ENVISION OPELIKA FOUNDATION, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT
October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018
Mission: The Envision Opelika Foundation, Inc. works toward improving the quality of life for all residents of the community through its citizens, organizations, and community partners.
Board of Directors: Tom Tippett, Chair; Trip Garner, Vice-Chair; Kenneth Burton; Tommy Cummings; JArthur Grubbs; Lynne Hammond; Vicki Hudson; Shealy Langley; Richard Patton; Bill Parker; Sally Phillips; Amy Rogers
General Business
- Contract for Services: Contract renewed with the City. Payments received for this year and prior year.
- Website development continued. Site updated. Amy Rogers manages the site with JArthur Grubbs help. Domain forwarding services were purchased.
- Paypal Service to be installed on website
- Annual income tax report completed by Hilyer & Associates and filed.
- Money Market account opened with Charter and PNC account closed.
- Planet Fundraiser app was approved for use
Ad Hoc Committees
- Nominating Committee: Members: JArthur, Chair; Trip; Sally; Barbara. Presents Vicki Hudson, Lynne Hammond, and Shealey Langley and board approves them for a three year term
- By-Laws Committee: Members: Kenneth, Chair; Trip, Barbara By-Laws were reviewed, revised and presented for adoption. Board adopted changes.
Formal Task Forces:
- Character Council
Monthly meetings
10th Anniversary of the Character Council observed by presenting the Mayor and the Opelika
City Council with a Character Coin and Mayor presented a proclamation to the Character
Council
Character Council decals and yard signs for recognition were purchased
Character creed was presented to OHS Band Director at Summer Swing.
Students were recognized at end of year assemblies for their essays and awarded a certificate
and a character coin.
An Opelika Character Creed was created and adopted by the Board. It was presented to the
Opelika City Council and the Board of Education who also adopted it.
The Unity Stampede was held on Saturday, April 28 and was the most successful yet.
Plans worked on to recognize Character in the workplace.
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ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 2
One Book – One City character words selected to correlate to book “Hidden Figures”. Book put
on hold for this year due to cost of speaker.
OCS funded new character signs for all the sites.
Tom, Rusty and Barbara attended the Interstate Character Council Day in Montgomery in
September.
Character Creed placed on website.
Arts and Entertainment
Letter of support was written to the Mayor and Council supporting signage/murals with guidelines for the downtown area.
Education, Family and Youth Development
Monthly meetings – a collaboration between entities in our community serving families
Sharing of information and resources vital to this group and all appreciate being involved
Circles of Opelika originated from this task force.
Neighborhood Development and Housing
Tommy Cummings gave periodical updates on housing within the city and reported on the new homes being constructed in Opelika. The average costs for new homes is increasing. A larger inventory is still needed.
Housing market in Opelika improved during this fiscal year.
Downtown Redevelopment
Richard Patton and Barbara Patton kept the Board updated on the downtown happenings.
Richard gave the board an article on “Why Walkable Streets are More Productive”
Tom and Barbara met with Tiffany Denson, the new Opelika Main Street director.
Tom and Barbara met with Dana Gafford, the interim Opelika Main Street director, following Tiffany’s resignation.
Recreation, Health, Wellness and Green Space
This category was added due to the desire to make Opelika a “City of Parks” as seen in a Cincinnati trip.
A description of our city parks was reviewed.
Shealy Langley volunteered to work in this area.
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ANNUAL REPORT PAGE THREE
Other Categories:
Circles of Opelika
Fund-raising group formed: Tom Tippett, Barbara Patton, Antoine Harvest, Chelsea Neighbors, Bill Parker, Hugh Turner and Trip Garner
Circles of Opelika begins fund-raising with the goal to raise $242,000 for a three year period.
100% of Board participation requested
Group made a presentation to the Judges, First Presbyterian, FBCO, and some individual presentations to FUMC and Trinity United Methodist.
Meeting with CCRC/FRC resulted in their not being ready to manage Circles.
Board authorized a Circles Advisory Committee be created. A description of the committee was created and approved also.
Circles Advisory Group members: Tom Tippett, Barbara Patton, Trip Garner, Chelsea Neighbors, Steve Stanley, Caroline May, Ellen Able.
Memorandum of Understanding developed and approved by/with Circles of Troop County.
Southside Center for the Arts
Open House proposed and approved but was never implemented
Fund-raising campaign to raise $90,000 to match ASCA grant of $30,000 began in November
Suggested resolution to keep green space across from the Southside Center and a right-of-first refusal to purchase the building were explored. After research by Shealy Langley, it was decided not to pursue.
Hosey-Lancour Construction was selected to do the work on Phase III and will bid out the subs.
Heritage Baptist leased renewed for another year. Rent at $1700 this calendar year.
Municipal Court began using the building for Court on Wednesdays as of July for an 18 month period while the new Police Department building is being constructed.
City of Opelika offered to put in the electrical for Phase III.
A grant application was approved by the board to the Alabama Historical Commission for $20,000 for painting the exterior. Barbara prepared.
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Opelika Giving
Tom suggested a city-wide fundraising plan from which Opelika Giving developed and was approved by the board. Meetings were held with Sid Nakhjavan and Kim Walker with the Women’s Philanthropy Group and others. Wendy Bonner became the leader for this group.
Presentations were made from Baker Digital and V3Media for hosting and developing a website. Due to the cost, Brock Consulting who handles the Community Foundation was chosen.
May 1, 2019 was selected as the Giving Day.
Annual Special Needs Christmas Party
The event was held again this year (21ST)p with over 300 children attending, receiving gifts, and having fun.
They are working toward scholarships at Southern Union.
O’Grows
Opelika Grows continues to provide plots in the back of the facility for individuals to grow vegetables
and to grow produce for restaurants in the area.
Plant sales and fundraising contribute to their revenue.
Continue to manage the Farmers Market in the summer on Tuesdays from 3:00-6:00.
IT WAS A BUSY AND FRUITFUL YEAR! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED!