Important Community Center Meeting

[Webmaster]

at the Greenwater Fire station and Community Center

Monday, September 10, at 7:30

Please attend.

I saw the information above while driving past the Greenwater Fire station and Community Center. I spoke with our Sheriff, who was stopped nearby, and he suggested I contact someone else for informaiton. I sent an email but have not heard back.

So if you are in the area Monday, in the evening (I guess, the sign doesn’t state AM or PM) please attend.

If anyone knows more of what this meeting is to be about, kindly post information or send me an email and I’ll post it. I have a previous commitment and will not be able to attend.

[Webmaster]

The Community Center is having a problem generating interest in the Center's offerings.

A special meeting has been set for Monday night September 10 at 7:30, to discuss how to encourage greater community participation in the Center's Council, plus to discuss ways to raise awareness in the Center's offerings.

Another plan for the Monday meeting is to start to assess the Center's options. In recent times the Center has been an under-used resource. At the end of the year, the Center's lease is up and we need to start to discuss the Center's opportunities.

[Webmaster]

Please come to the next Greenwater Community Center Meeting.

Greenwater has one of the best locations in the State of Washington for gatherings of all kinds. We have woods, lakes, rivers, gravel and paved roads, we have snow in the winter, sun and warm temps in the spring and summer. We have a spectacular fall. We have a variety of restaurants and shops. We have a spacious Community Center, located in a place with easy access and lots of parking. But what we don’t have is much interest in our Community Center.

Speaking personally, I think our Community Center could be a host for interesting presentations nearly every weekend. We could get folks from any number of specialty areas to demonstrate equipment and skills, we could have art and calligraphy centered events, we could have folks provide lessons on tuning motorcycles, bicycles, snow mobiles, quads. We could have car and motorcycle shows. We could have an annual ski & snow board, and hiking gear swaps and sales. We could hold gatherings to help all learn about first aid, disaster preparation, even folks to show how to increase personal fitness. It might even be possible to offer day care for children. There is almost no end to the opportunity for bringing folks together to hold events of common, and uncommon interest. We could hold group outings and cooking events that would appeal both to the community and wider groups of folks who love the outdoors.

But we don’t do much of that, because there is little input and participation. Heck, I didn’t even know that there was a Community Council until about a month ago, and I've had a residence in Greenwater for over 5 years. If I'm typical of many Greenwater residents, and I probably am, many of you reading this don’t know about the Community Center.

Here’s the problem: According to Teresa Steel, the Community Council Chair, “the main issue is the Community Center needs active community members to survive.” Not just people to offer ideas, but folks willing to contribute ideas and time, to work for Community Center goals.

Teresa knows a whole lot of what she is saying, as she has been a huge part of the support group for Community Center and neighboring Fire Department for over 30 years. All in Greenwater owe her a debt of thanks, but her primary interest is in encouraging all community members to help expand the role of the Community Center.

Teresa adds that the Community Center would benefit from “new ideas and people.” In fact, it needs this to survive! If participation stays at it’s current level of few showing interest, "the Community Center will be turned back to the Fire District and then probably leased to the Firefighters Association. It will still be a community center, but the firefighters association will run the management portion of the building.”

The Firefighters Association is a great and valuable group. However if the Community Center is turned over to this association, Greenwater will loose control of a valuable place that we have come to treasure and enjoy. So, in short, if there continues to be little interest we will loose this gem of a Community Center!

On behalf of our community I urge you attend the next Council Meeting. Bring your ideas and your willingness to help. Tell your neighbors about this meeting! There is an opening on the Council and as much as membership is needed and desired, there is an opportunity to offer guidance for the direction of the Community Center.

The next meeting is:

Monday October 8 at 7:30 at the Greenwater Community Center and Fire House.

Hope to see you there!

