkeetna Good Times” newspaper. They plan on attending future WACO meetings.
Next Meeting: General Meeting, December 1st at 7PM.
Adjourned: 8:42PM
Communications Committee
Mary Lou Frahm, Secretary, WACO
Phone: 3674 Email: sec@waco-ak.org
Claire Fitzgaireld
