Economic Development
December Report to Assembly

Small Business Loan Program.
The revolving loan program will start up again in late January, after residents have received and submitted PFD applications for 2004. The maximum loan amount is yet to be determined but is likely to be $800, as it was for the past year.

Arts and Crafts Marketing Program.
The Kotzebue Youth Council is busy moving into their new location across the street from the Nullagvik Hotel. On an interim basis, we have moved the art inventory from the hotel into our Borough office for Christmas sales. Vika Owens traveled to Nome at the beginning of this month to discuss our art marketing program with Kawerak and review pricing of arts and crafts in the Nome retail market.

Village Art Center Development.
Buckland's art center, which opened for public use in November, has been heavily utilized by local residents, particularly the youth. As many as 18 youth and a half dozen adults have been carving on a daily basis. We have supplied stove oil for heat, basic equipment and some supplies to assist that effort. We have also supplied a dozen rotary tools as individual grants to local residents. The Selawik art center is now complete and only AVEC hook up stands in the way of getting things started there. Kivalina, Noatak and Noorvik have identified buildings that have the potential to be used for art centers. We will make trips to those villages after the first of the year to see how we may assist in getting art centers started in those villages. The Small Business grant fund will be utilized as fully as possible and we will apply for additional grant monies as needed.

Fish Processing Developments.
Bering Sea Fishermen's Association bid on much of the equipment that is needed for the Kotzebue operation at a major auction of used equipment that was held in Anchorage last month. They expect to be notified of the results soon. Successful bids would be an asset to the project in that most of the equipment would be obtained for about 30% of cost. We will be coordinating a major renovation of the five ton ice maker that is on site at the NANA facility that is now scheduled for late March or early April.

Workforce Development Task Force.
Lee Stoops has been invited to make a presentation on village economic development for the State Task Force by teleconference on January 29. This is an honor and a great chance to make contacts with economic development people around the state.