ISLAND COMMUNITY BOARD
P.O. Box 371, Fishers Island, NY 06390
Tel: 631-788-7990
Email: finy.southold@gmail.com
ICB September 2024 Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, September 10th, 2024
5:00 pm
Zoom Meeting
Total Participants:
ICB Representatives: John McGillian (President), George de Menil (Vice President), April White (Year-Round), Richard Miller (Seasonal), Linda Mrowka (Year-Round). Staley Sednaoui (Vice President)
Minutes:
John McGillian opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. The meeting began with a motion to pass the minutes from the previous month and an update on the re-election of officers.
Update from Southold (Louisa Evans and Beth Cashel were not available.)
Staley Sednaoui presented the deteriorating seawall issue (near “Where the Wild Things” sign) and presented the Town’s proposal to create a walking and biking path. The group then discussed the implications of Fishers being excluded from the minimum rental length mandate for short-term rentals. Richard Miller provided a zoning update, outlining the town’s considerations for contractors’ yards, housing for full-time workers, and potential zoning changes in various areas, which align with the Zoning Committee’s direction.
Updates on Coast Guard House Auction and Energy Transition Initiative Partnership Project
John McGillian provided an update on the Coast Guard house auction, revealing a mystery buyer from the West Coast bidding up to $2,040,000. George de Menil announced that the Fishers Island Fund has been awarded a grant from the Department of Energy for an Energy Transition Initiative Partnership Project to reduce the island’s dependency on imported energy and address financial stability and environmental concerns.
Infrastructure Needs Assessment and Financing
Consultant Rob Latoff provided a detailed overview of Fishers Island’s critical infrastructure needs, highlighting the aging water, electrical, and telecom systems. He stressed the urgency of addressing these challenges and outlined the estimated financing requirements of approximately $50 million over the next decade. Much of the work will be completed in three to four years. Latoff also discussed efforts to assess financing requirements and explore funding options, including federal and state sources.
Overview of Infrastructure Expenditures
Latoff presented a comprehensive overview of the island’s infrastructure, emphasizing the critical need to address aging and failing components in the water, power, and telecom systems. He outlined the significant expenditures required to replace transmission mains, submarine lines, and the copper last mile. He also emphasized the importance of housing in ensuring the availability of skilled talent to maintain utility service levels, particularly during challenging situations like storm response.
Update on Water Infrastructure Projects
Rob Latoff discussed recent developments in water infrastructure projects, such as rescoping the first phase application based on USDA feedback, submitting applications to the State Revolving Fund, and the importance of an archaeological review. He also highlighted upcoming tasks, including submitting the final USDA application, seeking engineering firms, and identifying funding sources for remaining capital expenditures.
Update on Electric Utility Infrastructure and Financing
Rob Latoff presented a comprehensive update on the electric utility infrastructure and financing, emphasizing the completion of one year of data collection from installed meters, engagement with an engineering firm for a submarine cable application, and verbal commitments from financial institutions for project financing. He also discussed the following steps: data analysis, pole transformers mapping, and formalizing the verbal obligations with financial institutions. He highlighted the need to strengthen the organization to handle the surge in activity and scale of decisions.
Discussion on the Need for a New Electric Cable
There was a question to Tom Siebens about the need for a new electric cable, pointing out inconsistencies in previous statements and questioning the motivation behind the decision. Tom Siebens clarified the capacity issues with the existing cable and the necessity of a second cable to address peak demand and potential failures, highlighting the limitations of a solar field as a substitute for redundancy. Richard Miller also mentioned a recent realization about the utility working group’s approach to detailed questions.
Concerns about Coordination and Prioritization of Infrastructure Projects
Richard Miller raised concerns about prioritizing infrastructure projects, particularly the coordination between the Utility Company and the town’s plans for sidewalks and roads. He suggested that putting water first in the construction plans could benefit the island’s West End. Brad Bradbeer acknowledged the project’s complexity and emphasized the need for sequential planning and coordination with various stakeholders, highlighting the impact on ferry services and machinery.
Fire District and Department Update
Representing the Fire District, Tom Cashel presented an update on the organization’s structure, budget, repairs, and upcoming projects. He emphasized the distinction between the district and the department and discussed emergency repairs, physical exams for firefighters, and the building project. Cashel also addressed fire hydrants, false alarms, and the importance of key holders and clear driveways for emergency access while acknowledging the positive feedback on the department’s signage efforts.
LINK TO FULL MEETING REPORT
https://app.read.ai/analytics/meetings/01J7ETY2GM7G4PQ29YVZZ62ZTW?utm_source=Share_CopyLink
