April 2025 Board Meeting Minutes

by | Jun 2, 2025 | Meetings & Minutes

West Central Mountains Economic Development Council
April 2025 Board Meeting Minutes
April 8, 2025 3:00pm
McCall Public Library, 218 Park St, McCall, ID 83638
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88234961292?pwd=nSUrhBKZK9aumQR7GdPECJcnE0PDTl.1

Members Present: Dylan Martin, Sherry Maupin, Kelly Hill
On-Line: Julie Good, Joni Osterman, Belinda Provancher, Vonna Torrey, Rachel Wessel, Cynda Herrick
Guests: Tiffany Dobbs, Sheila Francis – McCall Chamber, Meg Lojek – McCall Library Director, Trace McKellips, Mindi Anderson – Cascade Chamber, Lindsey Harris – WCMEDC

Board Meeting 3:00pm

  • Call to Order, Welcoming of Guests: Meg Lojek gave a new library update as the host site of today’s meeting. Library has seen traffic increase exponentially since the new space opened as well as books checked out. New community spaces are awesome. Economic driver tool for communities to invest in their local libraries.
  • Approval of April Agenda
    • Motion by Sherry
    • 2nd by Julie
    • Motion Passes
  • Approval of March Minutes
    • Motion by Joni
    • 2nd by Sherry
    • Motion Passes
  • Treasurer’s report
    • Approval of April Treasurer’s Report
    • Motion by Belinda
    • 2nd by Sherry
    • Motion Passes
  • Letter(s) of support: None this month
  • Executive Items
    • LOT FY26
      • McCall 4/31 Deadline
      • Donnelly 4/16 Deadline
    • Executive Director Update
      • Upcoming events: April is a busy month.
        • Cascade Geothermal Open House 4/10
        • Small Business Panel Series 4/14 & 4/15 – Lots of participation for this first-year group.
        • Cascade Career Fair 4/24, Cascade School, EDC is sponsoring food for the event. Resume reviews will be a part of that event as well.
        • Doc for a Day 4/25 event, EDC is sponsoring lunch
      • SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan – HWY 95 Closure, meeting with emergency managers has taken place, businesses who are feeling the effects of the closure, can complete the form for support.
      • There is now a shuttle that is The Shuttle between the north end of the Weiser River Trail MP146.8 to New Meadows and the Gold Line is now operational.

        Here are the times.
        Depart MP 146.8 to go to New Meadows- 5:45 am –
        Depart New Meadows  to go to MP 146.8 – 6:15 am
        Depart MP 146.8 to go to New Meadows- 6:45 am –
        Depart New Meadows  to go to MP 146.8 – 7:15 am
        Depart MP 146.8 to go to New Meadows- 7:45 am –
        Depart New Meadows  to go to MP 146.8 – 8:15 am
        Depart New Meadows  to go to MP 146.8 – 4:45 pm
        Depart MP 146.8 to go to New Meadows- 5:15 pm –
        Depart New Meadows  to go to MP 146.8 – 5:45 pm
        Depart MP 146.8 to go to New Meadows- 6:15 pm –

      • Other Items: Culinary Program – now fall start, BSU Resilience Assessment
    • Early Childhood Education (Trace) McKellips – Clarification on developmental screening funding, decision is to no longer request those funds, looking instead to find a center to conduct the screenings.
    • Looking to request funding for playful learning workshop = 1 workshop
    • Also seeking to fund Workshops in 2025, also associated transit options to and from these workshops.
    • Also seeking funds to partner with Ignite and YAC to pull together resources for a speaker to conduct workshops on Healthy Manhood and Fatherhood here in the area for one night.
      • Motion by Sherry
      • 2nd by Joni
      • Motion Passes
    • Community Reports
      • Valley County: Firewise Grants are open at this time. Sherry asked that people review their homeowner’s Insurance and your values. Additionally flood insurance is something to review. If you live on septic systems you need to have a generator back up. Cascade Ameri Title building starting the process of construction, on-going conversation. RFP out at this time for the Cascade Fair Grounds, look for a community survey. Land preservation group looking to look for a community survey. Land exchange for endowment lands on East side of Payette lake being discussed with State & Federal partners to preserve these lands for public use. If you are looking for County updates, connect with Sherry. Impact area conversation is on-going. Budgeting time at the County – Looking to change the way we are funding for non-profits and programs. Road quality and road funding is an issue, we do not believe the State will authorize the payments this year, County will have to start the conversation regarding funding. ITD Corridor conversation is forthcoming.
      • Cascade: Lots of changes at the Chamber, new by-laws approved recently, new executive board, new meeting format. Looking for funding mechanisms. Cascade spring-fest is coming up, comedienne, and community engagement. Changed the membership meeting model. Monthly Coffee Connect, looking to create more value. In May they will be hosting the US Chamber of Commerce
      • Donnelly: New business opening, a gym in the Growlers strip mall. Also, a Yoga/Dance studio. Gun Shop is closing on main street. Flower Shop opening next to the Roost. Circle-K, moving forward, stop light will be put in place. Tamarack has been approved for their expansion. 243 units, they have built some, but expected growth is planned to 650 + units. Need to plan appropriately regarding infrastructure and density.
      • McCall: Winter Carnival decision was made to move forward with a 10 day event in late January and return to previous structure due to public input.
      • New Meadows: The Adams County historical society has transferred the Depot and Museum over to the City. They received LHTAC grant money to pave North Heigho. East Center is planning on opening in June or July.
      • Partners in Attendance
        • Tiffany Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is live, it takes about 10 minutes to complete, looking to have that information shared out. Needs to be completed by the end of May.
      • WCMEDC Updates:
        • Payette River Scenic Byway (Cynda): Planning a special meeting because there is too much information on the vertical Map Board to fit on the Horizontal Map Board they will determine what needs to be removed.
        • Creative District Update (Delta): Notified of a pending contract for services to migrate the CD to WCMEDC, document will be sent to the board for review next month.
        • Community Action Team (CAT) Updates:
          • Community Development (Lindsey) – covered in earlier discussions.
          • Housing (Kelly): Housing Trust is very busy, all back taxes and audits complete, a good path to move forward. Tennant moved out and needing complete overhaul at a Donnelly unit. Process of raising the rents. In escrow to purchase a lot in Jacobs Manor. Site visit at a modular tri-plex manufacturer is planned later this month in Boise. 2 more lots in New Meadows planned for next year. Applied for LOT funds, last year not approved, this year more guidance to get the funding and will apply again. Looking for developers to partner regarding housing. Question about the next steps of the Housing Needs Assessment that will need to be evaluated and discussed.
          • Infrastructure (Julie): Directory is on the website!
          • Workforce Development (Joni): McCall Donnelly high school senior project ask. Other events covered in earlier reports.
          • Broadband (Lindsey): City GIS program meeting with the vendor, allowing mapping system access as it was free. Providers appear to be spending money without upgrading systems and concern for viability of those lines. In the BEAD challenge process, there were other communities responded to the challenges, pro’s and con’s to choosing that route.
        • New Business: Department of Commerce is planning on further connecting to better partner with WCMEDC, seeking a venue in June.
        • Public Comment: none.
        • Adjournment
          • Meeting adjourned 4:27pm