UCP – January 2026 Update

Our December board meeting wrapped with some solid decisions that move our funded projects forward. Here’s what you need to know if you’re tracking what UCP is doing right now.

What’s Moving Forward

UCP board met in December and voted to move forward with several key initiatives. Here’s what that means for the community.

Grace Gulick Community Track: Moving to Implementation

This is the project with the most momentum right now.

The Track Committee officially approved a fiscal sponsorship agreement with UCP at their December 10 meeting, and our board voted to accept it on December 19. School board signed the Memorandum of Understanding on October 28. That means the legal framework is locked.

Here’s the scope: They’re raising $610,000 to resurface the track, build field event areas, purchase equipment, and fence the area (fencing out the city water tower was a specific requirement). The committee set a local fundraising goal of $160,000 to show outside funders that Pine Eagle School District and Halfway residents actually want this.

What’s happening next: A fundraising letter goes out in February to roughly 1,000 landowners in the Pine Eagle School District. The Track Committee is also working with Michael Bergmann from IncubatorU—a professional community project coach recommended by the Oregon Community Foundation—to reach donors outside our immediate area.

Committee meets every second Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Lions conference room. Members: Annie Johnson (Chair), Gail Kimberling (Secretary), Mike Ludin, Kyle Davis, Peter Davis (high school student), Cindy Thayer, Debi Lorence, Ed Morell, Kerstin Morell, Jenny Gulick, and Pam Conley as UCP liaison.

The Village Fund: Steady Community Safety Net

The Village Fund committee approved three of four applications received since January 1st. One application was withdrawn because the need got covered by another source—which is how this is supposed to work.

That’s 58 total applications since the fund started in April 2020. The money is there when our community identifies a need.

New FSA was signed. Committee members are Sara Artley, Gail Kimberling, Millicent Simpson, Paula Simpson, and Shelley Wilson. Sara stepped back as chair but stayed on the committee.

Pine Valley Firewise: Final Year of Grant Work

The Community Wildfire Risk Reduction (CWRR) grant is wrapping up. This was a three-year grant, and the final crew worked October 5–25 reducing fuel loads around local property structures.

Final report due March 2026.

The Firewise committee continues to monitor community fire mitigation opportunities.

PV2050: Committee Work Continues, Track Transitions to UCP

The PV2050 steering committee (Mallory Rex, Sally Robaugh, Cindy Thayer, and Debi Lorence) handed off the Track project directly to UCP at the December meeting. That’s why the Track now has its own fiscal sponsorship agreement with us.

PV2050 is now focused on the PV Gym project—helping them with fundraising for insurance coverage. The board approved support for the Pine Valley Community Gym.

The Main Street committee is active and meeting the last Monday of each month at 5 p.m. at the Lions. Current focus: Flagpole Flower Box project and seasonal flower baskets.

Main Street Roof Grant: Funds Flowing

The Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant (through Oregon Parks & Recreation) covers roof replacement for five Halfway Main Street businesses: Mamaste, Main Street Tire, the Merc, Halfway Sober, and the Two-Color Building.

Two-Color and Mamaste have already moved through their reimbursement process. UCP manages the grant administration and works directly with business owners as invoices get submitted and approved.

Work continues through 2028.

Dark Skies Over Halfway: Building Community Support for Ordinance

The Dark Skies Over Halfway steering committee decided to run a community education campaign before presenting an outdoor lighting ordinance to Halfway City Council. Strong community support will help the City Council move forward with it.

Three public meetings are planned: February, April, and June.

Committee members: Tom Nash (Chair), Rachel Cairns, Pam Conley, Michel Ross, Sally Robaugh, and Liz McLellan.

Tech Infrastructure: Site Migration Underway

Give Butter—our new fundraising site—is live with donation options for the Grace Gulick Community Track, UCP general operations, and coming soon The Village Fund.

Data migration and site revision planning are in progress. Google Workspace and Meet migration is moving forward but taking a back seat to the Track site work.

Next UCP Board Meeting: February 6, 2026, 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

Board members, committee leads, and community members working on these projects: You can see the full context here. If you’re leading one of these initiatives and need updates reflected in our next monthly post, send them our way.