July 18 Letter from Gordon Murphy

18 July 2014

As pretty as the Yale Study is I am not sure it tells us anything that we don’t already know about our island: dwindling year-round population, rundown infrastructure, etc.  It offers some interesting thoughts on how the west end could be changed. However, the conclusion that the only way to change is through running our own government (becoming a village) and controlling our finances, does not begin to address the complexity of this course of action, the time it will take, the cost and how this can be accomplished.

I am very glad that certain people decided to do something instead of repeating another study, however the Yale study’s presentation seems to me more of marketing document, than a formal study.  I am disappointed in the process being overly top down and seemingly worked to a pre-existing conclusion.  It is easy to take pot shots at the study; focused and limited interviewing, not reaching out to other communities that have become villages (incorporating) or became unincorporated within New York (http://www.dos.ny.gov/lg/publications/Local_Government_Handbook.pdf), limited options on housing and utility structure, etc.  That said we should use the document as starting point to address our issues within the governing structure that we already have in place. 

Over the past three years I have been involved with the Town of Southold via the Sewer and Ferry Districts.  These entities work through the municipal government, which is slow, difficult to navigate, financially complex and at times very frustrating.  What I have learned though, is that if you follow the “rules”, the Town is very helpful.  This doesn’t mean that I think we get a full value from taxes paid to Southold, but I learned that if we play well in their sandbox they are willing to work with us.

I also believe that we have been our own worst enemy with Southold. The attitude has often been to remain independent instead of making Southold or our local entities accountable.  So instead taking the time to work towards a solution all too often we look to shortcuts and pass the hat around.  Nice as this is, and actually amazing, it may not be a sustainable business model.

The study also cites the Island Community Board (“ICB”) as a proxy for local government.  The ICB’s mandate, or so I thought, was to bring the island’s groups and entities together, liaise with Southold and to go further than the Civic Association.  Frankly I have been sorely disappointed in the performance of the ICB.  To me it should have extended an olive branch to Southold and become a true democratic local body to work with the Town on island-based issues.  Instead it has remained aloof from dealing with the Town and its constituents, has not followed its own by-laws, shown very little strategic vision (outside of this initiative) and failed to continue the practices that the Civic Association (publicizing annual reports from the various island entities, etc.) did so well.

To me, and I strongly underline me, the island would not be having this debate if the ICB had delivered on its promises, worked with the Town and required accountability, both on island and with the Town.  So before we start taking a wrecking ball to what we have let’s clean up our own house.

My final comment is a recommendation that the ICB establish two sections on Fishersisland.net. The first is to receive and publish questions, comments and suggestions regarding the Yale study.  The second would be to have a FAQ section, i.e., a section that publishes questions and provides the Yale/ICB responses.

Gordon S. Murphy

2005 ICB By-laws - retyped for viewing

Annex  A

[Changed Sections only] 

 ISLAND COMMUNITY BOARD, INC.

BY‑LAWS

As Amended and Restated August 27, 2005

Article I
Name; Purposes; Office

1.1.         Name; Type.  The Corporation is a not-for-profit corporation organized and existing as a Type A corporation under the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law (the “NYN-PCL”) and named “Island Community Board, Inc.” (the “Corporation” or “ICB”).  [NYN-CPL § 201]*

1.2.         Purpose.  The purpose of the Corporation is to promote the economic, civic and social welfare of the people of Fishers Island, New York. The Corporation shall endeavor to carry out its purpose by serving as a forum for the discussion of issues affecting the life of the Fishers Island community at regular open monthly meetings, by prioritizing these issues and setting annual goals, by developing an action plan to address these issues and achieve these goals and submitting such plan to  ICB Members at their Annual Meeting, and by maintaining and operating an Island Community Office, managed by an Island Administrator, to supervise the implementation of the action plan and serve as a repository of information concerning the Island. 

