Sivunniigvik Retreat

For the purposes of evaluating our work, preparing our work plan for the years ahead and nurturing togetherness among our staff, the Borough held a staff retreat on December 3 and 4. I chose the NANA facility at Sivunniigvik as the site of our meeting for a number of important reasons. I felt that if we met at a place where the staff would be together 24 hours a day we would accomplish all our goals better. From a financial perspective, I knew we could hold our retreat at a much lower cost if we stayed within the region and that all the money we did spend would stay right here in the Borough. And finally, is there anywhere more beautiful than right here where we live? Our guest facilitator for our meeting was the esteemed Native leader Byron Mallot of Juneau. Byron now heads the First Alaskans Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to the well-being of our Native people. He is a former head of the Permanent Fund Corporation and SeaAlaska Regional Corporation. The two of us traveled to and from Sivunniigvik by snow machines at night. On the trip out to camp, we visited my father, John Schaeffer Sr., at Ivik. We returned on the Pipe Spit Trail. It was fun to travel with someone who had never driven in our country at night and, despite the cold, it was a glorious moonlit adventure. Byron summarized his trip in this way: "This was the best trip and experience I've had in many years. I got my badge of courage (a frozen cheek) and enjoyed seeing caribou up close, meeting beautiful people and feeling spiritually refreshed." Among those "beautiful" people were Vera and Langford Adams, the lodge hosts and caretakers. Vera made sure our group of 12 was very well fed and Langford kept the fires burning and all of us laughing with his many tales. Our focus for the meetings was the Borough priorities, as established by the Assembly at their own retreat last year. We reviewed each in detail, as we had almost a year earlier at the start of my administration, to examine how well we were doing and chart our future action plan. While there is much to do during the next two years of my term as mayor, I am pleased with our progress over the last year. We will continue to work on our land selections, village comprehensive planning, economic development and capital projects for the region. We will also continue to improve our working relationship with all the other organizations in the Borough. A real highlight of the trip was all the time we had to spend together. Beyond the six or seven hours per day that we sat in work discussion, we ate three meals a day together and socialized throughout the two evenings. I believe that in order to be a cohesive team, it is important to get to know and appreciate one another personally. As I sat at my desk after returning from the trip, I reflected on what a valuable two days they had been. I also thought about how much city and village councils from the region, the school board, our assembly, and other businesses and organizations could benefit from a similar experience. Sivunniigvik is a special place. It is a special environment for bringing people together. It is ours. I hope every group with a desire to have an especially productive and meaningful retreat will consider using that wonderful resource. My last thought is back to the return trip with Byron Mallot. I noticed that his snow machine had stopped, so I circled back to see if he had a problem. He assured me that everything was fine; he just wanted to sit for a few minutes and admire the full moon and its reflection across the ice. It was just another vivid reminder of how lucky we are to live on this great land.

Native Arts For Awards

The Arts for Awards Program, funded by the Borough for the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, was initiated at the 2001 Bush Brawl Wrestling championships in Kotzebue in December.Winners is each of the 14 weight classes for elementary and middle school wrestlers received a scrimshaw on ivory medallion enclosed in an oak presentation box. The scrimshaw, depicting two traditional wrestlers in action, was done by Kotzebue artist extraordinaire Vika Owens. Winners of various tournaments and academic competitions throughout the region this year will receive art for awards. Art forms will include bone sculptures, baleen etchings, and more.

Grants update from EDC

The Borough Economic Development Commission met in Kiana on November 30. Consistent with Commission policy, every other meeting is held in one of the villages outside of Kotzebue. Over 30 grants have been approved in just the first five months of this fiscal year, which began on July 1, 2001. Grant recipients have received funds for the purchase of tools, equipment and supplies for businesses and tuition for vocational training and workshops. At the November meeting, the Commission, headed by Guy Adams, approved grants of $1,600 to the Kotzebue IRA for completion of renovation of the refrigeration system for the meat processing facility and to the Sulainich Artists Cooperative for equipment and renovation of their new facility. The Commission also approved a change to the small business grant program that reduces the maximum grant amount to an individual business to $1,500 from the previous maximum of $5,000. The change was needed in order to insure that more residents would be able to benefit from the program. The maximum grant amount to organizations that serve a large number of residents with their projects will remain at $5,000.

Outstanding
Wrestler

Kotzebue's Kanae Peacock was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament at the Fall Season State Meet held December 13-15 at Kenai Central High School. Peacock won the 160 lb weight class and Kotzebue finished 9th in total team scoring and 4th among 3A schools.

Artist of the Month

Mabel Berry of Selawik has been chosen as the NWAB artist of the month. Mabel, age 74, has been making caribou skin masks for much of her life. Her productivity and profit have taken off in the last few months since the Borough has been handling her work through the Arts Marketing Program. Her distinctive masks are consistently lovely, with a ruff that is made of both beaver and wolf fur. Placed in 11"x14" shadow boxes that both highlight and protect her work, the masks retail for between $115 and $125. They have been sold both locally in Kotzebue and at the The Store at the State Museum in Juneau. One even adorns a wall in the office of Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer!

FOR SALE

Economic Development has posted the above property for sale on eBay. The listing includes 150 acres along the Noatak River, developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a salmon hatchery in the mid-eighties. The $10,000,000 plus in improvements to the land include a road of approximately 600 yards from the river bank to the pure water spring, a 40,000 gallon tank farm, a three-bedroom home with septic system, running water, and numerous outbuildings. The listing can be viewed at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1670756161

Northwest Arctic Borough Staff Directory

Mayor's Department
Ross Schaeffer Sr., Mayor
Valarie Romane, Assistant to the Mayor
Jake Stoops, Information Coordinator

Finance Department
Tula Lie, Comptroller
Judy Hassinger, Finance Director

Planning Department
Noah Naylor, Director
Charlie Gregg, Deputy Director
Jade Hill, Associate Planner

Public Servies
Tom Bolen, Director
Jennifer Curtis, LEPC/PSC
Angela Joule, Receptionist/DMV

Economic Development
Lee Stoops, Director

Borough Clerk s Office
Helena Hildreth, Borough Clerk
Geri Jones, Deputy Borough Clerk

Northwest Arctic Borough P.O. Box 1110 Kotzebue, AK 99752 (907)442-2500 (800)478-1110 Fax:(907)442-2930

(c) 2001 Northwest Arctic Borough All rights reserved