PEAT meeting March 1, 2010
Bill Oliver
Ted Kelleher
Jubal Kessler
Mary Terry
Sam Saltonstall
Howard Pedlikin
Steve Demos
Vinnie Demos
501(c)(3) APPLICATION
Ted Kelleher requested that we send him names and mailing addresses of all board members. In addition, he needs us to estimate our projected revenues and expenses for the next three years (p. 9 of form 1023 – the application for recognition of exemption.
He again called our attention to conflict of interest issues. The State of Maine has a statute with a minimum set of guidelines to which we should subscribe. In short, if any board member has a business transaction with us and stands to make a profit from it, the remaining directors should meet to determine whether the transaction is a fair one and whether PEAT should allow it to go forward. He further advised that we should find an accountant willing to serve on the board before the first time we have to file form 990 with the IRS. He feels that this is ultimately more important than ongoing legal counsel, especially for the wind project.
BIG BELLY TRASH COMPACTOR
Mary Anne had the following communication from Mike Murray:
Representatives from the City and Big Belly want to meet out to Peaks on March 31st to see a demonstration of the Big Belly Solar Trash Compactor/Receptacle, and we would like yourself and/or other reps. from PEAT available as well. After that, the city will publicly receive the donation from PEAT at its April 5th City Council meeting, and we would like members from PEAT to be there.
She has replied that both dates are fine with us.
BUMPER STICKERS & CIGARETTE BUTTS
Mary Anne and Bill have attended some recent PIC meetings and expressed concern about safety & pollution impact of cars on the island. Lynne Richard suggested that PEAT might address the safety issue by designing and selling bumper stickers. Vinnie has come up with several ideas and will now investigate printing costs and turnaround times so that we can decide how to proceed at the April meeting. It should be possible to get these done in time for PeaksFest.
They had also spoken about the tremendous concentration of cigarette butts on and in the sidewalks and gutters down front. These then wash down the storm drains and right into Casco Bay. This is particularly true in front of the store, where folks congregate during coffee and lunch breaks. She will talk to Hannigan’s about providing a container or sweeping more frequently.
COMPOST BINS & RAIN BARRELS
Bill has arranged with the city to add a bulk order from Peaks to theirs. They will ship ours over for free. He will serve as the contact person on the island, distributing publicity and taking orders. The cutoff date is in mid April. Vinnie will ask if the Star would be willing to include a flyer and order form in the April issue. This would help with publicity generally, but also get the word out to a number of summer residents so they could participate as well. Sam would supply an extra ream of paper. We could, in fact, print the flyers ourselves and simply ask the Star folks to staple them into the issue.
GARDEN REPORT
Jubal and Justin went to a meeting of the City Parks Commission, formerly Friends of the Park Commission, last weekend and introduced themselves and the Peaks Island Community Garden project to date. Tom Civiello, the head of Parks & Recreation, and Dory Waxman, a city councilor, were there and seemed sympathetic to the tale of our prolonged travails in trying to establish the garden. Jeff Tarling, the city arborist, later spoke with Justin informally and mentioned the Parks & Rec Dept. could provide some additional services and resources, including signmaking and organic soil.
Sam pointed out that the addition of actual soil would accelerate our composting efforts considerably. He also asked whether there is any formal stewardship of Trott-Littlejohn by islanders. We thought not, but recalled that Jenny Yasi was interested in forming a Friends of Trott-Littlejohn group. It might be an appropriate project for PEAT at some time. Sam suggested that we also talk to Steve Bushey about this. Sam also brought up the knotweed problem in the open areas of the park. Steve noted that very early knotweed sprouts are edible in a variety of ways. We talked about baking knotweed pies for the next Brackett Church supper and using them as a recruiting tool to get more folks involved in the eradication efforts. “If you can’t beat it, eat it!”
Jubal has received an invitation to the first City Green Space Gathering on April 27th. He and Justin plan to attend and give a ten minute presentation about the Garden.
Lisa Lynch has volunteered to save not only coffee grounds but all her usable kitchen waste from the Café if we will provide containers and transport. Jubal has already given her the first two of the requested 5 gallon lidded containers. She has further offered to talk with the Inn about doing something similar for us.
John Holdridge has contacted Justin with an idea for writing a grant proposal for a quantity of earth boxes planted with chard for island families as an introduction to homegrown vegetables.
Sam attended the CSA workshop at Woodfords Church in Portland last week and talked with one of the farmers about establishing a vegetable delivery by boat for Peaks Island subscribers. He will keep us posted if anything materializes.
EARTH DAY PLANNING
Vinnie volunteered to follow up on this via emails so that we could move the meeting along.
OVERZEALOUS ROADSIDE MOWING
The mowing machine has reappeared this spring, hacking away at expanses of roadside shrubbery that are perilously close to peoples’ yards and gardens. Although it’s probably necessary along parts of the back shore, other spots seem simply ravaged by a machine that’s either too big for the job or else carelessly operated. Clearings around some of the nicest pull-offs and picnic benches have been over- enlarged so that they’re less inviting. Vinnie agreed to write a letter to the PIC.
RUMMAGE SALE HELP AT THE CHURCH
Bill and Mary Anne continue to help when the Brackett Church thrift shop is open twice a month. Vinnie and Steve will be away for most of March and cannot do it, but Sam will help when he can if they call for specific times. The schedule for March is as follows: Saturday March 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday March 35 from 4-6 p.m. Everything has to be unpacked and displayed and then packed away again. On Thursday night clean-up must be completed in time to make way for a seven o’clock church service. To volunteer, call Mary Anne and Bill or Ruth Williamson.
SENSORS FOR LIGHTS & FANS IN THE TOILETS AT THE COMMUNITY ROOM
The lights and fans run continuously whenever the bathroom doors are left open. Steve will research the availability and cost of motion sensors to replace what’s there now. In the meantime, someone has put signs on both bathroom doors and made an effort to keep them shut more of the time.
TREES
Vinnie brought up the subject of protecting island trees again and showed a photo of an enormous and beautiful oak that had just been cut down in front of a cottage on Oakland Ave. Jubal described the restrictions on cutting redwoods in California. To be continued.
TOWING ABANDONED CARS & WHAT ABOUT BIKES TOO?
Vinnie wrote for the Star and the Island Times about how to get cars towed. Maybe we could tag abandoned bikes during the island clean-up and then ask Brad for help in collecting them and taking them to the transfer station and/or dismantling them for spare parts.
WIND REPORT
Sam appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 18th and they approved an extension of our conditional use permit that will give us until Sept. 3rd to get the tower up.
Corporation Counsel for the City and the U of M's legal department are hopefully to shortly work out language for the removal agreement agreeable to all. We think this is the last roadblock in the way of putting up the tower.
We will send letters to our donors after the year's end advising them of their contribution amounts and deductability.
Sam is personally not anxious to continue to put in the time this has required should a wind project be justified. Somebody else will need to take it over. He had a brief conversation with Troy Moon as to whether Public Services might be interested in taking on a municipal wind project at the transfer station and his response was one of interest but with concern about financing. Hopefully the tower will go up before our building permit expires on March 29th. If this appears unlikely we will explore ways to start the project by setting up some of the fencing. Help will be needed.