On Monday evening, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly held it’s annual Willow public hearing on the borough budget. One topic dominated public testimony, the Willow library and community center project.
As has been the case for the last few years, attendance at the assembly’s budget meeting in Willow was the largest by a significant margin, according to Mat-Su Borough Mayor and Willow resident Vern Halter. Twice before the meeting began, volunteers had to bring in chairs from a storage closet to accommodate about a hundred people who turned up to listen or testify.
As testimony on the budget began, it became clear that the crowd’s priority was funding for a new Willow library and upgrades to the community center. Ann Yadon, chair of the borough’s library board, spoke about the impact of libraries beyond loaning reading material.
“First of all, it’s very important, I think, that you realize that libraries are not just warehouses for books.”
Yadon and many other speakers highlighted the need for public internet access in the Susitna Valley and the number of programs for Willow residents of all ages that the library puts on. She says studies show the return on investment to communities from their libraries is often, at minimum, three-to-one. Ann Yadon lives in Talkeetna, as did a handful of others who spoke in favor of the project, but Willow residents added personal context to what the library and community center mean to them.
Tam Boeve cited over a dozen things that the people of Willow rely on the facility for.
“This is where we meet our friends and have discussions with our neighbors. This is where the toddler group plays, and where we have fundraisers for families in need, and a celebration of life when someone dies. This is where we vote…”
Tam Boeve says the Willow community is fully committed to doing what it can to make sure the new library and updated community center become a reality, but that volunteer organizations need local government’s buy-in to attract grantors.
“While we may have big hearts, we don’t have a big bank account. We’ll continue to donate our time and money and apply for grants, but realistically, this community center and library upgrade won’t happen without your financial support.”
Boeve was hardly alone in speaking on behalf of Willow in support of the project. At one point, Bill Mailer from the Willow Library Association called on the rest of the crowd to show their support by standing.
Hardly any seats remained occupied.
The financial support the Willow Library Association is asking for is just short of $2 million. The borough’s draft budget has about half that allocated for the project. Many who spoke Monday say more of an investment by the Mat-Su Borough is needed in order to secure grant funding.
One grantor that has already pledged a significant amount of money is the Mat-Su Health Foundation. In its largest single grant award ever, the foundation pledged $1.7 million to the project. Executive Director Elizabeth Ripley challenged the assembly to go “big and bold” with its investment. Ripley says organizations like the Rasmuson foundation as well as national funders would be more likely to cover the remaining $2 million needed for the project with more borough buy-in.
After public testimony, members of the assembly had a chance to comment. In addition to multiple members declaring the Willow meeting their favorite of the year, the subject of the library and community center project came up as well. Assembly Member Randall Kowalke, who lives in Willow, says finding money for the project may be tricky, but he promises to try.
“We’ll work on it, see what we can do, and there’s no doubt, I don’t think, in anyone’s mind at this table of the worthiness of this project.”
For his part, Mayor Vern Halter said he will not accept a $10,000 pay raise included in the budget, and would like to see that money contributed toward the library and community center project for Willow.
The Mat-Su Borough Assembly will begin its budget deliberations this Thursday in Palmer.
