Master Plan Updates
The five working groups have been working on the Greenbelt Master Plan for the past four months. Working group ideas have been added to a combined map. That map has been reviewed by the GBTF board. The chairman of each working group, the National Park Service, the City of Green River and GBTF will meet together to blend proposals into a formal plan. That plan will be published for further public comment in the near future.
Part of the original 1990 Master Plan map
Greenbelt Progress
Merchandise
Greenbelt merchandise is sold at Red White Buffalo, Sweetwater Museum, and the Green River Chamber. Items include watercolor prints and stationery inspired by the greenbelt. Proceeds will be used to maintain the GBTF and provide a match for new greenbelt amenities. Featured is a watercolor of the boardwalk by Scott Blume.
Dog Park Progress
Progress moves forward. We will be starting dirt work within the month. As soon as dirt starts to fly, a Dog Park Committee consisting of seven voting members will be formed. There will be three standing members (designated members of the City Parks and Recreation Department, National Honor Society and GBTF)with four open public positions.
Communication Plan
We are expanding our resources and creating a business email, a website, and social media accounts on various platforms in the near future. We have found a communication service for the newsletter called Email Octopus. The newsletter is a little late this month because we had to set everything up. In the future when a website is built, we will learn how to accept payments for merchandise and donations through it, so stay tuned.
Newsletter Sponsorship
The GBTF needs to improve its public communication. This will entail the purchase of software and subscriptions. To help make this transition, The GBTF is seeking an individual or corporation that will sponsor the GBTF newsletter for a year. We are asking $50 a month or $600 for the year.
Friends of the Greenbelt
A 2022 Membership Application pamphlet has been released in several locations throughout town, including the City Chambers, Visitors Center, and Sweetwater County Museum. The pamphlets include information to be filled out and mailed with the donation amount. Contact John Freeman freeman@wyoming.com or johnfreeman@grgb.org for more information or if you have questions.
Chairman's Notes
John L. Freeman
When you are active in a volunteer non-profit organization, the passage of time is never uniform. The goal is to put forth a little effort each week and goals are accomplished in a timely manner. It seldom works out that way. Family, jobs, spring break, unanticipated grant opportunities, health all have a way to alter well thought out plans. However, things tend to work out but not in the way that was envisioned. March was a little chaotic for the Task Force but productive.
The good news is that the Wyoming Legislature approved the Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resource Grant (WWNRT)for Killdeer Wetlands. We recently received the paper-work from the state to sign and turn in. The WWNRT grant is a matching grant up to $200,000. The GBTF is well on our way to finding the other $200,000. The Task Force put in a $240,000 grant with BLM. Rock Mountain Powers has done work in the area that directly benefits the project and will also be used for a match. Other, Nonprofits are in the process of delivering grants to the project.
Cathy Hempker was asked to join the Greenbelt’s Board of Directors last month. She was a long time local educator and a frequent user of the Greenbelt. She was a volunteer for the GBTF 20 years ago and wanted to return as “her retirement job.” We have asked her to be the Chairman of the Friend’s of the Greenbelt.
The Friends of the Greenbelt Program has started. Donations have started to trickle in. The GBTF is new to fundraising but Cathy has done a good job finding merchants to sell memberships. She has also sent out letters to residents asking them to consider joining.
I’m excited about the efforts of board member Jason Grubb who is setting up our social network. We are almost ready to go public with several of the platforms Jason is working on.
The Task Force is looking for a new board member to become our event planner. Currently, the GBTF has no events planned. In two to three years, we would like to do 3- 6 events a year. If you are interested in this challenge, please contact John Freeman at 1-307-871-0064