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<DIV>Hi Cade, At this evenings meeting we discussed the possibility of an
article or letter to the LongIslander to help bring our citizens a little more
up to speed on the reasons YRH is a serious issue. The more of this PR we
can do before the survey goes out, the better. Your e-mail to all of us
this week was excellent and I would ask you on behalf of the YRHC if you would
consider sending a version of it to Chris McDuffie for the coming Long
Islander. If so, modify and edit it any way you wish, but its
content and spirit hit the point. The deadline for the
Long Islander is tomorrow, Feb. 1, but I think we can get an extension of a day
or two if needed. Let me know if this is agreeable and
if so, I will assist in any way you need.</DIV>
<DIV>We will get you minutes and other materials from tonight's meeting in the
next day or so.</DIV>
<DIV>Thanks, Mark</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cade's letter of Jan. 26:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have gone over the surveys and I think they do a good job
of<BR>collecting information on the current housing on the island, and<BR>that's
what a survey is for. I also share Amy's concerns and I think<BR>Mark
makes a good point that we need to raise awareness of housing on<BR>the
island. For those who have it there is no concern nor exposure to<BR>the
issues, so there is no reason for favorable answers on a survey.<BR>But I also
don't think you want to push the issue in the survey<BR>itself, that it should
be (and feel) neutral and for information only.<BR><BR>I definitely think there
should be another meeting (though I might not<BR>be able to attend next
Wednesday night) to discuss things further.<BR>It's easier to discuss matters
face to face, rather than in the linear<BR>fashion of emails. And, I think
one thing that should be discussed is<BR>whether YRHC should hinge on the town
accepting the results of the<BR>comprehensive plan. It might (and that is
a might, not a fact) cut<BR>off State funding, but there are other means.
To be frank, there is a<BR>reason I (and most of the other 200 year-round
residents) put up with<BR>the cold winters, CBL schedule, expensive gas and cost
of living, lack<BR>of social entertainment, and that's because we are passionate
about<BR>our island. I want to raise my children in the LI School. I
want<BR>them to grow up next to Will and Amy's twins. I want to volunteer
as<BR>much of my time as possible to help this community thrive. And
I'll<BR>be damned if I'm going to give up on Long Island because some
can't<BR>see that there need to be young working families on the island to
keep<BR>it sustained during the cold months.<BR><BR>The first 13 years of the
Town of Long Island marked a period of the<BR>island gaining its feet and its
independence. A lot of time and money<BR>was spent forming its government
and infrastructure. The debt to<BR>Portland is paid off, and a decent
infrastructure is in place. I<BR>think it's time that Long Island stops
spending on itself, and starts<BR>investing on itself. By that I mean more
support for its school, its<BR>rec department, year round housing, assisted
living, finding a way to<BR>bring more jobs to the island and young people to
fill those jobs.<BR><BR>Where will Long Island be in 10 years? 15? 20? I
know that the<BR>average age of the Fire Department is 40, the average age of
the EMTs<BR>is 50. Is there a town employee under the age of 40? I
can only<BR>think of my wife. Those are some scary thoughts to
me.<BR><BR>Anyway, if the outlook is bad after the surveys we shouldn't give
up.<BR>We should press forward in other ways. Habitat for Humanity works
by<BR>volunteers helping building affordable homes, and those who
receive<BR>have to participate in building future homes. The state-funded
YRHC<BR>is planning on starting of with one efficient home to be rented
out.<BR>With enough help and hard work the same could be accomplished free
of<BR>state-funding. And, as with the current plan, see where it goes
from<BR>there.<BR><BR>That's all I have for now. And, Alden, can you add
my wife's email to<BR>this list. She won't be able to attend any meetings,
but I'm sure she<BR>is interested and might have some input as well.
lillystar3@aol.com<BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>housingcommittee
mailing
list<BR>housingcommittee@<BR>http://townoflongisland.us/mailman/listinfo/housingcommittee_townoflongisland.us<BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>