Community Enrichment Program on hold in Talkeetna

TALKEETNA — Movies for the village, sushi-making classes, woodworking and indoor play time for children are among what’s missing this fall in Talkeetna because of complications with the Community Enrichment Program there.

Officials have hit snags setting up a way to pay a Community Enrichment Program coordinator and securing a site with the Mat-Su Borough School District.

Borough grants are available for the Talkeetna Community Council to provide the same types of programs held in Willow and Trapper Creek during the school year, but the problems have prevented their implementation, said Linda Brenner, acting community development director for the Borough. School district policies about site use after hours also monkey-wrench the issues in Talkeetna.

“Funds are set aside for this program to happen,” Brenner said. “It’s a valuable program, but it’s just not happening as soon as we’d like.”

The Borough is working with Talkeetna Elementary School’s new principal and the Talkeetna Community Council, through which the grant funds flow, she said. Making the program work means coordinating not only with the Borough, school district and the local council, but with NANA Management Services, the school district’s outside janitorial contractor.

The district’s six-page facility-use contract requires a janitor be on-site during events and be responsible for building security unless the enrichment program coordinator is a school district employee. Funds must also be secured to pay the coordinator.

Rules passed by the board of education in August say, “Evening activities must be concluded 30 minutes prior to the end of the regular custodial shift unless prior approval has been granted by the principal.”

Due to Su Valley Jr./Senior High School’s destruction by fire in June, the gymnasium at Talkeetna Elementary is being used overtime to accommodate junior high and high school teams, which means longer hours some nights at the facility, Principal John Brown said.

Brown, principal at both Talkeetna and Trapper Creek elementary schools, said his secretary, Sue Drover, helped a preschool gym group fill out the long form, which he approved.

He said the school is eager to accommodate programs when it can, as well as other community events.

The Talkeetna Community Council should return to the site soon, Brown said.

It traditionally meets at the school, but last week switched to the Talkeetna Library because of a scheduling conflict. Brown said he received a facility use form from the council on Friday.

School district spokesperson Traci Crotteau said the district wants to work with the Borough and community to get the enrichment program running.

“The school has not received a facility use form in its complete form,” Crotteau said.

There have been two requests, but she said they were not made in the proper form.

After a form is filled out it must be reviewed by the school then submitted to the contractor that provides custodial services. A NANA janitor must be on-site.

The Community Enrichment Program returned to Talkeetna two years ago and offers activities and classes for people of all ages. Activities focus on recreation and education.

Programs in Trapper Creek were not affected this year because a school district employee runs the Trapper Creek program, and the community enrichment program in Willow is not housed in a school district building.

Borough use fees were hiked In August for rentals and such things as use of hockey rink lights. The higher fees reflect the increased cost of utilities, according to Scott Schwald, the Borough’s operations and pupil transport manager.

Contact John R. Moses at 352-2270 or john.moses@frontiersman.com.