Tax Assistance Program for Northwest Arctic region, ongoing

Volunteer tax preparers from the IRS and Idaho State University assisted with tax returns in Selawik, Kiana, Shungnak, Ambler and Kotzebue, March 13 - 19.
Bering Air gave us a good discount on airfares.
Kobuk and Buckland were visited later in March. Corrected a few returns previously done.
Approximately $130,000 in tax refunds and credits processed so far in the region.
Lee Stoops, Tula Lie and I continue to assist with doing tax returns at the Borough.

Community Gardens

Goal: Help sustain the cost of producing a garden, support small business development and education, and provide healthier local food options at lower costs to residents.
Hoping to procure a roto-tiller from Maniilaq for garden project in Noatak.
Two Noatak by residents, Chris O’Neil and his wife, still plan to work with youth and other residents to produce surplus vegetables and other products to sell in Kotzebue.
There seems to be more interest in creating a local (regional) Kotzebue Farmer’s Market so other residents can also sell products.
Researching potential funding sources.

Deering: Utica Mine, Inmachuk River, U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment

Still working on developing a strong EPA Brownfields assessment and/or clean up grant application to be submitted by November 2005. Project to include protection of subsistence and tourism resources. Research and identify viable resources on appropriate, responsible and sustainable tourism development and management in rural Alaska communities and potential funding sources. This is a year-long project.
Have made contact to assist Dennis Filler of SLR, the contractors hired by John Carnahan, Alaska DEC/Fairbanks to do pre-assessment.
SLR will be contacting Deering leadership and other residents regarding pre-assessment activity, information gathering, and a site visit in June.

Selawik Board Roads

CDBG grant paperwork and grant management represents a huge workload. Instructions to the grantee even refer to the requirements and management as “the bad news.”
Being elevated to the $2.4 million DOT project for 3.5 miles of board road reconstruction greatly changed the scope of work, budget and timeline from the original 0.85 mile project.
Working with DOT and CDBG to assist Selawik in completing and/or revising documents by the April 29 deadline to reflect the larger project.
Unfortunately, advance construction approval unlikely for this summer (2005). Working on any options to possibly start some boardroad construction this summer.

Tribal Transportation Symposium in Anchorage, March 21-25

There is a myriad of transportation funding, services and technical support offered to tribes through BIA, DOT, IRR (Indian Reservation Roads) and other government and private organizations. Partnering to leverage funding is still a new concept.
The consortium developed through Kawerak in Nome, is still a work in progress. The main hurdles are the usual: how to decide which projects/tribes/communities get priority.

Comprehensive Community Plans

As many plans as possible must be completed this year.
The latest Denali Commission grant opportunity for solid waste projects lists a community plan as one of the minimum requirements to even apply for the grant. Will contact Denali commission about exceptions.
Met with Anthony Caole of Northern Management in Anchorage. The Borough will support their project to develop software to serve as a template for communities to develop their community plans and thus, increase their chances of securing funding for community projects.
One of the major benefits of the software is that it will be online, so the Planning Department and communities can work on the plan anytime, together or separately, even at a distance. The Planning Department will have to ability to oversee and assist the process as needed.
There will still be on-site visits by Borough and Maniilaq staff to work on the plans but a site visit will not always be needed. Also, students and other community members will be able to participate in the process without endangering the access security to the plans.
With this software, and Northern Management support, grant applications for this project might have a better chance of being awarded.

Kivalina Sewer/Solid Waste situation

Everything is on hold pending resolution of the City’s financial situation.
Notified by ANTHC that, pending the development of a business plan, the proposed wastewater treatment plant might still be developed.

Financial and Administrative Management Training

The Borough is following up on requests from a couple of communities for financial and administrative management skills and training, including “responsibilities concerning the open meeting act.”

Boys and Girls Clubs

There is a large increase statewide in communities wanting a Club, including in our region. Am working with Diana Ramoth in Selawik to complement her fundraising with grant funds.

Regional community leadership symposium.

· This proposed gathering for local community leaders to share their similar major concerns, challenges and possible or already working solutions appears to be getting broader support.

· Maniilaq is supposedly planning a mini-summit for tribal economic development and one resident in Selawik suggested partnering to include this in the symposium.

· I will contact Nick Landis of Maniilaq to discuss this.

· Researching funding sources.