The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg Town Hall Association Board will host a Halloween spaghetti dinner to make the cost of replacing windows in the building a little less scary. The fundraising dinner will take place at Town Hall from 4:30 to 7:30 on Mon., Oct. 31, for a suggested minimum donation of $5 per person or $20 per family.

"In addition to raising money for renovations, we hope that having an early dinner will help families get the kids out to trick-or-treat by saving parents from having to prepare dinner that evening," said board secretary Jim Davison.

The funds are needed to replace the seven large front-facing upper windows, which are currently boarded over from the inside, to prevent weather damage and to improve efficiency. Several window panes are missing, and water leaks have already started to cause damage.

"It won't get any better. It's something we've got to do, and the sooner the better," Davison said.

While they're at it, the board plans to replace four windows in the North and South Fireside rooms to improve efficiency.

Davison said the board solicited local bids, and Tim's Carpentry responded with a bid of $7,000 to install similarly styled replacement windows. Owner Tim Abel was given the go-ahead to order the upstairs windows, which will take two months to arrive. The board is hopeful that the fundraiser and donations will replenish the bank account enough to cover the downstairs windows as well.

Dena Wood

The Town Hall Association Board is constantly working to maintain Town Hall and rescue it from water damage like that shown above that resulted from a leak in the membrane covering the arched roof.

Waitsburg's Town Hall is uniquely owned, maintained, and operated on a 100% volunteer basis. It is a community asset, owned and operated by the community. The building was given to the City of Waitsburg by the American Legion in 1976. Eventually, the nonprofit Waitsburg Town Hall Association was formed and took over responsibility.

A seven-member board manages the property, and all Waitsburg residents are welcome to vote for or run as a board member during the annual election each November. Current board members are: President, Ron Standring; Vice President, Jim Romine; Secretary, Jim Davison; Treasurer, Larry Johnson, and members Karl Newell, Jim Walsh and Ron Griffen.

The association oversees rentals, maintenance and improvements, and is responsible for covering monthly operating costs including utilities, taxes, and insurance. A Valentine's Day Prime Rib dinner serves as the group's main fundraiser each year.

Board members frequently