The Waterville Horizons Community Connections board met at 10:00 a.m. on July 5, at the Singing Hills Coffee Shop in Waterville. Members present were Cindy Kennedy, Jane Cummiskey, Dave Cummiskey, Lynne Coleman, and Karen Bauer. Kim Gossen attended as a representative from the Sakatah Arts Experience.
Jane showed us the recent spreadsheet with the group’s financial situation, showing that we have about $4000.00 in our SMIF fund that is not allocated to certain projects.
Jane had a list of areas where money was requested to pay expenses for the upcoming Sakatah Arts Experience and other areas. These expenses were previously approved by the WHCC board.
The items were:
1 $300.00 to Rochester International Dance Studio, LLC
2. $300.00 to Zach Benson, Tombstone Trio Band
3. $300.00 to John Hiscox, Chance Meeting Band
4. $300.00 to Krista Wilkowske, Flathead Cats Band
5. $400.00 to Dennis Cummiskey, for set-up and use of tents,
6. $65.00 to Waterville Chamber of Commerce for Dues,
7. $105.70 to Suel Printing Co. for Friends of the Library brochures,
8. $128.00 to Lake Region Life,
9. $800.00 to Kim Gossen.
The purpose of today’s meeting was to find fund raising opportunities for the group’s projects and needs. Some of the proposed items were:
*Bring back the New Year’s Eve Luminaries project. Luminaries, bags with sand and candles, are sold to sponsors for a certain amount each, placed around Sakatah Bay, and lit on New Year’s Eve, as a drive-by attraction.
*Provide hot chili and muffins to fishermen on the day of Walleye fishing opener in May, with a free will donation.
*Apply for SMIF incentive grants.
*Explore other grant opportunities.
*With future grant or donated funds, hire a full time person as a community development co-ordinator.
Other items mentioned:
The Minneapolis Foundation, holding the Sakatah Foundation funds.
Work with Chamber, meet with them as a group, to encourage community development.
Offer a trainer for small towns festivals, possibly through Extension.
Have a form available for nonprofits to fill out when proposing fund requests.
At our next meeting, Aug. 8, plan for a community forum to be held in Sept, possibly with Extention facilitating it.
Lynne mentioned the need for more summer reading events, as proposed
by Sally Pelant. The proposal will be presented to the City Council this evening. We discussed the fact the city has always provided funds for this at the library, but there has been no request this year due to changes at the library. It would be good to have the funds for the Summer Reading Program channeled through SMIF. This idea was approved by the board, by concensus. There was discussion about using the library during closed hours, using the senior center, Lynne would attempt to talk to Shirley about it.
Meeting adjourned by concensus.
Next meeting, Aug. 8, 10 a.m., Singing Hills Coffee Shop.
