ISLAND COMMUNITY BOARD
P.O. Box 371, Fishers Island, NY 06390
Tel: 631-788-7990
Email: finy.southold@gmail.com
ICB Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 5:00 pm
Zoom Meeting
Total Participants: 70
ICB Representatives: John McGillian (President), George de Menil (Vice President), Staley Sednaoui (Vice President), April White (Year-Round), Richard Miller (Seasonal), Linda Mrowka (Year-Round).
Agenda for Wednesday, July 8
Kate Stevens – Southold Update
Andrew Benkard – Theater Update
Bonnie Benkard – Library Update
Tom Sargent – Conservancy Update
Geb Cook – Harbor Committee Update
Minutes:
John McGillian opened the meeting and thanked everyone for participating. John announced an upcoming election to fill a seasonal director vacancy on the Island Community Board due to George De Menil’s retirement after two terms. The vacancy is for a three-year term, and eligible candidates must own or rent a home on Fishers Island for more than two weeks annually but reside there for less than five months. Candidates must submit statements and photographs by July 22nd, and voting will take place online from August 3rd to 7 or in person on August 4th. The election results will be announced at the August 12th ICB meeting.
Update on Southold – Kate Stevens
Kates@southoldtownny.gov 631-948-2434
Kate Stevens provided an update on the upcoming annual Town Board visit to Fishers Island, scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th. The Town Board meeting is at 1:30 PM at the Community Center and on Zoom. The morning will be spent in meetings on Community Resiliency and Community Housing/Zoning, as well as site visits to key project areas including the town barn, sewer district pumps, and possibly the barracks and seawall areas.
Kate recapped that year-round community housing is the current priority of the zoning update, with a series of programs under development, including a first-time homebuyer program, ADUs, and developer assistance for both owner-occupied and rental units. Community Housing projects are funded by the Community Housing Fund .5% transfer tax.
Kate pointed out that the overhaul of the short-term rental code is also part of the town’s focus on increasing year-round community housing by limiting the number of short-term rentals to boost year-round rental inventory. Kate reminded people that Fishers is exempt from the short-term rental code because the island doesn’t have any alternatives, i.e. hotels or other hospitality structures. In the proposed changes affecting the rest of the town, short-term rental properties will be selected via lottery and awarded a 2-year short-term rental permit. The number of short-term rental properties per hamlet will be capped at 1% (which, if applied to Fishers Island, would mean just 5 properties).
When asked to clarify her role, Kate explained she was elected by the entire town and reminded people that Fishers Island is the only hamlet to have a designated seat on the town council. She sees herself as a communicator of Fishers Island-specific issues as well as engaging and working on the issues that address the town as a whole. She hopes to foster additional connections between the rest of the town and Fishers and encouraged residents not to just contact her but also to reach out directly since it is important for town officials to get a sense of the range of concerns and voices.
Kate also shared she had recently learned that Fishers Island actually accounts for a disproportionately large amount of funding for capital projects and suggested discussing people’s concerns about the island being underfunded and lacking investment at a future ICB meeting.
Fishers Island Theater Update – Andrew Benkard, President, FI Theater
Andrew updated the group on theater activities, highlighting upcoming events including a Grateful Dead cover band and the recent successful Nora O’Donnell book talk that attracted 255 people. He explained that significant maintenance work is needed on the 100-year-old building, including new heating and cooling systems, and that the Friends of Fishers Island Theater group is working on preservation efforts while understanding the challenges of competing priorities for funding.
Library Update – Bonnie Benkard, President, FI Library
Bonnie Bankart from the library discussed their partnership with the theater for hosting large events due to limited capacity at the library, noting that 95 people attended a recent event. She announced the library is undergoing strategic planning with consultant Steve Pratt and requested community feedback through an online survey that will remain open until Sunday night. Bonnie also mentioned upcoming events including a discussion about the Supreme Court next Tuesday and continued viewing of the Ken Burns American history series on Monday nights.
Conservancy Update – Tom Sargent, President, FI Conservancy
Tom Sargent from the Conservancy provided an update on their ongoing conservation efforts on Fishers Island, including controlled burns in the parade grounds, bird monitoring programs, and efforts to combat non-native plant species. He highlighted recent successes such as a record 77 species counted in the migratory bird survey and successful plover nests, while explaining that increased biodiversity is leading to more birds in the area. Tom announced several upcoming events including a mercury moth lamp event on the 17th, a Nature Day event on August 1st, and a talk about old growth forests on July 31st. From the chat, Staley mentioned a community request to pick up litter while walking around the island.
Tom Sargent discussed beach cleanup efforts, noting that Michelle Klimczak removed nearly 1,500 pounds of trash in June alone, and Bob Hoey emphasized the “leave it better than you found it” approach. The conversation then shifted to Phragmites control, where Tom explained they are working with an outside contractor called the Pond and Lake Company to treat 16 private properties, using a two-year process involving herbicide treatment in late September/early October followed by mechanical removal. Tom also mentioned that Courtney McDonald and Diana Fiske continue working on knotweed removal.
Harbor Committee Update – Geb Cook, Harbor Committee Member
Geb Cook presented an overview of the Harbor Committee, explaining its role in managing West Harbor, including developing mooring grids, overseeing annual permits, and addressing water-related issues. He detailed the committee’s structure, including the Bay Patrol team and administrator, and outlined their responsibilities such as monitoring boat speeds, anchoring, and managing pump-out services.
With no further questions or business, John adjourned the meeting around 6:00 PM.
Meeting Recording
