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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/28/2004 " . . . FISHERS ISLAND CONSERVANCY, INC. BOX 553 FISHERS ISLAND, NEW YORK 06390 Fishers Island Conservancy Annual Meeting August 28, 2004 The Annual Meeting of the Fishers Island Conservancy took place at Union Chapel on Fishers Island and was called to order at 4: lOP. M. Present were: Laurie Carney Katie Carpenter Alicia Cleary George Cook Edward Crane Elly Kelly, President Leila Luce John McGillian Margie Purnell Barbie Riegel, Vice President Tom Sargent Pat Schiestl Nick Spofford, Treasurer John Thatcher, Chairman Jackie Williamson, Secretary 1. The reading ofthe minutes ofthe 2003 Annual Meeting was waived. Approval of the minutes was moved, seconded and passed. II. President's Messa!!e - "No man is an. island unto himself" - Elly Kelly President Kelly welcomed the 36 members present and thanked them for their support of the Conservancy's efforts to protect Fishers Island's natural resources and the waters surrounding it. The Conservancy highlighted its long time concern for the sources and purity of the water supply at this year's Nature Days. Fifteen years ago, we did an analysis of our water supply. That study is still in use by the Water Company, which is doing a fine job of giving us good water. However, we need to conserve our sources of supply, lower the stress on it and allow the aquifer to recharge naturally. "Today's conservation is tomorrow's supply" says the Stroud Institute citing appropriate measures like retrofitting plumbing fixtures, using water-saving machines and rain sensors on automatic watering systems. The Conservancy is equally concerned about the purity of our water and is actively discouraging the use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides near our drinking water supply. We have waste disposal problems. Five years ago, the Conservancy opposed the construction of a high bum incinerator whose toxic smoke would have blown the length of the island, starting near the school. We brought in an engineer who showed how our present transfer and compo sting facilities could do the job safely. There is still the human waste problem. New septic systems work well, but the old ones are a threat. We are working on educating people about this. Weare worried about the air. The Conservancy was actually formed in 1979 because, 10 years after D. D. T. was banned for use, a truck used to roll along our roads "fogging" a cloud of D. D. T. in order to kill the mosquitos. John Thatcher created the benign mosquito control program we now have, a model program. Plum Island, our neighbor, which is doing necessary research on animal diseases, must not impact our air and water. The Conservancy is joining a coalition to . . . . III. IV. demand safety in Plum Island's operations and to ensure that there will be a swift and efficient response if there is an "event" like the one of a few weeks ago. As part of our effort to protect our natural and native resources, the Habitat Committee has produced four brochures: Plants to avoid for Fishers Island, Recommended plants, Plants to attract birds and Plants to attract butterflies. They are here for you. The Conservancy is also sponsoring a feral cat control program and a pilot program to reduce the presence ofthe invasive "phragmites" . Lastly, the government proposes dumping 20.6 million cubic yards of dredged spoil from Bridgeport and New Haven into Long Island Sound. We have commented on that, offered alternate methods of disposal and joined coalitions to alter the government proposal. All Conservancy members can help here by writing their representatives because if we don't, in the poet's words, "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee". You will hear from the board members in charge of each of these programs. We specially want to thank Union chapel for its generous use of its space during Nature Days and for our meetings. Treasurer's Report - Nick Spofford Thanks to members and friends, we are in good shape with assets at this time of $244,000. Our annual appeal letter will go out in October or November. We don't know if Nature Days lost money or broke even, but consider it well worth it. Our objective is to be able to finance any need when it comes up. Board Nominations - Barbie Riegel The Nominating Committee renominates for a further three year term: Ted Crane Chris Vartanian Tom Sargent Jackie Williamson Patricia Downey Schiestl Bobby Wall has resigned due to the pressure of all of his duties, but will help us when and if needed. The nominations were moved, seconded and approved in a voice vote. New Board Nominees: Diane Dexter Ann Flinn Theodore O. Rogers, Jr. The nominations were moved, seconded and approved in a voice vote. The Nominating Committee wishes to put Edwin Horning, class of2005 into a permanent honorary category. He is a long time director, an outstanding naturalist and a champion of our cause. The motion was seconded and passed enthusiastically V. Plum Island Update - Katie Carpenter In July, there were two bio safety breaches where animal diseases escaped from one supposedly secure area into another, although not leaving the island. Homeland Security, which is in charge of Plum Island, was jolted into taking note of the concerns we had set forth previously. Our 2 . elected representatives and the coalition we joined made a lot of noise. As a result a meeting is scheduled for September 16, which Katie will attend. The Civic Association will alternate in representing the Island in the monthly meetings. Questions: 1. Purpose of the meetings? To shore up the notification process and to set up action steps. 