Letter Sent to Pete Kremen February 11, 2009

February 11, 2009

The Honorable Pete Kremen
Whatcom County Executive
County Courthouse
311 Grand Street, Suite #108
Bellingham, WA 98225-4082

RE: Roeder Home Short Term Rent Recommendation

Dear Pete:

At the February 9, meeting of the Roeder Home task force, it was 
agreed to forward a recommendation to you regarding a modification to 
the Roeder Home rental rate structure now in place. The intent of the 
recommendation is to keep some activity going in the Roeder Home 
until such a time as whatever final recommendations provided by the 
task force are implemented. Only one aspect of the current rent 
structure is affected by the following recommendation.

Recommendation Part 1. Definition

The definition of commercial groups excludes all-volunteer county 
based interest groups  (examples are the Home Made Music Society, the 
Northwest Classical Guitar Society, and the Bellingham Ukulele Group 
) who may or may not accept program specific donations for a 
performer or for offsetting rent.

The current definition of Commercial is: "Individuals, groups or 
businesses who charge admission, class fees, sell tickets, food or 
other items, solicit funds or donations, offer other money making 
activities or promote a commercial business."

Recommendation Part 2. Rate

The rental rate for daytime or evening programs shall be a flat fee 
of $50.00 per activity, program or event. The flat rate will include 
weekday and weekend rentals.

Recommendation Part 3. Insurance

For noncommercial, community associations or interest groups, 
eligible for the flat rate, separate liability insurance will not be required.

Recommendation Part 4. Term

The flat rate in recommendation part 2 will continue until a new or 
existing nonprofit organization is managing programs or providing 
support for programs at the Roeder Home and creates its own rental 
rate structure.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or want 
additional background on this recommendation. Thank you for your 
consideration of this recommendation.


George E. Thomas, Chairman
Roeder Home Task Force

Proposal for Interim Programming for the Roeder Home

The Task Force feels that the Roeder Home should be open to the 
public at least one morning or afternoon and one evening a week, with 
the goal of adding more time and programs as the volunteer base is 
built up.  Low-cost and by-donation programs run by local volunteers 
should be invited into the Home on a donation basis during those 
hours, as an interim measure while an alternate funding and 
programming process is implemented. There is no need to wait for that 
to keep low cost programs going. It can be done with volunteers.  A 
volunteer coordinator needs to be identified, and that person can be 
a volunteer too. Contributions should be solicited from individuals 
who participate in activities in the Home.

For many years, volunteers have helped create programs at the Roeder 
Home and have been trained and given the responsibility for opening 
or closing the home. There are already at least 4 volunteers that we 
know of just from the Home Made Music Society who have experience 
opening and closing the Home, and little effort more can be found.

Recommendation 1.  Open Hours
We propose that the Home be open one morning or afternoon, and one 
evening per week, and that the times be set in collaboration with 
users to maximize the use of the Home by local volunteer groups with 
a history of meeting a the Home, and by any new volunteer groups that 
step forward during this interim time.

Recommendation 2. Volunteer Use
It would be acceptable to use volunteers to open and close the Home 
if adequate training and support were made available. The volunteers 
will assist with cleaning and other maintenance, and will solicit 
donations for the Home from their members at each meeting.  All such 
donations will be used specifically for expenses directly related to 
the Roeder Home.

Recommendation 3.  Guidelines
Guidelines for training should be developed.   A Task Force member or 
designated volunteer along with a County staff person can prepare 
guidelines for review.

Recommendation 4. Insurance
Liability insurance will not be required of user groups.

Recommendation 5. Term
If adopted, the recommendations 1 and 2 will continue until a new or 
existing nonprofit organization is providing programs at the Roeder 
Home and has it own policy regarding use of volunteers.

February 23, 2009

Parks Director Mike McFarlane & County Executive Pete Kremen assure 
us that the Roeder Home is still open.  They seem outraged that I 
would say publicly that it is closed.  This is what "open" currently 
consists of:  three classes, which all end by next week.  Five 
rentals by private parties.  That's all.  There is no plan for 
outreach to anyone to get anything going.

*An Adult Water Color Class has been offered on Tuesday mornings from 
early January through the first week in March.

*A Creative Dramatics Class for Kids has been offered Wednesday 
afternoon throughout the month of February

*A Creative Kids Arts Class has been offered Wednesday morning from 
late January to the first week in March.

At this point there are no classes scheduled for the Spring quarter, 
but Parks is open to offering classes on a contract basis with 
interested instructors

The Roeder Home continues to be rented for private gathering and 
business meetings. At this point a total of five individuals and 
organizations have booked the facility in 2009.

If you would be willing to volunteer some time and effort to help 
keep public cultural activities available at the Roeder Home, please 
email me.  I will start creating a volunteer roster.  Even small 
amounts of time from many people add up to a lot.  Perhaps you might 
also contact the County Council and Pete Kremen to let them know you 
are willing to volunteer.


love/Fl!p
360-671-4511
2518 Cherry Street
Bellingham WA 98225
www.flip.breskin.com