Community partnership Our Valley Our Future asks Wenatchee for reduced funding of $30,000 a year

Alan Walker, board vice president of Our Valley Our Future, asked the Wenatchee City Council to provide $30,000 per year for three years in support of the regional civic organization’s work. Walker said the requested amount is a reduction from the $60,000 annual contribution the city previously provided.

“Please note this is a reduction from the $60,000 per year the city has been doing, so it’s a half-price sale, if you will,” Walker told the council. He described the organization’s outreach, listening sessions and committee work and said the group had raised local support and secured commitments from neighboring jurisdictions.

The nut graf: Our Valley Our Future (OVOF) said its work supports local projects — including riverfront development, downtown revitalization and housing efforts — and that the city is listed as a partner on numerous action-plan projects; OVOF asked the council to include the requested funding in the city’s upcoming budget.

A council member noted the request was placed in the preliminary budget and said they would advocate for one year of funding initially and ask OVOF for an update next year. Walker also said the organization has hired its first executive director, with a start date planned for Oct. 1, and that the group facilitated interviews and listening sessions across the region.