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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/22/2005 . Fishers Island Civic Association Board of Directors Meeting January 22, 2005 11:30-12:45, School Library Members Present: Heather Ferguson, Kate Reid, Penni Sharp, Peter Rugg, Janio Spinola, Art Walsh, Louisa Evans, Laurie Finan Guests: John Spofford Secretary: Mere Harr 1. Secretary's Report: Mere reported that she has been continuing to work on the changes that have needed to be made since the switch over from the former secretary and treasurer. This has amounted to lots of bill paying and address/name changes. She has been cleaning out the FICA office and moving everything to the village office. She asked the Board what they should do with the desktop computer that is still there and what they would like to do about the utilities at the office. She offers to contact the library and school to see if they can use the computer there, the Board agrees that that is fine. The newsletter that was put together by the Island Office is discussed. Heather thinks that it should be mailed along with the minutes for a few months free to off-islanders and after a few months we will ask for 'subscriptions' to it in order to cover the additional costs of printing and mailing, this is agreed on by the Board. . 2. Treasurer's Report: Laurie Finan reports that she, Peter and Mere have been continuing to switch things over as well. They have all new bank signatures and she has been updating the accounts. She canceled all the A TM cards that we had and we still have 5 accounts open under FICA. She and Mere had the long distance turned off and the calls are now forwarded to the Island Office, using the same FICA phone number. She suggests that we put the money from one of the accounts, "Parks", the Dock Beach account into some sort of interest earning account because the money is not' doing' anything now. Louisa: She suggests that IPP look into' giving/ selling' the Beach to the Town with a covenant for strictly public or IPP use. This would shift the liability and responsibility to the Town and away from IPP. She has suggested this to them to IPP, but no real response. Perhaps one of us could try again. At the least we should look into applying for money from Town for maintenance. The highway guys are supposed to keep the Park mowed. She also mentioned the some of the 2% money the Town collects from us may be made available for 'community projects' such as the proposed Community Center. Laurie continued the financial discussion by asking about the Fiscal Year for FICA. The FY needs to make sense based on the dues. As it stands many are paying dues and being asked within a few weeks for another payment. The by-laws need to be checked on this. She would also like to look into various CDs or interest earning accounts for some of the FICA money, since most of it is just setting there. She was able to wave all our banking fees for two years. The Charles Shwab account is still going to Jay and Peter will help get that changed. As for taxes this year, Laurie and Mere will gather all the information they have and Doherty, Beals and Banks, P.e. has offered to help for a reduced rate of about $200.00-300.00. Penni motions to approve this expense, Art seconds, passed. . Should we ask for dues with these minutes, as the spreadsheets Laurie handed out, we are behind on dues collection for the year-to-date? It is decided that we should send out a dues reminder to those who have not paid for this fiscal year because it is required in the by-laws that you be a 'member in good standing' in order to vote. This is important for members to be able to vote concerning the switch over in structure (ICB). Heather agrees that we will need an active list . of eligible members/voters to have this vote for transformation. We will send a dues notice, an envelope, to all after the new fiscal year begins explaining the importance of membership for the voting process. Mere will find out who paid last year but who has not paid this year and we will send them the notices. Janio: Wants to know when to schedule the next Island Clean Up day. No one is certain and we will do some checking on that and Mere will help him get the word out on it when it is determined. 3. Town Board Report: Louisa reports she would like a second set of eyes to review some of the things she gets from Southold so she can determine their level of importance to the rest of the Board before showing us everything she gets. If an item seems important she will present it and/ or notify the rest of the Board. It is agreed that for now, she can bring these things to Mere at the Island Office and they can look at them and email a few other people on the Board if the issues seem like hot topics. She mentions that there is a zoning issue coming up involving the 'Tank Farm' and that the ZBA hearings will be held over here. She also said, the Island needs to have a say so in this as to when these meetings are to be held. She emphasized that if we lose Ken's position when his term comes up, we need to have a strong say as to when Planning Hearings will be held over here. 4. Community Board Update: John Spofford joins the meeting to report that the Board is moving along well and attendance has been pretty regular. Outside of the newsletter and Island Office issues, the health insurance issue has been on the front burner for the ICB lately. He needs to flesh out the new programs and compare them to people's present programs. This is a large issue. This leads into the visit from Supervisor Josh Horton. . 5. Agenda of Horton: Heather wants to know who we think should be seeing him when he is here. She says that he will be on Island from 12:00-4:0Opm and will be bringing Karen McLauglin, the Human Recourses director for the Town. She will be meeting with Tathiana Lema and Leslie Tombari to discus eldercare issues while they are here. Heather would like to break up his day into a lunch with her, John, Louisa and Mere followed by a slightly larger executive session and then an ICB meeting that Josh could attend and sort of watch to see where the group is going. John: We should find a way to explain what life is like out here. Educate him on how Southold sees us and we see them. The physically detached issue is a bigger deal than Horton realizes, what goes on in Southold for the most part is irrelevant to Fl, their effect on us is different than any other hamlet. Louisa: Our connection to Southold through the ZBA position is more important than the actual position, thought the actual position is very important too. He needs to understand our frustrations, being out here. This may make him see the value of coming over more and having people from here go there. Topics for agenda: 1. Hamlet Study updates 2. ZBA issues 3. 2% money and potential for varying uses (community center) 4. Evacuation Plan, our present plan is weak and not confirmed properly. -Mike Imbriglio will be asked to talk with us soon about the present plan. An agenda will be emailed to all as it becomes clear. Heather will be in touch with the Board. The meeting adjourned at 12:45 . Respectfully submitted by, Mere Harr