Article II
Members

2.1.         Membership; Dues.  Any person 18 years of age or older, and any non-profit organization, business organization or governmental body active on Fishers Island, interested in promoting the economic, civic and social welfare of Fishers Island may become a Member of ICB upon application certifying residence status and payment of the annual dues prescribed by the Board of Directors for the membership year in question, as fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors, provided that the Board of Directors may determine that membership or specified classes or subclasses of membership may be granted upon application only without payment of dues.  There shall be three classes of members:  Year-round Members -- individuals Members who (a) have their principal residence on Fishers Island,  and (b) are registered to vote on Fishers Island in all federal, state and local elections or, if under 21 years of age, are members of a household the head of which is so registered to vote.  Seasonal Members -- all other individual Members.  Organizational Members – non-profit organizations, business organizations and governmental bodies.  The Board of Directors may adopt additional rules regarding eligibility for Year-Round, Seasonal or Organizational Membership.

2.2.         Annual Meeting.  The Annual Meeting of Members of the Corporation for the election of Year-Round Directors and Seasonal Directors and the approval of the ICB action plan shall be held on such date in July or August, at such place on Fishers Island and at such time as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors and set forth in the notice of the meeting.  [§ 603]

2.5            Quorum.  The presence in person or by proxy of Members entitled to cast 100 votes or 10% of the total number of votes entitled to be cast at the meeting, whichever is less, including 10% of the Year-Round Members and 10% of the Seasonal Members, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting.  When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any Members.  [§ 608]

2.6            Voting.  Each Member in good standing  on the record date for determining Members entitled to vote specified in, or fixed by the Board of Directors pursuant to, Section 2.10 hereof (including each family Year-Round Member, family Seasonal Member and Organizational Member) shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting.  Except as otherwise required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by Section 3.4 hereof (regarding the election of Directors), any corporate action shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast in favor of such action by Members entitled to vote at any meeting at which a quorum is present voting as a single class.  An abstention shall not constitute a vote cast.  [§§ 601, 611(e), 613]

Article III
Board of Directors

3.1.         Powers; Eligibility.  The Corporation and its properties, affairs and activities shall be managed by the Board of Directors.  Each Director shall be at least eighteen years of age and a Member in good standing of the Corporation. Each Year-Round Director shall be a Year-Round Member, and each Seasonal Director shall be a Seasonal Member.  [§ 701]

3.2.         Number; Classes.  The number of Directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be fourteen, divided into three classes: (a) three Year-Round Directors, elected by Year-Round Members; (b) three Seasonal Directors, elected by Seasonal Members; and (c) eight Organizational Directors appointed by virtue of their office as Chairperson, President or other principal  officer or commissioner (as designated by the board of commissioners or directors) of the following principal Fishers Island organizations, which are regarded as having the most significant impact on the life of the Fishers Island community: Fishers Island School Board; Fishers Island Ferry District; Fishers Island Fire District; Fishers Island Garbage and Refuse District; Island Health Project, Inc.; Fishers Island Utility Company; Walsh Park Benevolent Association, Inc.; and Fishers Island Development Corporation.  The total number of Directors, the number of Directors in each class and the number and designation of principal Fishers Island organizations represented by Organizational Directors may be changed from time to time by vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors, without regard to vacancies, including a majority of the Year-Round Directors and a majority of the Seasonal Directors.  [§ 702]

3.3.         Nomination of Year-Round, Seasonal Directors.  Any Year-Round or Seasonal Member in good standing may be nominated for election as a Year-Round or Seasonal Director, respectively, by petition signed by at least fifteen Year-Round or Seasonal Members, as the case may be, delivered to the Secretary at least ten days before the date of the Annual Meeting of Members.  Candidates for election as Year-Round or Seasonal Directors may also be nominated by the appropriate Nominating Committee, if one is appointed by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 4.5 hereof.   

