June 22, 2006

Representatives of the City of Seward, businesses, individuals, government agencies and organizations interested in pursuing the preservation of the Jesse Lee Home in Seward met June 22, 2006, at CIRI, 2525 C Street, in Anchorage, Alaska.

 Attendance: Margie Brown, CIRI; Sam Combs, AIA; Barbara Donatelli, CIRI; Christy Everett; Marcia Hastings, The Alaska Community Foundation; Jim Jager, CIRI; Debi Kruse, Cook Inlet Tribal Council; Dorene Lorenz, Seward City Council; Alexandra J. McClanahan, CIRI; Rob Rance, City of Seward; James L. Simpson, Copper Center; Arliss Sturgulewski, former legislator; Tom Swann, Seward Historic Preservation Commission; Kirsten Vesel, City of Seward.

Agenda: The meeting was called to order by Margie Brown at 3:20 p.m.  The minutes from the previous meeting were approved, as well as the agenda.  Informal introductions were made by those attending the meeting.

Comments by Dr. Simpson:  Dr. Simpson referred to Margie Brown’s recent President’s Message in which she noted that change is difficult and challenging for people, but often brings opportunity.  Simpson said that her words should resonate for the committee because of the complexity involved in the process of preserving the Jesse Lee Home and finding a user for it.  He urged committee members to broaden their scope and become truly statewide, and he also said he hoped that people would embrace change and think creatively.  He expressed his hope that committee members would welcome new ideas, and he encouraged them to be open-minded.  He also offered anecdotes from his experiences as a student at the Jesse Lee Home.

Among suggestions he offered were:  gather together remaining former residents of the Jesse Lee Home and record some of their stories, give flag pins to those who make donations, consider creating a new Balto statu e to replace the one that was lost , hold a charity auction to raise funds, and make the website more accessible and visible.

Dr. Simpson stressed in later remarks that it is imperative to save the building from further damage.  Sam Combs noted that while deterioration continues, it is a blessing that the building is “breathing” and that dry rot is not a problem.

Donations report:  Marcia Hastings reported that the donations to date total $3,250.

Report from Seward representatives:  Kirsten Vesel reported that the city is working on developing its materials for the Rasmuson grant application.  She said more details about the process would be provided at the next meeting.

Committee reports:

• Legislative:  Barbara Donatelli reported that she met recently with Diane Kaplan and was informed that while grant funds may not be spent in advance of receiving the grant, there is a possibility that matching funds could be.  Discussion followed on grant funds.

• Letter writing:  Dorene Lorenz reported that she has developed stationary and is sending out letters to groups and organizations.  She encouraged anyone with access to databases, such the Cook Inlet Historical Society to provide them to her.

• Fund-raising:  Tom Swann said his group decided that it was important to get educators involved in the committee.  Sam Combs offered his assistance to the committee.  Marcia suggested that perhaps some of the funds donated could be used to hire a grant writer.

• Public awareness:  A.J. McClanahan reported that Jim Jager is continuing to develop and improve the web page.  She also said she and Jager have encouraged Alex DeMarban of the Anchorage Daily News to attend meetings and write more articles.  Sam Combs said Valerie Park should be added to the committee because she can provide valuable input.

Other discussion:  There was discussion about an end-use for the building, and Debi Kruse said that a leadership facility could possibly go a long way toward meeting the need of Alaska students, especially Alaska Native and rural students.  While there are leadership opportunities open to students through various programs, there is a need for coordination, she said.

Report by Rob Rance on Outward Bound:  Rance reported that Outward Bound is a well-financed national program that is very interested in working with the Jesse Lee Home.  Furthermore, he said the program is a real possibility as an end-user of the facility.  Rance presented a PowerPoint on Outward Bound, and there followed favorable discussion on the “fit” between saving the facility and using it in a meaningful program that could be of particular benefit to Alaska Native students.

Action items:

• Margie Brown said she would contact a representative of the National P ark Service to explore the possibility of funding from the agency.

• Marcia Hastings said she could contact a grant writer.

• Jim Jager said he would work on developing “talking points” for the website in the section that encourages people to contact their legislators, including the use of resolutions of support passed by the Alaska Federation of Natives and other organizations.

