funding – All Things Lake Chelan

by Richard Uhlhorn

The city invited other non-profit organizations who didn’t make the initial cut for Community Benefit Funds to present their needs for 2025. With benefit funds of $111,000 already allocated for the 2025 budget, these requests, if approved, would be funded out of either the Housing Fund or Tourism dollars.

Currently the city’s housing fund only has $170,000 and the Tourism Fund is at $5 million plus.

**Jackie Tupling**
**Chelan Finance Director**

When added up, the requests equal $312,320 as follows:

Chelan Valley Feral Cat Project $ 10,000
Chelan Valley Housing Trust $100,000
Heritage Heights $ 16,400
Lake Chelan School District $ 30,000
Lake Chelan Habitat for Humanity $105,920
911 Glass Rescue $ 50,000

Jackie Tupling said that Chelan has received only $15,000 from the State for housing.

Erin McCardle stated that those funds could also be used for capital projects. “It takes a very long time to fill that fund back up. That’s something to think about.”

Tupling stated that the Lookout provides $1,000 for every new home sold to the city’s housing fund.

Feral Cat Project:
April Leaf and Wendy Isenhart presented the case for continued funding for the feral cat project. The project has been successful in trapping feral cats and Leaf reported that 286 cats have been helped.

**Feral cat director April Leaf and volunteer Wendy Isenhart**

The $10,000 requested is $5,000 more than the city granted the project for 2024. The project has received $7,496 in private donations. This year $12,000 has been spent on veterinarian services and another $320 on administrative services. It costs $450 to neuter a male cat and $200 to spay a female cat.

Communications Director Chad Coltman asked how many cats have been helped specifically in Chelan and whether or not Chelan County provides any funding for the project. Leaf replied that the cats are trapped throughout the valley and that the county doesn’t provide any funding.

Housing Trust:
Executive Director Scott Meyers of the Chelan Valley Housing Trust stated that the city has provided funding in the past and he wants to see those grants continue. “Our goal is to build homes for wage earners,” said Meyers

The request for $100,000 would help support the organization’s operational costs, landscaping costs at Harbor Meadows and $20,000 for its operations budget.

Heritage Heights:
Heritage Heights requested $16,400 from the city for WiFi connections, telephone system, purchase of computers and printers and three new wireless access points in the facility.

**Heritage Heights Melissa Robbins and the new CEO, Joel.**

Melissa Robbins explained that the non-profit has an all-volunteer board. “The city has been a contributor to this project in the past. Our building is old and has bad WiFi. We have a lot of things that are not normal,” said Robbins.

Lake Chelan School District:
Superintendent Brad Wilson and the district are requesting $30,000 to improve ballfields and gymnasium surfaces. Wilson remarked that the softball and baseball fields are used for tournaments before Memorial Day and after Labor Day and provide a number of overnight stays by parents and teams.

**Chelan School Superintenent Brad Wilson**

These programs denote overnight stays; Chelan youth wrestling, youth fastpitch; Kahiau Volleyball Club; baseball; basketball; Babe Ruth baseball and Bachfest. Other programs supported by the district include FC youth soccer; Valleywinds Musicians; Adult pickleball and tennis and Thrive.

Mayor McCardle asked if this request was a one-off request or a recurring one. Wilson replied that if they can get the community fields in shape it would result in a lot less requests from the city. She asked about the gymnasiums and Wilson said the funding would help pay for resurfacing of the Community Gym.

Habitat for Humanity:
Michelle Fanton, executive director of Habitat, is requesting $105,920 to continue providing homes for families who qualify. “We have served 17 families with homes. These homes fall within 30% of their incomes,” she said. All prospective families must be from Chelan.

**Michelle Fanton – Habitat executive director**

The organization is highly dependent on volunteer labor and the funding is also provided by the Habitat store. City funding would help Habitat keep neighborhoods clean and revitalized, expand homeowner education, staff time to develop other sources of funding, help pay for infrastructure reimbursements to offset the costs of development at Pumpkin Lane in Chelan.

911 Glass Rescue:
Julie McCoy said the $50,000 requested would help the glass recycling get back into operation by early 2025.

**911 Glass Rescue representative**
**Julie McCoy**

Mayor McCardle stated that the request might have to wait until the 2026 budget process. McCoy stated that the organization needed to have it considered in the 2025 budget so the program could move forward.