3.4.         Election of Year-Round, Seasonal Directors; Term of Office.  The Year-Round Directors and the Seasonal Directors shall each be divided into three classes, as nearly equal as possible, to hold office for staggered terms of three years, expiring at successive Annual Meetings of Members.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.12 hereof, the Year-Round Directors and the Seasonal Directors shall be elected at each Annual Meeting of Members, each to hold office until the expiration of the term for which he or she is elected and until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.  Year-Round Directors and Seasonal Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in person or by proxy by Year-Round Members and Seasonal Members, respectively, entitled to vote in such election at a meeting of Members at which a quorum is present. Voting shall be by ballot (unless there is only one candidate for election to an office), and, if specified in the notice of the meeting, the polls may remain open at the place of the meeting or another place on Fishers Island for a period of not in excess of 72 hours after adjournment of the meeting.  No person who has served as Year-Round Director or Seasonal Director for two consecutive full three-year terms or a total of seven and one-half consecutive years (including any partial three-year term) shall be eligible for re-election  until at least one year has passed after expiration of his or her second full term.  Upon adoption of these Amended and Restated ByLaws at the Annual Meeting of Members in 2005, the current year-round resident members and  seasonal resident members of the Island Community Board Civic Committee of the Corporation shall be elected by the current members of the Corporation as Year-Round Directors and Seasonal Directors, respectively, of the Corporation for the respective  terms of their election as members of such Board (expiring at the Annual Meeting of Members in 2006, 2007 and 2008) and the current organizational members (and alternates, if any) of such Board shall be appointed as Organizational Directors (and Alternates) of the Corporation for a term expiring at the Annual Meeting of Members in 2006.     [§§ 703(c), 704]

3.5.         Appointment of Organizational Directors, Alternate Organizational Directors.  Organizational Directors shall be appointed annually by the board of commissioners or directors of their respective principal organizations, each to hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Members and thereafter until his or her successor has been duly appointed and qualified, or until the earlier termination of his or her position as principal officer or commissioner of the principal organization in question or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.  At the time of appointment of an Organizational Director the board of commissioners or directors of the organization making such appointment may appoint another principal officer or commissioner of such organization as an Alternate for such Organizational Director, to hold office for the term of such Organizational Director.  In the absence of an Organizational Director from any meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof his or her Alternate may, upon written notice to the Secretary, attend such meeting and exercise the rights, powers and privileges of the absent Organizational Director.

3.7.            Regular, Special Meetings; Notice.  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held monthly, and special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or, in the event of his or her absence or disability, any Vice President, or by any three Directors.  Notice of any such regular or special meeting shall be given to each Director in person or by telephone, electronic or facsimile message or by mail received at least 48 hours before the meeting, specifying the place on Fishers Island, date and time of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the business to be conducted thereat, and a copy of such notice shall also be posted on the Fishers Island Post Office bulletin board at least 48 hours before such meeting.  Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to all Members, who shall be afforded the opportunity to comment on business on the agenda for the meeting during an appropriate comment period and to present other issues and suggest new business, except in the case of a meeting which is designated as an executive session in the posted notice thereof and except that the Board of Directors may go into executive session on particular sensitive matters during or after any meeting.  Notice of any regular or special meeting need not be given to any Director who attends such meeting without protesting the lack of notice to him or her prior to or at the commencement of such meeting, or to any Director who submits a signed waiver of notice, whether before or after such meeting, and any business may be transacted thereat.  [§§ 710, 711(a), (b)]

 3.8.            Quorum; Voting.  At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the presence of one third of the entire Board of Directors (without regard to vacancies), including at least one Year-Round Director and one Seasonal Director, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  Except as otherwise required by these By-Laws or by law, the vote of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.  [§§ 707, 708(d)]

3.13.            Removal.  Any Year-Round Director or Seasonal Director may be removed at any time, either for or without cause (except as limited by applicable law), by vote of the Year-Round Members or Seasonal Members, as the case may be.  Any Director may be removed for cause, by vote of the Members voting as a single class or by vote of the Directors at a meeting at which a majority of the entire Board of Directors is present.  [§ 706]

