ICB Meeting Minutes: October 19, 2015

Island Community Board
Regular Meeting (open to the public)
October 19^th, 2015, 5 pm
Fishers Island Community Center, 2^nd Floor Conference Room

Directors present, in the room: Heather Burnham (year-round), Louisa Evans (Town Justice), Mark Gaumond (FIDCO), Nate Malinowski (year-round), Tim Patterson (Waste Mgmt. Dist.), Candace Whitman (year-round).

Directors present, on the telephone: Peter Brinckerhoff (seasonal), Karen Goodwin (School Dist.), Tom O’Neil (seasonal/President), Dicky Riegel (seasonal), Marc Rubenstein (IHP).

Directors absent: Joe Brock (Fire Dist.), Ned Carlson/Andrew Burr (Walsh Park), Chris Finan (Utility Co.), Harry Parker (Ferry Dist.).

Members of the Public present: Ken Edwards, Tom Patterson, Sarah Porter, Beth Stern.

1. President Tom O’Neil called the meeting to order at 5:02. There being at least one-third of the directors present, including at least one seasonal and at least one year-round director, a quorum was established.
2. The minutes from the September 19^th regular meeting were presented. Mark Gaumond moved they be approved, Tom O’Neil seconded. In a unanimous voice vote, the motion passed.
3. The minutes from the October 5^th coordination call were presented. Tom O’Neil moved they be approved, Mark Gaumond seconded, and in a unanimous voice vote, the motion passed.
4. The minutes from the October 10^th annual meeting were presented. Mark Gaumond moved they be approved, Heather Burnham seconded, and in a unanimous voice vote, the motion passed.
5. Tim Patterson moved that accounts payable in the amount of $800 be authorized for payment, Heather Burnham seconded, and in a unanimous voice vote, the motion passed.
6. A 2015-2016 meeting schedule was proposed for approval.
   1. Dicky Riegel suggested that the proposed December 21 meeting be moved to Thanksgiving weekend. The board agreed that Thanksgiving weekend might optimize the in-person attendance of directors. Liz Burnham will poll the directors to determine the best time and date for that meeting.
   2. Given that the bylaws (under revision) still state that there will be monthly meetings of the board of directors, the remaining schedule was tabled until a vote could be taken at the next meeting.
   3. Louisa Evans proposed that there might be a Saturday meeting during the summer; the Governance Committee will address that over the winter.
7. The Committees reported as follows:
   1. Chairman Heather Burnham reported that Governance has been reviewing the bylaws (last adopted in 2005) and will begin consolidating recommendations and drafting language at a meeting on Thursday, October 22^nd. Its short-term priority will be the bylaws, but will also work on nominations and elections, procedural issues, and direction of the board. The Governance committee is working with legal counsel Jeff MacDonald.
   2. Committee member Nate Malinowski reported that Community Development and Communications has met and drafted a mission statement to guide their work. It is are charged with collecting and presenting relevant community data, broadening our community members’ engagement with the ICB, and evaluating and strengthening all forum and communication processes. The committee has consulted with Jane Ahrens, editor of FishersIsland.net/Fog Horn, and will meet again the week of October 25^th.
   3. Chairman Mark Gaumond reported that Finance was working on recommendations for a sustainable income stream moving forward and would be discussing its draft mission statement with an eye toward approval in a conference call at 6:30 that night.
   4. Chairman Tom O’Neil reported that Southold Relations was working on collecting its frequently asked questions for Louisa Evans. Its charter is to prioritize the issues and needs of Fishers Island that can be supported by the Town of Southold, to educate the public on the most effective ways in which Southold can support the island, and to work with elected representatives to bring issues to the town’s attention.
   5. Committees will provide finalized mission statements to the full board no later than the Thanksgiving meeting, and will be published on the ICB page on FishersIsland.net (along with committee members and contact information) when available.
8. Mark Gaumond and Louisa Evans reported on the Yacht Club/Utility Company septic issue. Louisa and a group of others representing the Yacht Club, FIDCO, and the Utility Co. went to Southold the week of October 12^th to meet with representatives of the Suffolk County Health Department and the elected legislator from Suffolk County. The constructed wetland (septic) system will be placed in the front yard of a house owned by the Electric Co., pending final submission and approval of plans, and could be ready as early as next spring.   Although the Utility Co. will likely still pursue a subdivision of its empty lot by the ball field to facilitate future options, that two-year process will now be separate from the Yacht Club’s septic plans.
9. The Board opened discussion on whether and how ICB can facilitate public discussion on the Waste Management District’s plans. Tim Patterson, supported by Beth Stern, reminded all present that FIWMD holds monthly public meetings to allow public discussion, and Louisa Evans informed all that the Town Board would look to the elected representatives (i.e., the FIWMD board) in any case where it would be an approving authority (i.e., in bonding). Louisa also remarked that the Town was looking for a site for a salt barn outside the flood plain, per County Health Department requirements. Ken Edwards suggested that ICB needed to be a lead agency and voice for the public. The board agreed that the Community Development and Communications Committee would coordinate with FIWMD and its timeline, to see how FAQ/letters to the editor and responses on FishersIsland.net and FishersIslandWasteManagement.com, community forums (including how those items work with any competing strategic priorities), and/or a tour of the facilities might support ICB’s goal of facilitating fact-based public discussion.
10. Louisa Evans reported that the Town Board had recently been notified via letter of road defects in a hamlet neighborhood. Given that Scott Russell, Town Supervisor, had fielded several questions on roads and sidewalks at the October 10^th meeting, she thought that ICB might be interested in the format of a formal notice of defect. Patty Faulkner and Cynthia Riley created a GIS/GPS map of the sidewalk defects; Liz Burnham will search for the board’s record copy, Tom O’Neil will follow up with Patty, and Louisa will follow up with the Highway Dept. Louisa will also keep on top of the unresponsive contractor for the roads.
11. The Board discussed correspondence as a general matter and specifically in relationship to the Waste Management plans. Liz Burnham will continue to forward any letters received to the entire board of directors, and if the matter concerns any one or several organizations represented on ICB, request that the letter be forwarded to that organization’s directors. Any responses will also be disseminated to board members. Our policy on correspondence will be posted on the ICB page on FishersIsland.net, as vetted by the Community Development & Communications committee. A standing agenda item on correspondence will also be created, starting with the regular November meeting.
12. Candace Whitman reported on a spirited discussion at the Senior Lunch with four representatives from social services in Southold and/or Suffolk County, and asked how proactive ICB should be on the issue of health and social services.
    1. Several related issues were discussed: the need for CT-based home health care providers to be dual-licensed in NY and CT and funded for ferry travel time, NYS Medicaid entitlements that could not be delivered within a reasonable travel radius, the unavailability of Lawrence & Memorial and Dr. Ingram in insurance plans on the NY state healthcare exchange, the current use of the Community Center gym as a physical and occupational therapy gym with therapists who have no method of documenting that work.
    2. Candace will work with Holly Rhodes-Teague from the Suffolk County Office on Aging, Karen McLaughlin of Southold Senior Services, and Island Health Project to potentially develop a home-grown physical/occupational therapist and further investigate these questions. In addition, Tom O’Neil will contact Tim Grimes, an insurance agent, and get some additional insight by the next meeting. Individuals who hope to get legislative support on these matters should write their Suffolk County or New York State representatives; Candace will continue her effort to search out the correct points of contact and bring them to the next meeting. Tom, as President of ICB, and Karen Goodwin, as school superintendent/principal, are both happy to lend their weight to any letter-writing campaign.
13. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:29 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Burnham, ICB Secretary