Chelan lost its glass recycling when the recycling center burned down.

Requests:
All of the above requests will be discussed and decided on prior to the final budget hearings.

by Richard Uhlhorn

ARPA (American Recovery Plan Act):
City Administrator Wade Farris updated the Council on the looming requirement for the City’s remaining ARPA funds (American Rescue Plan Act) to be allocated by December 31, 2024, with the requirement to spend those allocated funds by December 31, 2026, with a final report due on April, 2027

Farris remarked that the city allocated $200,000 to the Chelan Food Bank and said, “That was money spent wisely.”

The city is looking at its option for allocating the rest of the $233,905 before the end of the year.

The City already has a request for those funds by the Boys and Girls Club that will be taking over a large space at the Lake Chelan Community Center. If awarded to the Boys and Girls Club, the funds would be used to purchase equipment, toys, computers and other needed supplies.

$750,000 has been allocated to the Anderson Road project but Chelan Finance Director Jackie Tupling said those obligated funds might be re-allocated to the East Chelan Water Reservoir project.

Councilman Tim Hollingsworth asked if the Anderson Road project had a bid ready to go. Denham replied that public works could look at the cost estimate and rush to get a bid out the door.

The ARPA topic will be back in front of Council at its first August meeting. Allocation of those funds will be discussed at the Council/Staff workshop on August 6.

Culton Consulting agreement:
City Council unanimously approved a change of contract for its Legislative consultant, John Culton. Culton who had been employed by Desimone Consulting and retained by the City to facilitate contracts and relationships with federal senators and congresswomen along with their staffers, has formed his own consulting firm and asked to continue working on Chelan’s behalf.

Councilman Brad Chitty remarked that Culton has been doing a pretty good job. Mayor McCardle added that Culton was successful in getting Congress to pass a $9 million funding request for the East Water System and Reservoir out of committee.

This funding request is being worked on by Representative Schrier.

City Administrator Wade Farris stated that his work will lead to significant grant opportunities for the City in the near and long term.

Administrative Reports:
Public Works Engineer Travis Denham requested that Council consider retaining Jim Burbery as a consultant to the new Sewer Treatment Plant Operator.

Burbery would assist the new plant operator with the operation and maintenance of the City’s sewer collection and treatment system as needed. He would also help with budget preparation and expenditure control.

The agreement includes a $500 retainer fee and an hourly rate of $75 per hour when he is working. The agreement runs through the end of 2025 or until Burbery’s expertise is no longer needed.

Denham reported that Public Works expects Burbery would consult in the five to 10 hours per month.

The agreement will be brought back for finalization at the next Council meeting.

Assistant Parks Director:
The hiring of an Assistant Parks Director was approved on last Tuesday’s consent agenda. Human Resources/Communications Director Chad Coltman stated that a search for an assistant parks director would begin immediately.

**HR/Communications Director Chad Coltman**

Farris added that the City is still searching for an airport manager.

Farris also asked Parks Director Paul Horne how the department is perform\ing so far this summer. Horne replied that smoke and heat has taken its toll but that the mini-golf is still ahead in rounds played but that July was down.

Mayor/Council comments:
Terry Sanders encouraged everyone to take the time to read and educate themselves on the upcoming primary election and to get out and vote.

Mayor McCardle said that a successful meeting was held with farmers about agriculture. “There were 16 folks and it was a sobering conversation.

Ninety two percent of the people taking the Our Valley-Our Future Survey were primary residents.

Liaison reports of interest:
Terry Sanders – Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce

Sanders reported that the Chamber’s major concern was the potential impact to the Valley’s economics if Stehekin went to a Level 2 evacuation (Its at Level 3 and shut down to all tourism).

The fear is that with Stehekin shut down because of the Pioneer Fire that it will signify that the greater Lake Chelan Valley is closed to outside visitation.

Sanders reported that the Valley is seeing decreased revenues due to low Short Term Rentals.

It was also reported that the 2024 Winterfest suffered a huge loss because of inclement weather.

Jon Higgins – Chelan Valley Housing Trust

Higgins reported that the Trust is seeking additional subsidy funding to help lower the per unit cost at Emerson Harbor from $335,000 to the $265 to $285,000 range to help with qualifying potential buyers.

Tag: funding

Non-profits request $312,320 from city

City considering next allocations of ARPA funds