3.14            Vacancies; Newly Created Directorships.  Any newly created Year-Round Directorship or Seasonal Directorship resulting from an increase in the number of such Directors pursuant to Section 3.2 hereof and any vacancy occurring in the Year-Round Directorships or the Seasonal Directorships for any reason (except the removal of a Director by Members without cause) may be filled by vote of a majority of the Year-Round Directors or the Seasonal Directors, as the case may be, then in office. Any such vacancy (including vacancies resulting from the removal of a Director without cause) or newly created Directorship may also be filled at any time by vote of the Year-Round Members or the Seasonal Members, as the case may be.   A Year-Round Director or Seasonal Director elected by Directors to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Members, and until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualified.  A Year-Round Director or Seasonal Director elected by Members to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the end of the term of the vacant directorship, and until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualified.  Any newly created Organizational Directorship resulting from an increase in the number of such Directors or from a change in the principal organizations appointing such Directors pursuant to Section 3.2 hereof and any vacancy occurring in the Organizational Directorships for any reason, may be filled by appointment by the board of commissioners or directors of the principal organization in question.  Any such Organizational Director shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Members, and until his or her successor has been duly appointed and qualified.

Article IV
COMMITTEES

4.1.         Executive Committee; Standing Committees.  The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board (without regard to vacancies), designate, from among the Directors, an Executive Committee and other Standing Committees, each consisting of three or more Directors, including at least one Year-round Director and one Seasonal Director.  Thereafter, members of each such Committee may be designated annually, by resolution similarly adopted at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors following the Annual Meeting of Members.  Each such Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and may be abolished or redesignated from time to time by resolution similarly adopted by the Board of Directors.  Each member of any such Committee shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been designated or he or she shall cease to be a Director, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.  Any member of any such Committee may be removed, with or without cause, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors.  During the intervals between the meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the property, affairs and activities of the Corporation, and each Standing Committee shall have and may exercise such powers of the Board of Directors as may be provided by resolution similarly adopted, provided that no Committee shall have any power or authority in reference to the following matters:

(i)  the submission to Members of any action for which Member approval is required by law;

(ii)  the filling of vacancies in the Board of Directors or in the Executive Committee or any Standing Committee thereof;

(iii)  the fixing of compensation, if any, of the Directors for serving on the Board of Directors or any Committee thereof;

(iv)  the amendment or repeal of the By‑Laws, or the adoption of new By‑Laws; or

(v)  the amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board of Directors which by its terms shall not be so amendable or repealable.  [§ 712(a), (c)]

            4.5.            Nominating Committees.  Not less than 30 days before the date of the Annual Meeting of Members, the Board of Directors may, if it wishes, appoint a Nominating Committee for Year-Round Directors and/or a Nominating Committee for Seasonal Directors. consisting of three or more Year-Round Members or Seasonal Members, as the case may be, at least one of whom shall be a Year-Round Director or a Seasonal Director, respectively.  Such Committee shall nominate a candidate for each Director of the respective class to be elected at the Annual Meeting, and shall post such nominations on the Fishers Island Post Office bulletin board at least ten days before the Annual Meeting.  

Article VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS

            6.3.            Deposits; FICA Support Account.  Any funds of the Corporation may be deposited from time to time in such banks or other depositaries as may be determined by the Board of Directors.  All funds and investments held by the Corporation at the time of adoption of these Amended and Restated ByLaws at the Annual Meeting of Members in 2005, representing past contributions and membership dues payments by members of the Corporation (but excluding any funds contributed after September 2004 to or for the benefit of the Island Community Board as a Civic Committee of the Corporation), shall be deposited in a separate account or accounts, to be known collectively as the “FICA Support Account”, to be used for the support of  ICB’s ongoing operations and capital investments in accordance with the following:  Except with the approval of a majority of the whole Board of Directors, including a majority of the Year-Round Directors and a majority of the Seasonal Directors, funds in the FICA Support Account shall be applied to the payment of no more than 50% of ICB’s annual operating budget and 50% of ICB’s annual capital budget, on a matching basis with funds raised by ICB after the date of the Annual Meeting of Members in 2005 through contributions from Fishers Island organizations and solicitation of membership dues.  

