Fifteen Nome organizations are eager for a chunk of as-yet undedicated funding from the city.
As part of Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation’s community benefit share program, Nome received a total of $150,000 to fund local projects this year. While nearly $100,000 of that money is already spoken for – a total of $50,000 remains up for grabs.
To decide how that money should be spent, the Nome City Council turned to the public. After a brief application period, which ended last week, fifteen applicants submitted proposals for the funds.
The result reads like a wish list for the entire community.
Bering Sea Lions Club member Kevin Bahnke said the club requested $10,000 to finance the annual Nome-Golovin snow machine race.
“We are a group of volunteers,” Bahnke said. “We do not get paid. Everything we do is out of our pocket. The gas, the fuel, the time we spent – it’s all volunteer work. So everything we get through donations goes into the race.”
Other applicants include the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which would like to bolster its book program; Nome Animal House, with a request for veterinary equipment; the Nome Recreation Center, with a proposal to update its bleachers; and organizations like the Bering Sea Women’s Shelter and Nome Preschool.
Crystal Tobuk, with the Nome-St. Lawrence Island Singers and Dancers, said she’d like to purchase traditional walrus-stomach drums and fabric to make Qipaghaqs for the group’s new members.
“We’re finally getting a lot more males joining the group,” said Tobuk. “And we’d like them to learn how to drum. We also have a few female dancers who don’t have the traditional St. Lawrence Island Qipaghaqs, so we’re hoping to get some made for them.”
The proposals range in scale from a few thousand dollars to the full $50,000. While several applicants point to specific one-time purchases, there are also plenty looking to supplement a lackluster annual budget.
Sue Steinacher is the director of Nome Emergency Shelter Team, or NEST. She says NEST typically receives about $20,000 from the city budget – but this year, that was whittled down to $10,000.
“Which, if we just get $10,000, it cuts us in half from what we’ve been able to count on from the city. So I am hoping that they will give us an additional $10,000 out of the NSEDC funds to equal the $20,000 that we’ve gotten each year,”said Steinacher.
Steinacher acknowledged that, with so many proposals, the council has a tough decision ahead. Regardless of what projects get funded, she hopes those who work to improve Nome will get the support they need.
The Nome City Council will review all fifteen proposals at its meeting on Monday night. Applicants will have a chance to present their proposals, in person, before the council makes a final decision.
