March 2023 Meeting Minutes

Greater Pine Island Civic Association — Meeting Minutes, March 7, 2023, Pine Island United Methodist Church

Board Members Present: Deborah Swisher-Hicks, President; Mike Sweeney, Treasurer; Sue Dahod, Tim Heitz, Shari Perkins. (Excused: Connie D’Alessio and Helen Fox, co-secretaries, Nadine Slimak, vice president, and Scott Wilkinson.)

31 people signed into the meeting.

Due to an AV support scheduling error, the meeting wasn’t live-streamed or recorded.

President Deborah Swisher-Hicks opened the meeting shortly after 6:30 p.m.

Board member Shari Perkins introduced new board members and announced elected leadership changes that took place following the February meeting:

Helen Fox and Michael Sweeney were re-elected and Tim Heitz was elected. The GPICA board subsequently met and elected new officers and also appointed new director Sue Dahod, who worked with us on water quality issues, to serve out the remainder of the term vacated by Cindy Bear, who resigned her position following her relocation from Pine Island.

Officers

  • Deborah Swisher-Hicks, President (Development Committee Chair)
  • Nadine Slimak, Vice President (Membership and Communications Chair)
  • Michael Sweeney, Treasurer
  • Connie D’Alessio, Co-Secretary
  • Helen Fox, Co-Secretary

Board Members

  • Sue Dahod
  • Tim Heitz
  • Shari Perkins
  • Scott Wilkinson

Deborah made opening remarks, and recited the GPICA Objective and Purpose from the organization’s bylaws.

Members voted to approve the February 2023 Meeting minutes.

Mike Sweeney gave the Treasurer’s Report:

  • Money Market: $16,763.38
  • Checking: $7,899.83
  • CD Investment* $76,370.54

*CD to roll over again in late April

Income: $606.93

  • Online membership orders: $191.93
  • Cash membership payments: $115
  • Greater Pine Island Alliance donated $300 to support the church rental with AV support

Expenses: $429.25

  • February church rental: $300.00
  • Post office box rental $68.00
  • Florida SunBiz — business registration renewal/tax for 2023: $61.25

Members voted to approve the March Treasurer’s Report.

Deborah announced that Commissioner Kevin Ruane was unable to attend the March meeting due to a medical issue. GPICA wishes him well and a quick recovery.

Jesse Lavender, Director of Lee County Parks and Recreation Department, was scheduled to update membership on Pine Island’s Conservation 2020 lands and park facility plans post-Ian as the evening’s main speaker. He confirmed his attendance earlier in the day but was a no-show.

Casey Streeter, commercial fisherman and owner of Island Seafood Market provided an update on the waterways clean-up he is undertaking and answered audience questions. Streeter is contracted to clean up the south end of Pine Island, while a second contractor, RJ Gorman Marine Construction (out of Pensacola) is assigned debris clean up in waterways on the north end of Pine Island. Casey said clean-up is going slow due to the dark water and sheer amount of debris.

An audience member asked about the mangroves and he said that Ian beat them up pretty bad and that his is carefully picking debris from the mangroves in order to not damage them further. His team has made one pass and will be going around one more time. He isn’t sure how long he will be contracted to undertake the clean-up but said he is willing to remain and continue as long as he is able.

With no additional business, a motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:15 p.m.

— Minutes respectfully submitted by Deborah Swisher-Hicks

—Minutes approved by membership April 4, 2023

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