From replacing rotten trim at town hall to installing lights at the Little League fields, residents and local businesses across Yacolt are increasingly stepping forward to tackle projects the town has struggled to complete on its own.
Mayor Ian Shealy said the community involvement reflects a broader change he has witnessed since taking office, with residents and businesses volunteering their time, materials and money to address needs throughout the community.
“It kind of echoes what a lot of people have been doing over the last two and a half years, is community members finding out that there's needs that the town really can't fill on their own and taking it upon themselves to help out,” Shealy said.
One recent example is ongoing work at Yacolt Town Hall, where deteriorating trim had gone without repairs as the town lacked the resources to take on the project.
Community members volunteered their time to remove and replace the trim, while Western United Civil Group donated materials to help reduce the cost.
A project that Shealy said could have cost about $200,000 if contracted out is instead expected to cost the town roughly $3,000 to $4,000 for materials and several public works employee hours.
“So at the end of the day it's going to end up being three to four thousand dollars,” Shealy said. “So the fact that local businesses and some community members decided to step up and help us get this done, it's huge.”
The same approach is now being applied to Yacolt’s community center.
The town received $750,000 in state funding to purchase the property, with Shealy saying the town is working with the Washington state Department of Commerce to close out the grant and complete the purchase. The purchase is projected for October.
Since news of the funding became public, community members and businesses have expressed interest in helping rehabilitate the building.
One of the biggest challenges is the roof on the roughly 9,000-square-foot building. Grants Roofing has volunteered to replace it as a community project.
“A roof on a 9,000-square-foot building is not cheap,” Shealy said. “And they're stepping up and doing it and that's amazing.”
Other companies have also expressed interest in helping with painting, flooring and other improvements. Shealy said the town plans to eventually bring community members through the building to discuss its future and begin fundraising for interior renovations.
The community's involvement even extends beyond town-owned facilities.
Shealy pointed to a partnership between Clark Public Utilities, Yacolt Little League and the town that resulted in lights being installed at the Little League fields. The project took about a year of volunteers working after hours to develop a plan, select equipment and complete the installation.
“That's a huge thing for the Little League, for the kids in town,” Shealy said. “And they did all that on their own. No one benefited from it other than the kids and the families and it's huge that these people decided to say, ‘Hey you know this is something that the kids need and we're going to do it.’”
Another local family also volunteered to repair and paint the Little League clubhouse and snack shack after securing donated paint and fixing deteriorating trim.
Other local businesses and organizations have contributed in different ways. Shealy said Zing Broadband donated fiber optic needed to keep the town's camera system operating and continues to provide the service without charging the town.
Businesses also regularly contribute to community events and nonprofit fundraisers, while volunteers participate in the town's annual cleanup.
Shealy said the increased involvement represents a significant shift in the relationship between residents, businesses and town government.
“When I got elected and came into the office there were, I wouldn't say burned bridges, but there was a lot of separation between town and community,” Shealy said. “So, I would say, in the last two years it's changed drastically.”
For Shealy, seeing residents from different parts of the community take ownership of local projects has been one of the most meaningful aspects of serving as mayor.
“For me, I think it's a huge blessing,” he said. “I think it's one of the greatest things I've been able to witness as mayor is watching people from all areas of life in the community that are deciding to say hey I want to help too.”
Shealy said the community's willingness to volunteer has allowed projects that had been discussed for years to finally move forward.
“So from my perspective it's been really cool to watch it happen,” he said.
He encouraged residents who want to contribute to attend town council meetings, offer ideas or volunteer their skills.
“We're truly going to build a community center that's built by the community and not just funded, you know,” Shealy said. “And, to me, I think that means more to build something together.”
This report was first published by The Reflector Newspaper. Reporter Cade Barker can be reached at [email protected].
