SFHA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
SUNDAY August 20, 2023 (rain date August 27)
12:00 PM-1:30 PM (lunch provided)
AT THE BEACH ON SMITH COVE - UNDER THE BIG OAK TREE
AGENDA
CALL TO ORDER (12:00 PM): Attendance, Quorum (5 mins)
· The President called the meeting to order at 12:16pm.
· Quorum was established
· President called for a moment of silence in honor of neighbors who passed away this year: Ken Woods, Georgiana Ketcham, Dorothy Kennedy and James Dougherty
· Introduction of new neighbors: Craig Samuel and Laura Canty-Samuel were present; Zeljan Ugarkovic and Kim and Chris Horton were welcomed in abstentia.
· Hard copy map of homes was handed out; available in soft copy by email to Ann Biddlecom.
2. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES OF 2022 ANNUAL MEETING (the 2022 Minutes are available at our website (SouthFerryHills.org) for you to read in advance.) (5 mins)
· Members approved 2022 SFHA Annual Meeting minutes
· President will follow up with Secretary to move annual meeting minutes online to be for SFHA members only (not public)
3. PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Agenda, New Members, Erosion Control (10 mins)
· President deferred his report to committee reports (bridge, beach, docks)
4. TREASURER’S REPORT: Revenue, expenditures, dues (10 mins)
· Hard copies of Treasurer’s report distributed
· FOLLOW-UP ACTION: Board to check on liability limits for body and property with insurance agent to see if updating needed.
· Members approved Treasurer’s report
5. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Smith-Ransome Japanese Bridge Committee (15 mins)
· President presented report in lieu of committee chair Chip Whipple
· Current physical state of 122-year-old concrete bridge described (last repair done more than 20 years ago) and consequence for community if loss of bridge (i.e., lose access to west beach; challenges for permitting for building a new bridge)
· 501c3 SRJBC (srjbc.org) established to raise funds for repairing the bridge. SFHA responsible for repairing the bridge.
· Progress thus far: i) Bridge is listed on state and national lists of historic places; ii) conducted assessments and reports on scope and nature of repair needed; iii) Mason did a prototype repair of balustrades (span is in good shape) in keeping with the original mold of balustrade and produced an estimate for project (reasonable budget estimate of $50k for all balustrades, does not include permitting); iv) Mason recommended pour of balustrades and rail, not just balustrades.
· SFHA Board decided to pursue permitting with DEC, especially given work to be conducted over public waterway.
· FOLLOW-UP ACTION: Larry Rubinson to be invited to join Bridge Committee given engineering experience and DEC permitting knowledge.
B. Beach Committee: Signs, Maintenance, Driveway (10 mins)
· Jill Moser gave appreciation to all neighbors who came to the annual beach clean-up at the start of summer. Community built a new kayak stand (thank you to Julia Best for procuring materials), bought a new hammock, cleaned walkways and constructed a new picnic table.
· Special thanks to Jeanne Woods for donating a large, new picnic table in memory of her husband, Ken Woods
· A Riverhead company made and installed a parking sign and the sign in front of canal; David Lichtenstein and Jill Moser updated a “No wake zone” sign
· Member discussion about whether a sign is needed to prohibit swimming in the canal given boat traffic. General sentiment in favor of not prohibiting swimming via a sign.
C. Dock Committee (5 mins)
· Docking situation working well thus far (and still some vacancies). Process is to contact the Dock Committee or the President if you have an interest in dock space and they will match you with someone with a dock space for renting. You must be an SFHA member or family of a member to use docks attached to SFHA property.
· The initial plan for laying out a different map of docks to alleviate crowding became complicated because it would require re-setting dock footings which, in turn, would likely require town review and approval if footings changed. Additionally, any change to make a dock longer or larger would require town approval. Hence, no changes were proposed by the Board or Docks Committee to alter current dock footings in the basin.
6. SHELTER ISLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Open discussion on current issues that SFHA may want to see addressed in the 2023 Comprehensive Plan being drafted by the Town (15 mins)
· Meg Larsen (on Town Board) visited the annual SFHA meeting in person as part of a set of visits with homeowners’ associations about the Shelter Island Comprehensive Plan to hear about residents’ suggestions and concerns.
· She noted other forthcoming opportunities to provide feedback on the plan: i) Virtual workshop on 29 August 7pm-9pm (Zoom link posted on website) and ii) an open house at the American Legion hall (11am-5pm) Sept 23rd with action items on the draft comprehensive plan and ways for residents to comment.
· Open discussion ensued on what SFHA residents need in our neighborhood or community. Suggestions by SFHA members were:
o Set regulations on clearcutting on lots.
o Clear permit process to control large home builds.
o Note that mega mansions with many bathrooms use a lot of water.
o Extend natural gas to the island.
o Regulate use of pesticides/herbicides because of seepage into the aquifer (DEC instructed Town that not in town’s jurisdiction to regulate legally, so community education campaigns ensuing).
o Need more stable power on the island (Town just received an E-TIP grant from US Dept of Energy for specialists in field to develop plan for sustainable, independent energy options).
o Need bicycle lanes on Route 114 for safety reasons; complication is that 114 is a state road so no jurisdiction under Town, but working with Suffolk County on bike lanes; also working to widen road shoulders on roads that are county owned; unclear who pays.
o Clear right-of-way on roads for pedestrians for safety reasons.
o Too much high-speed traffic on 114 (e.g., trucks at high speed in morning), especially a concern between South Ferry and Mashomack Preserve. Current recommendation in comprehensive plan draft is to do a traffic study; could use to lobby for changes.
o Set speed limit or speed bumps on Thompson Road; it’s within Town mandate to introduce speed limits on local roads.
o Wades Beach and Sunset Beach public bathrooms close too early after summer season. Keep them open longer for residents to use (acknowledging limit to all-season use because of freezing; that said, could extend use over year for all Town residents before freezing becomes an issue).
o How did quail project work? Meg noted it went fairly well (first flocks survived the winter; new batch are also surviving)
o Need new greens on tee box at Goat Hill public golf course
o Control of turkey population: Meg noted Town now has a turkey hunting season. She also noted foxes (as natural predators) are coming back.
7. NEW BUSINESS: As proposed by members (10 mins)
· Replace east beach driveway with crushed wet oyster shells. Mike Chanin presented estimates from 2020 that SFHA would need 53 tons for 3 inches depth to cover 4,000 sq ft. (70 tons required for 4 inches depth). One truckload holds 20 tons (current price is approx. $13k, which includes freight costs to bring to Shelter Island). He suggested that the association use just one truck load and prioritize the worst parts of the beach driveway for coverage. The source for material is a major supplier based in Alabama.
· FOLLOW-UP ACTION: Mike Chanin will explore other suggested options for laying the crushed oyster shells and craft a plan for improving the SFHA east beach driveway. Members appreciative of effort.
ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS (5 mins)
· Board positions up for renewal: Nik Arnegren, Mike Chanin and Ann Biddlecom (who was serving out the three-year term of Ana Appignani).
· Mike Chanin and Ann Biddlecom agreed to stay on and serve another three-year term. No one volunteered to contest the positions. Members approved their new terms.
· Nik Arnegren did not want to serve a further term given that he is now based most of the year in Sweden. Jeanne Woods was nominated for the SFHA Board position and accepted. Members approved her for the three-year term.
ADJOURNMENT (1:30 PM): The President adjourned the meeting at 1:43pm.