Greater Pine Island Civic Association
Membership Meeting Minutes
Feb. 6, 2024
Pine Island United Methodist Church
Board Members Present: Deborah Swisher-Hicks, President; Nadine Slimak, Vice President, Mike Sweeney, Treasurer, Sue Dahod, Scott Wilkinson and Steve Eldredge, Acting Secretary.
President Deb Swisher-Hicks opened the meeting at 6:33 p.m.
Treasurer’s Report
Mike Sweeney presented the January 2024 GPICA Treasurer’s report, including a Chiquita Lock funding update:
ACCOUNTS
- Money Market $16,764.78
Checking $7,343.49
CD Investment $78,548.43** - Cash Box $103
INCOME TOTAL (since Jan. 9 meeting) $110.68
- Breakdown
$110.68 (Square online purchase of memberships)
EXPENSE TOTAL (since January 9 meeting) $300
- Breakdown
$300 Church rental for January
CHIQUITA LOCK (CL)LEGAL DEFENSE STATUS**
- Original GPICA Pledge: $2,500
- Donations from Members: $2,975
- Matching GPICA donations: $2,975
- Bill#1 Chiquita Lock Lawyer: ($2,500)
- Bill#2 Chiquita Lock Lawyer: ($3,000)
Current Total: $2,950
**Background: GPICA agreed to a funding match for all Chiquita Lock donations made by GPICA members. Currently three donations have been submitted using our online payment system, Squareup.com, which deducts a fee for the use of its services. GPICA is supporting the full match and making up the payment difference. GPICA received the follow donations through Squareup:
$25.00 for which we received $23.97, service fee of $1.03. $200.00 for which GPICA received $194.70, service fee of $5.30. $100.00 for which GPICA received $96.80, service fee of $3.20
Difference GPICA will be making up the service fees in the amount of $9.53.
The Treasurer’s Report was accepted by the membership without question.
Board Elections
Scott Wilkinson presented information on the Board elections during the GPICA Annual Meeting. The Board recommends Connie D’Alessio and Sue Dahod for reelection and Steve Eldredge, who has been acting secretary, for election to the Board. All positions will be for a 3-year term. Scott then made a request for nominations from the floor. There were no nominations from the floor. There was a motion made and a second to close the floor nominations. There were no Nays. Since there were no nominations from the floor, Mr. Wilkinson asked for a motion to vote for the three candidates en banc. There was a motion made and seconded. There was no discussion and no Nays, and the three candidates were elect en banc.
Featured Speaker
President Deb Swisher Hicks then introduced the featured speaker, recent past president Robert Ballard from the Calusa Land Trust.
Calusa Land Trust (CLT)
Mr. Ballard then presented the history and mission of CLT and what members might do in order to help protect the Island and its habitat.
Incorporated in 1989 as the Calusa Land Trust and Nature Preserve of Pine Island, the CLT currently owns 2,400 acres on or adjacent to Pine Island. CLT currently has 222 active members (102 Island residents and 120 non-residents).
The CLT sources of revenue are memberships, donations, grants, land donations, fund raisers and investment income. Expenses include fundraising expenses, administrative, land acquisition, taxes and increasingly land stewardship.
Challenges for the CLT include getting Islanders involved, a small all-volunteer team, limited financial resources, high-priced land values, limited inventory of native habitat and the average age of the current membership.
Questions from the Membership
- What are current and expecting future maintenance costs of existing owned land?
- Is there anything the CLT does to promote membership?
- Is the CLT a cash buyer only or can they mortgage to buy property?
- Could you walk us through a transaction to purchase property by the CLT?
- Is there a reason why CLT land holdings show a somewhat disproportionate level of holdings down by St. James City?
- Have you worked with Florida Gulf Coast University or any of their environmental and land stewardship programs?
- Are there any updates on the developments that were presented at a GPICA meeting several months ago?
Other Community News
- Greater Pine Island Alliance (GPIA) is seeking volunteers for their Camp Noah March 18-22.
- The Greater Pine Island Alliance and Greater Pine Island Water Association are teaming up to apply for funding from the Lee County’s Disaster Block Grant to support community needed planning services.
- The FDEP of Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves is seeking volunteers for a multi-county water quality monitoring program.
Next Meeting
Next meeting of the GPICA is March 5 and will be held at The First Baptist Church of Pine Island (5363 Avenue D, Bokeelia). Future meetings will be held at this location.
—Respectfully submitted by Steve Eldredge, Secretary