ISLAND COMMUNITY BOARD
P.O. Box 464, Fishers Island, NY 06390
Tel: 631-788-7990
Email: ficommunityboard@gmail.com
ICB August Meeting
Tuesday, August 14th, 2018
5:30pm
Community Center Multi-Purpose Room
Attendance 13
ICB Representatives: Tom O’ Neil (President), Willard Soper (Treasurer), Meg Atkin (Year-Round), Candy Whitman (Year-Round), Dicky Riegel (Seasonal), Geb Cook (Ferry District), Christian Arsenault (School), John McGillian (FIDCO)
On Call: Tom Sargent (Conservancy)
Absent: Nate Malinowski (Year-Round), Marc Rubenstein (IHP), Matt Edwards (Walsh Park), Elizabeth McCance (Museum), Chris Finan (Utility Company), Greg Thibodeau (Waste Management), Louisa Evans
Public: Sarah Porter, Bob Evans, Todd Williams
Staff: Zack Hoch (Administrator/Secretary)
Welcome
Tom O’ Neil greeted all in attendance.
Approve July Minutes
Tom motioned to approve the July minutes written by Zack Hoch. The minutes were unanimously passed.
Fund Drive
ICB’s Annual Appeal and Tom O’ Neil’s Summer Letter to the Community was delivered to island box holders. The ICB is hopeful for donations. An email blast is to follow including a link to the PayPal so donations can but made online. The ICB will also put a mention in The Foghorn.
Strategic Alignment Presentation
Dicky Riegel prepared a PowerPoint presentation illustrating what the ICB does and explains the proper line for communications with Southold.
Serving the Fishers Island Community
ICB Mission
The Island Community Board promotes the economic, civic and social welfare of the people of Fishers Island, New York. It carries out this purpose by serving as a forum for the discussion of issues affecting the life of the Fishers Island community at regular open meetings, by prioritizing these issues and by helping or coordinating with setting goals, by developing action plans to address these issues and achieve these goals, and by submitting such plans to ICB members.”
ICB Role Defined By Town
- Establish effective and timely communication between Fishers Island and Town of Southold
- Defined by Town of Southold in Fishers Island Strategic Plan 2007-2017, Chapter 4:
–“All Island organizations shall coordinate, cooperate and communicate on Island-wide issues in a timely fashion through the ICB”
–“ICB should cultivate productive working relationships with all town representatives of Fishers Island”
–“ICB should establish direct contact with governmental agencies whose actions affect the island or whose services potentially will be of benefit to the island”
–ICB to “establish a higher profile in the Town of Southold”
How ICB Works
- The ICB gathers and aligns Island resources and entities toward the achievement of objectives.
–Identify obstacles: personnel, processes, etc…
- Plan to remedy or remove
–Suggest options to promote success
–Constantly communicate among entities
–Represent collective island, not personal opinions
- Establish working committees to align with island priorities:
–Housing – Governance/Admin
–Environmental – Finance
–Southold Relations/ Infrastructure – Healthcare
–Communications
- ICB is not a political entity
–Maintain objectivity in order to promote open dialogue
ICB Structure
- ICB membership (500+), with small annual voluntary dues to offset administrative costs
- Members vote in ICB elections
- Board composition:
–Elected board members:
- 3 representing the year-round community
- 3 representing the seasonal community
- President, Vice President, Treasurer appointed from Elected members
–Appointed board members:
- Representing all major island organizations and tax districts
- Monthly ICB meetings
–Open to community
–Promote discussion around priority topics, and encourage the identification of new topics
- Minutes, archives and supporting materials compiled and archived on www.fishersisland.net for community review
Communication Process
- Communication is the key to success
- Two levels of communication:
–ICB with Island Community:
- Establish priorities and “work the system” to achieve objectives
- Partner with island entities/sponsors to promote success
–ICB with Town of Southold
- Function as primary link with Supervisor Scott Russell & town personnel
–Enable and propel action. Not a “Firewall” between town and island
- Provide town with consistent, clear updates on island initiatives
–Quarterly updates/status reports to the town
ICB Success Formula
- Island priorities are introduced and defined by the community
–Aggregated by ICB
–Discussed in monthly ICB forums
–Sponsoring organizations present all topics to the community within ICB forum to gain consensus
- ICB works to align organizations and community around topics, issues, opportunities
- Ensure open, healthy communication within the community to drive full consideration and resolution
Initiate
Collaborate
Community Discussion
Town Action
Sidewalk Discussion
It has been almost 2 years since sidewalk repairs were promised and still nothing yet. The plan is to begin sidewalk repairs this fall beginning by the school and progress towards town up Fort Stretch. Willard Soper suggests implementing quarterly letters stating what the Town has committed and where things currently stand and timetables. Bob Evans thinks the wrong sections of the sidewalk are prioritized. Candy Whitman stated the priority is the school kids. John McGillian stated letters to the Town are unsuccessful and a face to face meeting or phone call would be more beneficial. John asks who meets, speaks, and manages the sidewalk workers and who oversees the work being done. John stated the Utility Company wants to put in new water lines when the sidewalks are ripped out. Bob Evans noted Jared Toldo is interested in the sidewalk job. Tom Sargent demands the ICB push for results while Candy urges caution and respect in communications with Southold. Tom O’ Neil will try to set up a conference call with town supervisor Scott Russell.
Recreation Path Update
John McGillian requests the recreation path be added as an ICB priority so the path can be extended alongside the Navy fence on the main road. The Fishers Island Recreational Foundation has invested money in their plans and was blindsided when informed the Town would no longer meet. John reiterates they are not asking for money and all the ‘pinch points’ have been discussed with Southold. He believes the Navy would accommodate them if the fence is not disturbed or moved. John suggests the ICB establish relations with the Navy. Dicky Riegel urges board members to seek for the best point of contact. Tom O’ Neil motions to add the recreation path to the list of ICB priorities for the upcoming year.
Closing Notes
The ICB meeting schedule has changed due to scheduling conflicts and the ICB will no longer meet on the 2nd Monday each month. The new meeting schedule will be on the September meeting agenda. Meetings likely will be the 2nd Tuesday each month at 5:30pm in the Community Center multi-purpose room. Meeting agendas are posted around town and on fishersisland.net and will now also be sent out via email.
Tom O’ Neil asks the housing committee to meet before next meeting. Tom also suggests Martin Finnegan be invited to the Columbus Day weekend meeting.
Adjourned 7:01pm
Next ICB meeting will be held Tuesday, September 11th 5:30pm in the community center multi-purpose room.
