It has been said that the health of a community is evidenced in its citizen involvement. The City of Wenatchee is proud of our community and the spirit of volunteerism that has made our area a wonderful place to live. Through this cooperative spirit, the City encourages groups of citizens to come together to actively partner in improving our neighborhoods, and to plan for the long-range health of our community – neighborhood by neighborhood.

Background: In 1998, the City of Wenatchee began investigating successes enjoyed by other communities that were actively promoting citizen involvement in the planning process for neighborhoods. We pulled together elements of successful neighborhood planning programs, and spent some time asking groups of citizens, as well as our employees, what services the City could provide to encourage area residents to work together in neighborhood groups. The success of these efforts is a testament to the pride felt by City residents.

The City of Wenatchee is committed to the development and support of our grassroots neighborhood associations. Below is a listing of services developed to foster your neighborhood efforts:

• Inspections:  Safety audits, fire and crime prevention, building and structural, code.
• Neighborhood Improvement Plans:  Help identify and realize needed neighborhood improvements including street lighting, sidewalks, safe walking paths to schools, traffic calming, landscaping or trees, blight abatement, and neighborhood identity.
• Neighborhood Projects:  Help with dumping and chipping during a neighborhood clean up day, a team to assist with a neighborhood bicycle safety clinic, help to bring your project to fruition.
• Social Opportunities:  Assistance in finding a meeting place, help with street closure permits for a block party, help with identifying your neighbors (a list of property owners).
• Training:  You may find a variety of needs for training and we can find facilitators to help. Some training needs may include information on how to run an effective meeting, how to carry out a project, emergency preparedness, Block Watch training, how to work with others / overcome cultural differences.
• Monetary Incentives:  Matching grants for improvements;  major improvements to infrastructure can be included in annual budgets, money for art projects (work with Wenatchee Arts Commission and the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center), money for neighborhood parks, materials for projects, awards program, grant research and administration, help forming a local improvement district (LID) for infrastructure improvements.
• Mobilize Partners to Assist in Your Effort:  The list of partners for this program is both extensive and diverse. The City of Wenatchee wants to bring these partners together to help accomplish your project.

In addition, we encourage your group to reach out and establish appropriate partnerships. There are some creative projects being done across the nation that include partnerships between neighborhood associations and other organizations, particularly schools. You have the ability, as a peer, to leverage the talents of your neighbors and put them to work in making our community a better place to live. The City wants to encourage, support and facilitate your efforts. Potential partners include:

• Schools
• Arts Commission / Art on the Avenues
• Affordable Housing Advocates / Organizations
• Financial Institutions
• Business Districts
• Cultural Alliances
• Chelan County Public Utility District
• Chelan County Regional Jail (work crews)
• Chelan-Douglas Health District
• Chelan County Assessor (Historic Preservation / Housing Tax Incentives)
• Service Clubs
• Boy Scouts of America
• Realtors
• Rental Association / Landlords
• Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Wenatchee Downtown Association
• Area Media