• Margie Brown suggested that Alex DeMarban be invited to the next meeting.

• The Outward Bound representative will be invited to the next meeting.

Next meeting:  The next meeting will be held in Seward on July 27 and will include a walk-through of the facility.

Meeting Adjournment:  5 p.m.

Following are details on making contributions to the new fund:

How to make tax-deductible contributions to the Jesse Lee Home Restoration Fund

CHECKS

Mail contributions by check or money order to:

The Alaska Community Foundation

301 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 408

Anchorage, AK 99503

Please make checks payable to: ACF - Jesse Lee Home Restoration Fund

CREDIT CARDS

Contributions by credit card can be made by telephone or fax to:

The Alaska Community Foundation

Phone: 907-334-6700

Fax: 907-334-5780

Please provide:

     Type of credit card, Visa or MC

     Account number

     Expiration date

     Name on credit card

     Billing address, zip code for card holder

     Amount of contribution

Contact Information:
Baumgartner, Maniksaq – CIRI, Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509; 907-274-8638; mbaumgartner@ciri.com

Brown, Margie – CIRI, Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509; 907-274-8638; mbrown@ciri.com

Buretta, Sheri – Chugach Alaska Corp., 560 East 34th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99503; 907-261-0310; sburetta@chugach-ak.com

Combs, Sam – samcombs@gci.net

Donatelli, Barbara – CIRI, Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509; 907-274-8638; bdonatelli@ciri.com

Everett, Christy – nicholaschristy@gci.net

Gasek, Doug – State Historic preservation Office; 907-269-8726; doug_gasek@dnr.state.ak.us

Hastings, Marcia – The Alaska Community Foundation, 301 West Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 408, 99503; 334-6700; mhastings@alaskacf.org

Hyde, Leonard – JL Properties, Inc., 1007 West 3rd Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501; 907-279-8068; lhyde@jlproperties.com

Hyer, Terry – ECI/Hyer, Inc., 101 West Benson Blvd., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99503; 907-561-5543; thyer@ecihyer.com

Johnson, Lora – Chugach Alaska Corp., 560 East 34th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99503; 907-261-0310; lora.johnson@chugach-ak.com

Kaplan, Diane – The Rasmuson Foundation, 301 West Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 400, Anchorage, AK 99903; 907-297-2700; dkaplan@rasmuson.org

Kiser, Hilmer – Seward Christian Center; 907-244-8600; sewardcc@ak.net

Leggett, Aaron – CIRI, Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509; 907-263-5136; aleggett@ciri.com

Lorenz, Dorene – City of Seward, P.O. Box 167, Seward, Alaska 99664; 907-360-8815; DoreneMLorenz@aol.com

McClanahan, Alexandra J. – CIRI, Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509; 907-263-5197; ajmcclanahan@ciri.com

Miller, Stephanie – Alaska Children’s Services, 4600 Abbott Road, Anchorage, AK 99507; 907-348-9206; smiller@akchild.org

Pelch, Tracy – Chugach Alaska Corp.; 907-550-4126; tpelch@chugach-ak.com

Pels, Jackie – www.hardscratchpress.com; jrbpels@igc.org

Phillips, Gail – gailphil@alaska.net

Rance, Rob – rrance@cityofseward.net

Simpson, James L. – 2491 Southslope Way, West Linn, OR 97068; 503-722-9974; jimglo9974@earthlink.net

Simpson, Ronald – P.O. Box 265, Copper Center, AK 99573; 907-822-3003; crnwrail@coppercenterak.net

Sturgulewski, Arliss – 3201 C Street, #405, Anchorage, AK 99503; 907-561-5286; a.sturgulewski@swallingcpas.com

Swann, Tom – Seward Historic Preservation Commission, P.O. Box 905, Seward, AK 99664; 907-224-3080; swannest@seward.netcom

Vesel, Kirsten – City of Seward, P.O. Box 167, Seward, Alaska 99664; 907-224-4074; kvesel@cityofseward.net

Lisa Vaught – Office of the Lt. Governor, Anchorage, 269-7460

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