LGPOA Board Meeting Minutes 11/29/22

LGPOA WORKING BOARD MEETING 11/29/2022 at 5:30 P.M.
FRASER RESIDENCE / CONFERENCE CALL

AGENDA

CALL TO ORDER: 5:33 pm

Board members present: Joe Bokar, Richard Leydon, Deric Flom, Brian Callahan, Pede Fraser; Phone: Laurie Tremblay, Barb Dwyer

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: unanimously approved by board
TREASURER’S REPORT: $25,500 in account, $1666 designated fishing derby; No GoFundme money received as it was directed by account holder directly to cost of debris removal from island without passing through LGPOA. Members or others wishing to donate to recovery efforts are encouraged to help defray costs of debris removal from common areas; POA will consider helping with information.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

A: Bocilla Islands Conservancy (Linda Cotherman, by phone)

- Website – Bocillaislandsconservancy.org — contact person: lcotherman@yahoo.com
- Visit website to learn about having your property designated as a gopher tortoise friendly property, purchasing, installing, or sponsoring a “dock reef,” or subscribe to the conservancy mailing list.
- The conservancy also supports landowners’ efforts to preserve and donate property for nature conservancy easements (possibly including obtaining tax advantages and via grants)
- Undeveloped lot purchases for conservation via fundraisers and grants
- Gopher tortoise permitting, but not sea turtle.
- Encouragement for “xeriscaping”

B: Updates: Hurricane Ian discussion

- Island updates: FEMA/Charlotte County – No concrete plan for county to participate in construction debris removal from island as our roads are not county-maintained, and therefor considered “private.” David Haynes is meeting with and communicating with county commissioners and state agencies on behalf of island residents in an effort to secure county-funded solution.
- Barge Service
  - Robert Hill has secured a loading site at the old Fishery property, is working on a 60ft barge, and has secured county approval for his landing on the island.
  - Bruce Woithe is attempting to secure a local mainland landing site. The landing at the end of Rum Runner is still in play as an emergency landing site. Who will use it remains to be determined. Whether it will ever be permitted and further developed is unclear.
  - David Haynes is negotiating with the county to get our island cleaned up, we propose to put him in touch with Universal Contracting and construction, who has already started a proposal with islanders (Little Gasparilla Vacation Rentals, Inc).
- Public adjusters – Islanders have been trying to utilize local contractors to help with estimating damage; this is not within the contractors’ scope of business. We will publish a plea for islanders to submit questions that they would like answered from a public adjuster. We will provide an opportunity for Mike Vitale, PA to address islanders’ questions regarding pursuing their own claims, with or without hiring a public adjuster.