Group eyes ‘W’

MARQUETTE - A K.I. Sawyer community group is planning to approach the West Branch Township board about taking over operations at the West Branch Community Center, which this week closed its doors.

The K.I. Sawyer Community Association has been working on recruiting both individual donors and major sponsors since the news that the "W" had been closed.

The W is owned by West Branch Township, which decided at a special meeting Tuesday to close the center immediately, after funding struggles over the past year. KISCA plans to present a petition to the township board at its regular meeting Sept. 17 detailing community support for their plan, said KISCA board chair Tom Hakes. The township board will meet at 7 p.m. at the township hall.

The township board had said it would look for partners in running the facility, which had been a drain on township funds.

"We are going to be the organization. As a 501(c) non-profit, we will run the facility through us and lease the building from West Branch Township," Hakes said.

Township clerk Doreen Takalo said the board is looking at all proposals for re-opening the facility, but her impression was the township hopes to sell the building in the long run.

"We're obviously open for any suggestion," she said. "I'd rather see it open than closed - I don't think anybody wants it closed."

She said she has been hearing from many individuals and groups interested in supporting the W and volunteering their efforts.

"I think if at some point we can get all that 'I can do' together, we're going to have something," Takalo said, adding it's clear that residents feel the loss of the W. "It is a wonderful facility that serves a lot of needs."

According to Brenda Raymond, grant writer for KISCA, "It's not a matter of if, but rather when" the W will be open again.

"There is going to be a meeting on Monday and a lot of people are going to be figuring out a way to get this resolved and get the doors open," said Raymond.

KISCA is also inviting the public to attend a meeting about the W at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Salvation Army building on Explorer Avenue.

Currently, KISCA is organizing a fund-raising campaign aimed at earning enough money to keep the W open temporarily while they look for bigger, foundation-level sponsor grants.

Hakes said he hopes by January to have major support from foundations. Grant writers for KISCA are putting together a financial plan to present to foundations, he said.

"Right now we're looking for $100,000 to keep it open at least for two months," Hakes said. "If we can get people to come forward and help us, this will work."

There are about 8,000 households in the Gwinn school district, which is involved with several programs hosted at the W, Hakes said. KISCA is asking for a $5 donation from everyone affected by the W's closing, and Hakes said even though it's a small amount, it will add up.

"If half of those people come forward, that's $20,000," he said.

The township has said its major costs in running the W are for utilities. KISCA wants to remodel the building to make it more energy-efficient, and is hoping for in-kind donations of engineering and remodeling services, Hakes said. He said the organization hopes to buy the building at some point.

Takalo said the total annual expenses for the W are about $400,000, and it was bringing in between $350,000 to $360,000 in yearly revenues.

She added vendors and W members have been asking about the township's financial situation, but the general fund is able to cover the expenses.

"We'll still honor all bills and finish what we started," she said. "We've never gone without paying." The township makes loan payments of about $2,500 per month on the W.

Interested residents can contact KISCA at 346-6875, or at brenda@kisca.org.