[pcfd26chief]

Tracy,

Just to clear up a few points:
My understanding is that the current Community Center Council is losing several members of long standing for a variety of reasons. These people have done an excellent job for a long time.
If the current board does not find new members, or if another entity does not express interest in managing the Community Center, it would revert to the Fire Department, the building owner. If that occurs, and if the Firefighter's Association is willing, the Association would probably take over management of the facility. It would remain a community center.
You state that if the Firefighter's Association manages the facility, "Greenwater will lose control of a valuable facility." Greenwater is no more or less than the people who live here. It is not a legal entity. The Community Center board is a group of people from the area who have been willing to contribute time and effort to the community. The Firefighter's Association is a group of people from the area who have been willing to contribute time and effort to the community. Does being a member of the Fire Department make them less qualified or trustworthy to act as caretakers of the Community Center? I would have thought the opposite. I am unclear as to why you would assert that if the firefighters took over management of the center that "we" would lose the Community Center. As Teresa stated, it would still be run as a community center. If I have anything to say about it, it will always be a community center.
The fact is, the Community Center is a valuable resource. It takes time and effort and commitment to take care of it. The current board deserves the thanks of the community for the work that they have done over the years. If no one else is able or willing to fill that responsibility, the fire department and the firefighter's association is willing to do the job, and, in fact, would have to do it. This community is fortunate to have an excellent group of firefighters from across the spectrum of the Greenwater community. They have shown willingness to contribute there time and energy, and to place themselves in harm's way for the betterment of the community.
Once again, the Community Center will always be available to the residents of the greater Greenwater area as a community center. There would be little or no difference in the management, except that there would be a larger number of people available to contribute to the management and maintenance of the building. No one is going to lose it, no matter who is managing it. Tracy, I know that you have nothing but the best interest of the community at heart, and your website is a great asset to the community. but it might have been a good idea to contact someone from the Department or the Association to gain some input on our vision for the Community Center before posting an editorial on the subject. As you pointed out, you did not even know that a community council existed until the time of the first meeting.

Thank you,

Paul Sowers, Chief
Greenwater Fire Department

[Webmaster]

Hi Paul,

Thank for your reply. I appreciate your assurance that the Center will remain a community resource no matter what the future holds for it.

In response to your comment: “Does being a member of the Fire Department make them less qualified or trustworthy to act as caretakers of the Community Center?”

Certainly not. If I've inadvertently insulted any in our all volunteer Fire Department, I apologize. That was not my intent. I've promoted the Fire Department and encouraged others to do so from the outset of this site.

About your comment: “…might have been a good idea to contact someone from the Department or the Association to gain some input on our vision for the Community Center before posting an editorial on the subject.”

You make an excellent point. I agree I would have had a more complete understanding, had I communicated with more folks. But you see, the obstacle was, and is, that few have any way of knowing who other members of the Center may be, and what visions for the Center may exist. The same obstacle exists for members many other neighborhood groups.

I think that many folks who call Greenwater home would like to know more about the Center. But the truth is that there is no broad mechanism in place to help neighbors gain awareness of the Community Center.

As I understood it, there has been an on-going state of little turn out for the Center's meetings. It may be the case that many folks in the community just aren’t interested. It may be the case that few know about these meetings.

My goal is promote interest in the Center. As I observe it, the Center is highly under used. I believe that the way to generate interest is first and foremost to encourage our neighbors know that there is a Center and that there are opportunities for folks to meet and pursue common goals. Don’t you agree?

Lastly, you said you know of a vision for the Center. Please take some time if you will and share it.

Regards

...Tracy

[pcfd26chief]

Hi, Tracy- Thanks for your response.

