by Richard Uhlhorn
Our Valley Our Future agreement:
At its Tuesday, August 8 City Council meeting the Council approved a professional Services Agreement with Our Valley – Our Future (OVOF) to engage in an outreach program with the community to help assist in identifying shared community values.
According to Community Development Director John Ajax, the process will play a pivotal role in facilitating the development and updates of the City’s Comprehensive Plan that is scheduled for completion in 2016.
Ajax has reached out to the community of Manson to see how Chelan and Manson can interact with this process.
Councilwoman Erin McCardle asked when the process will begin. Ajax replied the “sooner the better.”
The agreement encourages the exchange of ideas and resources throughout the different communities in the region to promote cooperation and solidarity in an effort to proactively develop plans, policies, programs and initiatives.
The OVOF proposal includes the following summarized Scope of Work for community outreach in the Lake Chelan area to identify shared community values and aid in city and community planning:
• Tasks and deliverables are primarily OVOF’s responsibility, but City of Chelan and other communities may assist in some tasks.
• The preliminary budget is $33,180, subject to mutual agreement on final hours and tasks.
• Key players and their roles: OVOF: Overall advisor, process design, community outreach, research, value identification, and final report. Project Management Team: Input, review, public support, calendar management, and ensuring community representation.
Project Partners: Support with venues, publicity, and other tasks as needed. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Professional Services Area Wide Planning Review in the amount of $40,000 is budgeted in Planning.
OVOF shall be paid $33,180 for the duration of the project.
History:
Our Valley Our Future was founded in 2015 by a group of community leaders following a TEDx Conference in Wenatchee. At the time, the region was facing several challenges including wildfires, the housing crisis, cultural divide, low educational attainment rates and the impending closure of the Alcoa Plant.
In April 2015, America’s Best Communities announced Our Valley What’s Next as one of the 50 quarterfinalists from around the country in the contest. Later that year, the organization made the top 15 list in the competition, receiving $75,000 to develop a community plan. That money allowed Our Valley What’s Next to gather input from more than 3,000 residents, to hold visioning and planning sessions, and ultimately to create a regional strategic visioning plan for the years 2017-21. When this Action Plan was unveiled in late 2016, the organization also announced a name change to Our Valley Our Future.
In January 2017, Our Valley Our Future kicked off the Action Plan’s implementation phase as 81 partnering organizations began work on the projects and programs contained in the Action Plan. OVOF also began awarding small grants to lead partners, with funding coming from the Community Foundation of NCW via The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Philanthropy Northwest.
Later in 2017, Wenatchee Valley TREAD (Trails, Recreation, Education, Advocacy, Development), was formed, becoming the first game-changer project in the Action Plan to meet its objectives.
Also in 2017, OVOF conducted a community survey to assist with the Housing game-changer initiative. The survey was completed by 1,700 residents and the results served as the basis for a 2018 “Where Will We Live?” housing report containing 22 recommendations to add more middle-market housing in the region.
All Things Lake Chelan 