            6.6.            Fiscal Year.  Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the fiscal year of the Corporation shall commence on the first day of April and shall terminate on the last day of March of the following year.  The membership year fixed by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof need not be the same as the fiscal year.

Article VII
AMENDMENT OF BY‑LAWS

            7.1.            Amendment.  These By‑Laws shall be subject to amendment or repeal, and new By‑Laws may be adopted, either

(a)            by the Members voting as a single class at any meeting of Members, the notice of which shall have specified or summarized the proposed amendment, repeal or new By‑Laws, or

(b)           by resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board of Directors (without regard to vacancies), including a majority of the Year-Round Directors and a majority of the Seasonal Directors, at any regular or special meeting, the notice or waiver of notice of which shall have specified or summarized the proposed amendment, repeal or new By‑Laws, provided that any By‑Law adopted by the Members may provide that such By‑Law may be amended or repealed only by the Members.  [§ 602(b), (c)]

---

*      Citations to the relevant sections of the NYN-PCL are for convenience of reference only and do not constitute part of the By-Laws. 

2006 ICB Letter - retyped from hardcopy

Island Community Board

P.O. Box 464 Fishers Island, NY 06390

Tel: 631-788-7990

Fax: 631-788-7990

Email: mharr@fishersisland.net

Dear  _____,

As you know, the Civic Association’s name and structure was changed at it’s meeting in August, becoming The Island Community Board, Inc., with a new method of Board formation and composition.

After the approximately 18 months of experimentation and community outreach, there was general agreement that a new, redefined organization could be of greater help in communicating the major issues facing the Island, and in coordinating the 30-plus organizations that contribute so much. In addition, with the more representative nature of ICB, it is felt that the Island can speak to Southold with “one voice”, hopefully getting better and faster results. The establishment of the Island Office has been a success. Much information has been assembled, and people have used the facility, and Mere Harr, as resources much like a “Town Hall”.

After much discussion during the transition, we decided to keep a membership and dues structure. However, we believe that this should be an inclusive community asset, and therefore we will keep the Fog Horn, both electronic and printed additions, free. In addition, the Annual Report, as FICA published for many years, will also be available. We believe that there is value in the role of ICB and that people will be willing to support it.

You can see from the enclosed how we have organized the relationship with the organizations in the Island. When this effort commenced, a number of organizations and individuals supported the effort. We are now “in business” and ask that you support ICB in as meaningful a way as you can. A key element has been the Island fellows, Nate Gray first, followed by Mere Harr. We believe that the dues receipts at the FICA level, supplemented by organizations’ memberships will enable us to keep the progress going.

At the first meeting after the name change, the following were elected for the year ending August 2006:

Year-round Representatives:                                                                                          Seasonal Representatives:

John Spofford                                                                                                                              Bill Ridgway

Judi Imbriglio                                                                                                                              Peter Gaillard

Patty Faulkner                                                                                                                              Audrey Ludemann

Needless to say, we hope we can count on your support.

Respectfully yours,

John Spofford- Chairman, Island Community Board

June 25 Letter from Harry Ferguson

June 25

I found Monday's meeting frustrating because the questions were almost entirely focused on whether incorporation as a village is necessary to achieve the goals of the recommendations which are described in the report.  I share some of the concerns raised about the incorporation concept.  I'm also in complete agreement that the challenges facing our Island must be addressed and addressed with a sense of urgency because the Island is at a tipping point.

The Study, which John Spofford should be congratulated for getting going with help from FIDCO and others, was not developed in secret by a few folks.  The acknowledgements on page 5 of the report lists over 60 people.  There have been several meetings over the last two years and the study was posted on the Island website several months ago.  It takes some time to read and digest but the time is well spent as the report articulates well the challenges which we face and poses recommendations.  We all need to read it. 