2. Is the town of Southold involved? Yes. 3. Dr. Jack Hand offered to attend the Sept. 16 meeting. His medical expertise and qualifications were enthusiastically welcomed and the offer accepted. 4. Is there any basis to rumor that West Nile Virus escaped from Plum Island? The book's intimations that this was so have not been backed up by any of our scientists. John McGillian noted that the author never actually suggested that West Nile was an escape from Plum Island. VI. Dumuinl! of 20.6 million cubic feet of dredl!e material into L. I. Sound - Margie Purnell . In September 2003, the government issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft E. I. S.) on its plan to dredge New Haven and Bridgeport harbors and dump the spoil in two sites in Central and Western Long Island Sound. The impetus for the issuance of the E. I. S. was your Conservancy's 1995 lawsuit against the dumping of dredged spoil from the Sea Wolf project not very far from Race Rock. There was no E. I. S. for that. Since 1999, the Conservancy has been part of a working group to read reports, make comments and bring our concerns to the attention of the government. Now the 9100 page E. I. S. has been issued with the conclusion that those two sites are the "preferred alternative". The N. Y. State Department of State has issued a "negative determination", meaning that they oppose this and are prepared to fight it. Right now, we are awaiting the formal "record of decision", which is being held up either until after the election or until after the retirement of Commissioner Art Rocque of Conn. in November. We have done all we can, offering alternatives and making comments. Now we wait. We will keep you aware of all events. Question: "Is N. Y. State against it and Conn. for it?" Yes. Connecticut's rivers, which come from way up north, have historically been the dumping ground for its industrial waste. The industries are gone, but the waste remains in the sediment. If you disturb the sediment, you release the deep waste. Our position is that new technologies will deal with this waste more safely than the easy dredge and dump program. VII. Nature Davs - John McGillian and Barbie Riegel The reception and attendance at this year's Nature Days was very gratifying. Major issues were how very vulnerable we are if there should be another hurricane and the pressing need for conservation and protection of our water supply. Now how do we respond? The Conservancy will try to come up with a game plan and you will be kept informed. There have been no decisions about the content or dates for next year. Any ideas? However, next year will be Barbie and John's last year of doing this. They hope to turn it over to other eager and able volunteers. . On Trash day, Jane Crary picked up four bags of assorted trash ranging from plastic to a tire, from a short patch of Isabella Beach. If everyone picked up a bag of trash when using one of our beaches, just think how improved the situation would be. 3 . President Kelly offered special thanks to Barbie and John for their efforts. (applause) VIII. Mosquito Control- John Thatcher Thanks to Suffolk County's giving us a little more money, we were able to hire four girls, not three this year. Nick Spofford gave them an old truck for transportation, one that runs well and reliably. Diane Dexter rented them an apartment to live in. Bob Evans ran the girls over to Southold in his boat to pick up the 40 lb. Bags of B. T., which is the product we use, harmless to all but mosquito and black fly larvae. The crisis of the year was Poison Ivy. Fishers Island has lots of swamps and lots of Poison Ivy. Two of the girls have severe cases. One has a medium case. Through it all, they soldier on. The program will continue next year. John Thatcher thanked Diane Dexter, Nick Spofford, Bob Evans and members of the Conservancy whose generous support have made this program possible. Question: Can a private individual buy the B. T. for home use? Answer, you have to have a D. E. C. permit. It could probably be done but would take time and aggravation. IX. Feral Cats - Jackie Williamson . We have been running a humane trap, neuter and release program for the feral cats at the West End. There are 3 major colonies, I) at the transfer station, 2) BD supply depot and 3) near Mary Pankiewicz's house before the gates. Our volunteer, Tathiana knows them all. Last year she trapped 3 or 4 at a time, took them over to a mobile clinic, had them checked and neutered and returned with them the same day. Bringing the mobile van to the island was a logistical and volunteer nightmare so that idea was dropped. However, the c!iI1!