I have followed your website nearly since its beginning, and I know that you are a dedicated advocate for the Greenwater community, and the Fire Department as well. As you probably guessed from my previous post, I am very proud of the men and women of the Department, and I felt that your previous post conveyed the impression that the community needed to save the Community Center from the Fire Department. I am certain that this was not your intent.
I would be happy to share my personal feelings about the direction of the Community Center. Much of this is hypothetical, as we do not now manage the Center, and may not in the future. If the Center was turned back to the Fire Department, it is probable that the Firefighter’s Association would be asked to manage it. They would then have to vote on whether or not they wished to accept this responsibility. Some of the following will probably need to happen regardless of who manages the facility.
• First of all, the Community Center will fulfill the same function in the area as it currently does. I would like to see fundraisers and grants pursued to upgrade the interior. We have had some luck in the Fire Department obtaining grants for equipment, and I am optimistic that similar grants exist for which the Community Center would be eligible. It is probably time for new flooring and paint at the very least. I would like to see the play area improved and made more secure. Any major redesign of the interior would probably be a matter for an advisory committee from the residents of the community to address.
• I would like to see the building as a whole function as a community shelter. In the event of a natural disaster or an extended interruption of electrical service the fire station and the community center would be a safe place for displaced residents to seek shelter. This would entail having an earthquake engineer inspect the building and advise on potential improvements, installing a backup power system for the building, and caching emergency supplies. Two years ago we did get a bid for an emergency generator for the facility. We have begun to stockpile sleeping bags and medical supplies.
• I agree that the Community Center is currently under utilized. Many of the events you listed as possibly appropriate for the Center have been done in the past and could be done again. I know that there have been several fitness classes offered on the site, and we have been offering emergency preparedness opportunities for years. Most recently we presented the FEMA “Are You Ready?” program, which we posted on this site. On Saturday, October 13th, at 6:00 the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management will be presenting the PCNET program for community based disaster planning. (Please see Sherriff Hudson’s posting in another area of this forum.) This will also give the community an opportunity to address questions that you have raised about lahar warning systems.
• I agree that community involvement in the Center has waned over the last few years. It might be possible to establish a website with a link to your site. That would be a technical matter for someone smarter than me.
Some of these issues have been discussed at the monthly commissioner’s meeting, which takes place on the third Monday of each month at 7:30 pm at the fire station. These meetings are open to the public. It is important to note that no action has been approved by the commissioners. These are ideas that are at the conceptual stage. If the current Community Council elects to continue managing the Center, we would work with them to try to achieve some of these goals, and make sure that the Center is available to the community for the forseeable future.

Thanks, Paul

[Webmaster]

Paul,

You and all at the Fire Department have great cause for pride! The Fire Department plays a key role in the existence of our community. Without the Fire Department, many couldn’t own a house in the area, as insurance companies generally wont provide insurance if there isn’t a nearby Fire Station. Loaning institutions are very reluctant to loan if they cant guarantee insurance on their loans.

In Greenwater, as I understand it, the Fire Department staff is all volunteer. All members are obligated to go through a huge amount of training to being able to serve, and then, additional on-going training once a member. And then there is an often life-threatening risk that goes into doing the duties of the Fire Department. All members are luminary examples of folks who give a lot back to the community. People who make this high degree of contribution do not exist widely in our culture any more. So again, you and all at the Fire Department have great cause for pride!

It is important to add that our Fire Department provides a major role as first responders to the many accidents that occur along SR-410 and anywhere in the surrounding areas. I've often thought that the Greenwater Fire Department gets a bad deal by way of the funding it receives. The huge volume of visitors in our area, combined with a fairly small local population creates a disproportionate burden on the Fire Department. I spoke with someone at the Council meeting about how some funding comes to the Fire Department and hope to learn more about it in the near future.

Your comments regarding the Community Center are all excellent and I appreciate your taking the time and your thoughtful comments! I'm sure you have no end of other obligations and I do value your time. I hope to get a chance to speak with you about these ideas and other topics at the PCNET program this weekend.

Thanks again!

...Tracy

[Webmaster]

It might be possible to establish a website with a link to your site.

I'd be happy to help with this and also offer to set up a dedicated forum here for the Community Center and Fire Department.