Board General

LGPOA Board Business Meeting Minutes 5/21/22

1. CALL TO ORDER: 10:10 am
Attendance: Joe Bokar Deric Flom, Pede Fraser, Laurie Tremblay, Brian Callahan, Barb Dwyer, Jeff Handlin (phone), Richard Leydon (phone), Dawn Bokar (taking minutes for secretary); QUORUM MET

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approved by e-mail from Annual members’’ meeting of April 23 and Directors’ Business meeting of same date

3. TREASURER’S REPORT: Richard/Transfer to Brian Current account balance of $26,500, including $1700 budgeted for Kid’s Fishing Tournament. We discussed executive approval of moderate expenditures, without full board vote, for items such as informational mailings to islanders and members. We identified that the bylaws already account for this up to $1000 per Article VIII. No change needed!

4. COMMITTE REPORTS:

A. MEMBERSHIP Dawn/Richard Current paid membership now at 215

B. ENVIRONMENTAL Turtle Season discussion: Our plan to document, mark, and protect turtle nests according to FWC guidelines, using the permit of a neighboring island permit holder has not worked out due to that person’s discomfort with our island volunteers performing the inspections and data collection without her DIRECT supervision (which our volunteers find impractical). Our discussion centered on identifying the requirements for one of our own getting permitted. One impediment is the apparent requirement of two years’ prior experience in data collection (kind of a Catch-22). Brian knows of one islander who may qualify and will discuss with him. Pede will try to pick Linda Soderquist’s brain for options, also.

5. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

A. NEW DIRECTOR DISCUSSION
Brian: states we need to focus less on issues that result in “drama,” get back to fun.

B.
Jeff: Verbalizes that there are a lot of renters and visitors to the island, who can be allies for issues important to us as owners, including island access. They do generate revenue for owners as well as for the county. Instead of treating them poorly, we could acknowledge their value by creating an “Associate membership” to this association. A fee, less than full membership would get them on our email list and give them a voice. This would be a non-voting position. Associate members would be more likely to participate in island social activities when they are here, advocate for following the laws/rules and protecting the island environment, and serve as liaisons to other visitors due to a sense of “belonging.” The action item is that Brian will draft a description of the Associate Membership, and Joe and Jeff will collaborate with him to format it appropriately for a bylaw amendment.

Jeff also raised discussion of what, if anything, we as an organization can do to protect the large lot at the south end, on the pass, from development other than conventional zoned use (single family residence). He will touch base with the listing broker regarding current zoning and we will explore whether some sort of conservation easement is possibility, especially due to the known nesting habitat on the property. We would like to explore advocacy from environmental /nature societies.

C. GREEN’S HOLE The impediment to simply moving forward on filling the hole and grading the road is that the hole is on private property that is subject to closure. Laurie is to try to obtain permission from the two property owners controlling Green’s hole, Bryce’s hole and Peacock hole, and some assurance that there is no short term building plan that will eliminate public access at these sites, prior to us investing in their improvement.

D. PLACIDA BOAT RAMP EXPANSION UPDATE: The county commissioners’ discussion of LGI access issues (barge landing, short term dockage, long term vehicle parking) is set for the June 21 commissioners’ workshop. The agenda will not be made available until COB June 14. We will try to determine if the public is allowed to observe.

E. COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE The directors discussed our appreciation for everything that Rhonda Olson has done and is doing for the association! Currently, although no longer on the board, Rhonda remains actively engaged in compiling the official association member communication, “The Coconut Telegraph,” and is involved in assessing island needs with relation to mainland access issues via “SurveyMonkey!” The directors are proposing to invite Rhonda to continue these duties for the association in the capacity of “Communications Committee” chair. She would be encouraged to recruit additional members to the Committee to help with the routine tasks of this position.

In the event that she is not interested in serving in this capacity, we need to find a director or member who is interested in helping to draft the monthly Coconut Telegraph. Content remains the jurisdiction of the current directors. In the interim will have to be a joint effort by the existing directors.

6. ADJOURN