By Kristine Thomas
Mt. Angel Oktoberfest President John Gooley has received letters in support of constructing a new Oktoberfest Community Building from the Mt. Angel Fire District, St. Mary Catholic Church, Mt. Angel School District, Wilco, Mt. Angel Development Programs and the Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce.
He still needs the support of a key group – the Mt. Angel City Council.
That’s why at a special city council meeting on June 22, Gooley and grant writer Jamie Johnk presented an overview of plans for a new community building and what would be required of the city if it partnered with the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest and the Mt. Angel Community Foundation on a community development block grant.
The Oktoberfest board is asking for two things. The first is for the council to lend its support to the project – either in a proclamation or a letter. The second is to consider being a project partner – which is needed to fulfill the community development block grant requirements. If the three organizations applied together, the grant would be $500,000. The Mt. Angel Library is an example of a project built using a community development block grant.
When Gooley announced plans for a new community building in February, he said the board had decided not to apply for a federal community block grant with the city of Mt. Angel because “it would be a tremendous amount of paperwork and time to work with the city to get a federal community block grant, so that’s why we decided to take this direction. We feel it would be better if we try to raise the money ourselves.”
Now the Oktoberfest Board is taking a different tack and has decided to ask about teaming up with the city.
Gooley told council members they didn’t need to make a decision “right away” on the community development grant block. Currently, the Mt. Angel Community Foundation and Mt. Angel Oktoberfest are applying for grants and seeking donations to pay for the estimated $1.7 million building.
“What we really need is your support for this building,” Gooley said, “and we would like it fairly quickly.”
A letter from the council would be included in grant applications and it would be beneficial to show community members that the council is behind the project, he said.
“We need the support from city so we can move forward and apply for grants,” Gooley said. “It would be difficult to ask for money from the community without the city’s support. A community building means nothing unless the folks here are supporting it.”
Gooley shared with the council the architectural plans for the building while Johnk provided an outline of all the state and federal requirements for a community development block grant.
The current Oktoberfest Biergarten was built more than 40 years ago and has served its purpose, Gooley said, adding he thinks it would be unwise to spend money to repair the building. The new building would have a kitchen and meeting rooms and would be available for community and private events as well as the four-day Oktoberfest celebration in September.
Mt. Angel Community Foundation President Dr. Robert McDonald wrote in a letter that the 40-year-old building is deteriorating and the kitchen and bathrooms are “woefully outdated and do not meet current ADA standards. The original metal roof is rusting and leaking. The concrete slab floor, damaged in the 1993 earthquake, has continued to crack and heave, breaking the plumbing in several locations. The acoustics are an insult to speakers and performers and commit auditory assault upon visitors and patrons.”
McDonald also stated an attempt to remodel and repair the structure would be more expensive and provide a less adequate result than starting “fresh from the ground up.”
Gooley said he realizes it would take a great deal of work to secure the funding for the project. He would like to have the money in place by next year so construction could begin. He estimates it would take nine months to a year to complete the building.
All the money raised for the community building is through the Mt. Angel Community Foundation.
Currently, Gooley said, there is $10,000 in seed money in the foundation account. The money is being used to pay expenses such as the architectural plans and grant writing.
Interim City Administrator Pete Wall said the meeting was an opportunity to provide information to the council so it can make a decision at a later date.
Regardless of whether the city decides to partner with the foundation and Oktoberfest on the community development block grant, Johnk said its support is important when applying for other grants and seeking donations.
“What we are missing right now is the letter from the city of Mt. Angel,” Johnk said. “We need it to show to other groups and for grants. If the city is not behind you, then it is hard to sell this project to outsiders. A letter of support from the city council is key to the process.”
