Crouch Forming Arts Commission

*   Crouch City Attorney, John McFadden, presented a draft of a new city ordinance at the February 13 meeting of the Crouch City Council. It will provide for the creation of an arts commission, per the request made by the budding Garden Valley Arts Alliance, which will become a commission of the City. As a City commission, the alliance will more easily be able to obtain grants, donations and other benefits.



Holding their breath?
Members of the new Garden Valley Arts Alliance
listen to City Attorney John McFadden, as he reads
the first draft of the ordinance that will form a
City of Crouch Arts Commission.



  Spokesperson, Mary Wilson, said, “Our intention is to really be an asset to Crouch.”

*  The council discussed the draft of a contract between the City of Crouch and Village Associates. When the City applied for an Idaho Department of Commerce water grant, it was agreed by the two city entities that Village Associates would turn their water system over to the City of Crouch, when the grant was made available. Attorney John McFadden stated that in the future, a water district may be formed, whereupon this contract simply formalizes the arrangements. “It is a long process,” he said.

*  Mary Wilson also spoke on behalf of John Cottingham, about a $50K Rural Community Design Assistance grant application. The Idaho Community Review is a collaborative project between a host of federal, state, local, and private organizations. This project aspires to help communities bolster their action plans to locally execute and complete community development strategies.

  The grant would cover a visiting team of 12-15 community development professionals. They tour the community and focus on areas identified by the community, such as local economic development, housing, land use planning, education, transportation, communication, health care, natural resources, arts, history, recreation resources, seniors and youth, and civic life and community involvement.

  The team meets with community leaders, interviews and surveys citizens, and gives an oral presentation of observations, resources, and recommendations. A written report is subsequently sent to the community within a few months, with detailed observations and expanding upon possible action items and resources.

  The process takes just a few days and is not intended as a cure-all, but has been evaluated as an invigorating, validating, unifying, and vision-creating experience for communities.  

  Commissioner Jamie Anderson said, “They focus on the government—you’ll be asked to be key players. This is basically asking, ‘Where do you want to be in five years?’”

  Councilman Richard Messick responded, “I kind of think this is where we’ve been heading anyway.”

  Mary Wilson stressed that the program is not giving cash, but just services worth $50K. The community is asked to donate the Community Hall for meetings, a bus for transportation, and some meals. “We might possibly hit up the Senior Center for twelve meals for one day.”

  Wilson was asking for an endorsement to apply for the grant. The council will meet before the March 1 grant application deadline, before they give the go-ahead.

*  As of February 13, the City was still waiting on the insurance adjuster, for the Crouch Museum fire. Kim Bosse, City Clerk, said, “The insurance will have to pay to fill the holes—we have huge amounts of money going out the floor over there!”

  The next Council meeting will be March 13, 2013. For information, call 462-4687.