June 12, 2009

PUD gives away $30K

Gymnastics, fort win biggest grants

     Not a bad way for a public meeting to go: short and producing plenty of smiles at the end.
     That was the outcome of Northern Wasco County PUD’s Tuesday deliberations on how to distribute money from its economic development grant program.
     “All the groups that received money will use it to help the community of The Dalles,” said PUD Director Milt Skov.
     The biggest share of the $30,000 pot of money went to Riverside Gymnastics Academy Booster Club and the Wasco County-City of The Dalles Museum Commission. Each received $10,000. Riverside will purchase a trampoline, foam blocks and padding for a tumbling pit at its new gymnastics center. The museum commission will put a new roof on the historic Anderson House at Fort Dalles Museum.
     Both were “no-brainers” in terms of their economic development benefit, said Jim Foster, the PUD’s attorney. The gymnastic club brings large meets to the area, drawing competitors and their supporters from around the region, and thereby boosting tourism. The museum is also a tourism attraction.
     “I think the process really informed people who were at the meeting,” said Howard Gonser, board president. “Most of the people who did applications stayed and listened. At the end, everyone was saying, ‘Wow! Wonderful things are happening in the community that we don’t know about.’ That’s the beauty of the process.”
     Foster advised the board that several of the 13 grant applications received probably did not qualify as economic development projects. A request to replace florescent lights at the Mid-Columbia Center for Living was rejected for that reason, but was referred to the PUD’s energy conservation expert for possible funding there.
     Other requests that were ultimately rejected as not qualifying under the grant rules included equipment for Mid-Columbia Senior Center, weight-lifting equipment for The Dalles Wahtonka High School’s weight room and the OSU Master Gardeners for The Dalles Imagination Garden. An application from Pine Hollow Fire District was rejected because it was not within the PUD district.
PUD board members each identified their top five projects and assigned them points, highest to lowest, which were used to prioritize the requests that appeared to qualify.
     Three other projects received funding.
     Mid-Columbia Health Foundation received $4,300 for its “Next Century Campaign,” which includes technological upgrades including digital radiology equipment.
     The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce’s downtown committee also received $4,300 to planters and plants to improve the appearance of Second Street.
     The final project funded was $1,400 for electrical service and a sump pump for a wheelchair lift in the Tenneson Building, which Mid-Columbia Center for Living now occupies.
     Two other projects, computer equipment for Gorge Artists and skate park money for Northern Wasco County Parks & Recreation, were rejected.