What is needed now is leadership from the Island Community Board and others to develop support for the recommendations--which I am in general agreement with--and to begin the implementation process of those recommendations with such modifications as may be thoughtfully suggested by those who care about the Island.  The suggestions made at Monday's meeting that we should try working with Southold rather than immediately moving toward incorporation are an example of such thoughtful input.  However, the Study does point out the advantages of incorporation in achieving some of the goals.  That's just one of the issues that must be discussed.  All the recommendations are important and we need to develop consensus on what needs to be done.

When I went to school on the Island there were 100 kids in the school.  Now a family with four kids increases the Island population's share of the school by more than 10%.  I find that very scary.  We need the year-round population to have a critical mass and to have a proper age distribution.  There is much  to be done and everyone who cares about the Island must get involved.

Harry Ferguson

Letter from John Spofford, President, Island Community Board

June 17, 2014

To the Fishers Island Community:

Over the past two years, the Yale Urban Design Workshop has been conducting a study of Fishers Island. In March, a working draft of their report, Sustaining Fishers Island - A blueprint for protecting the future, was posted on www.fishersisland.net.  In response, and as hoped, a number of communication channels have been established to talk about the study and its recommendations. One such forum, a blog entitled The Lost Apostrophe, has been particularly active. I would like to take a moment to address several of the comments which have recently been submitted.

Let me begin by thanking the person who established The Lost Apostrophe and the many people who have taken the time to submit their thoughtful comments. The Yale Study presents the Island community with an opportunity to engage in a healthy and constructive conversation about our challenges and future. That conversation is now beginning.  I encourage people to participate in the debate and to identify yourselves as you do so. We are a community where all points of view are important for successful movement forward.

Common themes in the comments to date relate to the process whereby the study was conducted and Fishers Island’s readiness to operate as an independent village.

Approximately two years ago, the Island Community Board engaged the Yale Urban Design Workshop to conduct a sustainability study of Fishers Island with the objective of identifying existing challenges and recommending courses of action to protect our future. The ICB’s desire was to obtain an independent analysis which would serve as a basis upon which to engage the entire community in a focused dialogue on how best to address and solve the many problems that have been identified over the past 30-40 years.

The ICB envisioned a two step process: first, complete the independent study, and second, engage the Island community in a discussion about the findings and recommendations in the study.

Initially, the team from Yale met with a cross section of the community to solicit individual viewpoints about the Island; roughly 65-70 people were interviewed – some in small functional groups, some individually. Admittedly, in conducting their study, the Yale team did not speak to everyone, nor were they asked to. However, in Yale’s professional opinion, the scope of their outreach was sufficient to enable them to develop a well-founded understanding of the Island and the community’s long-standing problems.

As the team from Yale was conducting its work, the ICB held several community meetings to update people on our progress. The working draft of the Yale report was posted in March on www.fishersisland.net and we are now engaged in presentations and smaller outreach meetings to solicit views and reactions. More of these small group meetings will be scheduled following the June 23 presentation. Our intention is to make this process as open and inclusive as possible; we estimate that about 275-300 people have attended at least one of the meetings over the past 18 months.  I regret that some people may feel excluded – that was far from our desire.

It is important to understand that the findings and recommendations set forth in the study represent Yale’s independent viewpoint. They do not represent the view of the ICB or any other group. It is for the Fishers Island community to decide if the recommendations have merit.

One of the central recommendations in the study is that Fishers Island should incorporate as an independent village within the Town of Southold. Underlying this view is the sense that our present structure places unsustainable reliance on volunteer activities to manage the Island and limits our ability to respond proactively to the many challenges, including the declining population, insufficient housing, limited employment opportunities and outdated infrastructure. There are differing points of view on the severity of our challenges and the right path forward.  However, we clearly need more dialogue. It is apparent to many that our challenges are becoming more acute and that strong, well-thought out and well-defined action is needed. We cannot sit still and hope that things will get better.  We have to take a serious look at actionable ways to address our needs.

