Jamestown (CSi)  Jamestown Tourism held the City Promotion Capital Construction Fund March grant request meeting at the JSDC Lower Level Conference, Room, also available on the Zoom platform and phone conference call.

Members in attendance: Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund, Board Members:  President, Tena Lawrence, Taylor Barnes, Frank Balak, Pam Phillips, and Paulette Ritter.

 

The meeting started with Searle explaining Goals and Objectives of the Capital Construction Fund, with 20 -percent of the restaurant funds, distributed to Tourism by the City.  With applications due March 1 and October 1 each year.

The goal for expenditures this round is to distribute $65,000.

 

And then statements on conflicts of interest.  Tommy Nienhaus, said he does not have a conflict with the UJ funding.  Tena Lawrence,

Pam Phillips, employed by the National Buffalo Museum was allowed to participate in the discussion but not vote.

Requests

The Jamestown Arts Center – Arts Park Speaker Hangers – Director, Mindi Schmitz said, at the Downtown Arts Park, four of the 12 speakers are heavy, and she’s requesting the hangers, asking $1500 in the request to help cover the cost of $2,000.

The board voted to, grant the full request for $1,500.

 

National Buffalo Museum – Pasture Tours – Director, Ilana Xinos said, the pasture tour

has received a grant of $16,000, asking Jamestown Tourism for $10,000 the largest expense is for a vehicle.   Bump gates at the pasture will also be installed.  Seven day a week tours will take place, one for the north and one for the south pasture, each tour will last about one hour.  She said a charge will be made to those participating in the tour, with the amount to be decided, which includes admission to the Museum.

The board voted to, grant $10,000.

 

TRAC– Meidinger Splash Park, Pad – Amy Walters said, the request is for funding of 20X20 concrete pads, for the shade shelter.  The request was for $25,000 and the board voted, to grant $5,000.

 

Jamestown Soccer Club – Club Expansion – Tommy Nienhaus said there is a men’s and women’s conference within the leagues, with a men’s and women’s team in Fargo, and other teams in Minnesota, and South Dakota, LaCrosse, Wisconsin and St. Louis,  plus women’s teams as far away as Chicago.

He said the league is awaiting a decision from Jamestown to enter the league, and if so the league will consider a team in Bismarck. League operates during the summer months, and start up is in 2022.

He said there are expansion fees set by the league, plus operational fees.

Others outside sources of funding is Sanford Health and First Community Credit Union.  The request from Tourism is for a total of $40,000 in funds.  Other funding sources may also be sought.  The team expects to generate $30,000 to $40,000 per season.

The board voted, to grant $5,000.

 

Three requests were from Frontier Village:

Repairs to Church, Paint General Store/Church – Searle Swedlund said those are the largest structures at the village, with paint and siding replacement, low bids have been accepted with maintenance to be done this summer.  The budget request is at $13,000.

The board voted to, grant the full amount.

 

With  Mowing Equipment – Searle said the proposal is for enough equipment to manage general mowing  for this summer.  With bids let for the mowers.  The request from tourism is for $5,000.

The board voted, fund the full amount of $5,000.

 

With  Signage – Searle said, three signs are in need, in cooperation with the National Buffalo Museum, for directions.  The request is for $1,500.

The board voted to, fund the full $1,500.

 

Corps of Engineers – James  River Trail – Pipestem Dam Manger, James Dixon said, the request is to fund two kayak ramps, along the trail, ADA compliant,  including at Parkhurst, supported by the Corps of Engineers, in Omaha.

The grant request was for  $10,000.

The board voted to grant $7,000.

 

Dakota Motocross – Track Improvements – President of the organization, Jett Mutschler

said the track needs improvements in the way of hiring a professional track builder, with the estimate at $10,000 to $12,000, the request for tourism funding was  $15,000.

He said about 700 participants use the track over a given two day period during the motocross season, from the upper Midwest,  plus those in attendance.

The board voted to grant $10,000.

 

Fort Seward – Security Equipment – Sonja Thierer said the equipment consist of video cameras, as the guest experience is adding to such items as the glamorous camping (Glamping) and a playground.   The grant request was for $3,5

The board voted to fund the full amount.

 

GrantExec Committee Meeting:

ND USA Powerlifting request is for $7,000 for equipment purchase for – events in April, August, and November, 2021, at the Jamestown Civic Center.  Steve Davenport explained the categories within each Powerlifting event.  The meets serve as a gateway to national Powerlifting events.  He said Jamestown is a strategic location in North Dakota for participants from around the state, which typically overnight at the events, including other support personnel.

The board voted to table, and have the organization to re-apply in the October 2021 round of funding, to analyze a year’s participation in the sport in the state.

Tourism Director Searle Swedlund will have more highlights during Tuesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2 at 8:25-a.m. followed later with replays.