\:.doctor suggested a birth control pill for cats, which has worked so well we are/only Y;are or2 litters. The Conservancy buys the pills, the pills go into the food and it cuts out'fue kittens. We will continue the pills as well as the trap and neutering when the mobile clinic resumes operation in mid September. Tathiana already has 2 appointments. This program costs money because each cat gets tested. If it is sick, it gets put down. If it is healthy, it gets neutered. The program so far is successful, but we need people to keep track of their cats, get them neutered and know where they are when it is time to catch the ferry. . Question - Are the fixed cats tagged or marked in some way? Answer - Yes, the ear is notched. Question - What is the point of catching them and bringing them back to continue hunting? Answer - There is a strong feeling on the island that these cats are wild through no fault of their own. There are also many who feel we ought to eliminate the cats, but the Conservancy feels that our method is the humane thing to do. Question - How about taking them to a shelter after they are fixed and putting them up for adoption? Answer - These are New York cats. Conn. has no wish to deal with our cats. They have their own. Suffolk County is battling its own population explosion and doesn't want to hear of our cats. Question - In my house at Middle Farms, I find 2 or 3 when I first arrive. How about them? Answer - The program applies to the West End. The East End is private property and we are not touching that. Question - What's happening to the rats at the transfer station? Answer - The Garbage District deals with them. They haven't been numerous this year. 4 . . . X. Question - Is there any study documenting the effect these cats have on the bird population? Answer - There has been no study. It might be a good subject for a graduate paper. However, the population of ground nesting and roosting birds, like the quail and the whippoorwill is way down from 10 years ago. Habitat Committee - Jackie Williamson Margie Purnell, Leila Luce, Penni Sharp and I have collaborated in producing 4 pamphlets; Plants to avoid, Recommended Plants, Plants to attract birds and Plants to attract butterflies specifically for Fishers Island. The island landscapers have some, many were passed out at Nature Days and a full supply is at the Community office. They are free. Please consult them when considering what you plan to plant. Native plants help native wildlife. Exotics crowd out the natives. (copies were passed out) XI. Pilot Proe:ram - Phrae:mites - Jeb Cook Phragmites is the tall invasive reed that is taking over our wetlands and crowding out the cattails and marsh grass all over the island. The Conservancy has the necessary permits and will undertake a pilot project to restore one wetland by eliminating the phragmites that have taken it over. The site is the 2 Y. acre Rafferty wetland on the Clay Point Road. We will use a low ground pressure tractor to mow it. Over time and repeated mowing, the marshland should be restored and the ducks and wildlife return. Conn. and other states mow and apply an herbicide, which goes into the roots and kills the phragmites, as you can see along the Conn. River. New York State is against this and the Conservancy doesn't want to use an herbicide that might affect our ground water. Question - Can you burn it after you cut it? Answer - That is a method and would require D. E. C. approval. We haven't proposed it. Question - Will mowing kill the roots? Answer - No, only herbicide kills the roots. We will do a repeated mowing. If it isn't successful, we'll think about alternatives. XII. Drede:ine: Hav Harbor - Tom Sargent XIII. It is an incredibly slow process to get everybody to converge on F. I. to make sure we get the proper flow in and out of Hay Harbor. In the late fall of2003, the D. E. C. gave verbal approval to plan to dredge the channel. The question remained what to do with the spoil? Hydraulic removal is the approved method where you suck the sandy spoil up into a "Geotube" lay it somewhere for the water to drain out, then open the tube and spread the san1>around. '!;tony beach I . is a possibility. Hydrolitol is the company that does the work. We've been trying since March or April to get the head of Hydrolitol, our contractor from Mystic and Chuck Hamilton of the D. E. C. together to give us the absolute go-ahead and firm up plans and costs. We might have to go ahead and apply for a non-specific permit, which they would have to respond to in 90 days. Somehow, we will get it done. Award to Volunteer of the year-John Thatcher Among the many hard working volunteers, there is one who stands out for her dedication, her willingness to respond speedily, her efficiency and her unfailing good humor. For our feral cat program, she endured the full painful series of rabies shots. With our thanks, this award goes to 5 . . . , . Tathiana Lema. She is shy and not here today, but would you all give her a hand? (Round of enthusiastic applause) Elly and John will deliver the award in person tomorrow. Comment - Dr. Jack Hand - When the call for EMT volunteers went out Tathiana responded immediately. She has trained and has been faithful in attendance. She has also done a lot to beautifY the transfer station with her vegetable garden. XIV. Other Business Attention was directed to the pile of questionnaires about the things we are doing. Please take one, rate the subjects in order of importance to you, and return them to the Conservancy. Add anything else you consider important. Either drop it into that box or mail it in. It will give us a sense of what you the members want us to do. John Thatcher suggested a second Hazardous Waste Collection Day, one in July and one it August. XV. Motion to adjourn - moved, seconded and passed at 5:00 P. M. Respectfully Submitted, Jacqueline Williamson Secretary 6