Incorporation as a village raises a host of very valid questions and concerns about process, management and cost; how will we get there, who will be in charge, how much will it cost. The Yale study has addressed these issues on a macro level and concludes that incorporation as a village is feasible. However, the study readily acknowledges that if we choose to go in this direction, much more work will need to be done to answer some of the questions being raised and to validate the general assumption that incorporation will be a net benefit for the Island.

We are setting up a simple system to respond to the questions and issues being raised about the study and its recommendations. We will answer all, but not individually. Logistically, that is impractical. Those requiring research will be posted and put on the Island website. This response method is being set up, and it will be as informative and as timely as we can make it.

Please send your comments, questions, concerns and suggestions to yalestudyfi@gmail.com or thelostapostrophe@gmail.com. These will be forwarded to Andrei Harwell, the project’s chief researcher.

The Yale Urban Design Workshop’s Director Alan Plattus and Project Manager Andrei Harwell will present Sustaining Fishers Island - A blueprint for protecting the future on Fishers Island on Monday, June 23 at 5:00 pm at the Community Center.  Everyone is most welcome. If you are unable to attend the June 23 meeting on island, you may view it streaming live at: http://www.highschoolcube.com/event/fishers-island-icb-board-meeting-356635

In closing, I would ask everyone to be part of this dialogue. Express your points of view, ask questions, bring creative ideas forward, and identify yourselves. I have always been struck by the extraordinary good-will here. It is especially evident when there is a singular “event” – storm, accident, boating incident, medical emergency, etc. I am hopeful that the Yale work will be a catalyst to tap into this same sense of goodwill to address and solve the multi-faceted problems we face.

John Spofford

President, Island Community Board

June 9

Hello.  Having read the study and now the comments as well, my comment/question is:  is this a done deal as one commenter suggested;  why shouldn’t there be an open debate; it would be nice to hear an opposing side (s) in an open, non-argumentative setting.  Perhaps this has been or will be done by and with the islanders; are the summer folk not to be included?  Precious little has come out about this idea, and I have no idea myself as to where it stands in the community, who is now handling it, and if there is any chance that any part of it might come to fruition.  Can and should there not be an open discussion so the entire island can understand the pros and cons – even if we don’t all get to vote?  Couldn’t a couple of people speak objectively about it, even at different times and venues with notes taken and made available?  I don’t understand the problem with that in place of a lot of probably wrong gossip and rumors.

Could someone at least provide an explanation?  Thanks.

June 9

I have the following questions about the "Yale Study":

1. Southold will decide what reduction in taxes they will grant the taxpayers within the new Village.  They may decide to not reduce taxes at all or may reduce them some amount.  The analysis of unrepatriated taxes FI paid to Southold seems to suggest between $1.4 to $1.8 million of FI taxes is not returned to FI.  Has anyone discussed the proposed Village Plan with Southold managers who will decide on any tax abatement?  Is it unreasonable to consider that Southold may decide to keep the taxes at the current level, making any Village taxes completely incremental?

2. Is it true that any decision by Southold to abate FI taxes will be made after the proposed Village is established?

3.  Is it fair to say the Village Plan is an effort to increase the tax revenue associated with FI property in order to spend that money on Fishers Island?

4.  Is there a detailed "Business Plan" that reflects the establishment of a FI Village?

5.  The Wrightsville area plan includes substantial retail square footage.  What is the business plan for these businesses and what are the contingency plans for unrented or purchased retail space?

6.  Is there a multi-year tax burden plan to inform property tax payers on Fishers Island refecting the various levels of possible tax abatement granted by Southold?

7.  What plans reflected in the Yale study could be implemented without the tax revenue afforded by the creation of a Village?  Could specific elements of the plan, such as the critical components of Wrightsville, be implemented by private contributions to a development fund?  Is a necessary component of this plan the coerced contribution through tax levies on all property holders to fund the development ideas in the plan?

8.  The exisiting Fishers Island Community is limited in the availability of strong management expertise individuals, evidenced in the existing state of affairs which triggered this and past similar studies.  How will this plan solve that problem as it requires a substantial increase in the need for management expertise by bringing professionally managed Southold responsibility to Fishers Island?