Karval Community Alliance, Inc. Karval, Colorado

Karval Community Alliance

Meeting Minutes - November 10, 2009

The meeting was called to order at 6:45 pm.

Attendees: Dan, Mary, and David Merewether; Letha Clark, Kay. Christie, Winifred Pepper, Betty Clark, Carl and Cherry Stogsdill, Melvin and Aloha Wolfe, Darlene Scott, Pat Vice, Frances Maskus, Betty Lee Bailey, Steve Bailey, Vernon Stone, Sheri Logan, Frogard Ryan, Marty Adams, Jeff and Tammy Thornton, Rose Sorenson, Mark and Mags Carling, Harold Yoder

Previous Minutes: The previous meeting’s minutes were approved.

Treasurer’s Report: The money from Fish and Wildlife has arrived, so our account is replenished. We could purchase another CD, but interest rates are so low, that it is hardly worth it. The treasurer’s report was approved.

Tourism Board Grant: Vernon recommended that we take out an ad in a bird publication for the Plover Festival and then apply to the Lincoln County Tourism Board for reimbursement. Jeff will proceed with locating a publication in which to advertise. Dan is willing to apply for the grant.

Publicity: Dan submitted Katy Fitzgerald’s press release as well as an article about the Davis-Wineinger Ranch  


Community Assessment Program Follow-up

Facilitator from the Office of Economic Development: Darlene Scott, Business Development Rep for Eastern Colorado

The original assessments were done in May and June of 2006. A CAP was done in March 2007. We are here to review those original plans and plan what’s next.

Pat is getting a website up on which we will be able to advertise our events to a much broader audience.

For the Plover Festival, we need to pay attention to the demographics of our attendees and market to them. Local history is a real draw for folks. We should document some of that and work that into the market. We might be able to tap into the star-gazing market, too.  

Sheri is going to look into how to get PayPal for our website.  

The Council on the Arts has new programs that we might be able to take advantage of.  

Space for our activities is a challenge. If we expand the building, we might be able to find other ways to utilize the building.  

RSVP (a group of retired people) is going to have their recognition day in Karval. This will increase awareness and the likelihood of people to attend other programs.  

Tammy Thornton is going to chair the development of a centennial celebration in 2011 that will take place July 2-3.  

The Alliance is growing rapidly and the information involved is becoming technical. We may need to look into hiring a person to manage certain aspects of the Alliance business.

We need help with how to apply for grants for the RV park development. About $50,000 would cover the costs.  

The RAW program is taking off and really involving the youth. A grant for over $20,000 has been submitted to cover the expense of equipment and give training to 16 students.

This year, the school will apply for a renewal of their three-year license to operate the online academy. The school will face a huge budget cut from graduates over the next few years. Exchange students are key to stabilizing the student population. There is some potential for longer-term students through F-1 visas. This may bring some income to host families as well.

Christmas Lighting Dinner & Tour, Dec 12: Carl will contact Mountain View Electric to ask for money for prizes. We will meet to plan the Lighting Contest details on Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm. Frances will pick up 5 cases of lights at Mountain View for the Alliance to sell for $5 per string. We will sell them at the community Christmas craft fair on Nov. 28. Frances will make contacts for that.

Windship Ranch: A group is trying to purchase this in cooperation, with a Nature Conservancy easement, using some Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) funds from the lottery. Harold Yoder would like a letter of support from the Alliance in support of the GOGO fund application. It was moved that the Alliance write a letter of support in favor of the GOGO grant. The motion passed. Dan will write the letter.

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Next meeting: Wednesday, December 2 at 7 p.m.