From arobinson at islandinstitute.org Thu Jan 25 11:50:53 2007 From: arobinson at islandinstitute.org (Alden Robinson) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:50:53 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] test Message-ID: test of LI YRHC listserv -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From arobinson at islandinstitute.org Thu Jan 25 11:54:12 2007 From: arobinson at islandinstitute.org (Alden Robinson) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:54:12 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] test 2 Message-ID: test 2 of YRHC listserv -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From arobinson at islandinstitute.org Thu Jan 25 12:01:57 2007 From: arobinson at islandinstitute.org (Alden Robinson) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:01:57 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] Welcome to the YRHC listserver Message-ID: Dear Year-Round Housing Committee members, Thank you all for attending last night's meeting. For your convenience, I have created a listserver for you to use for your discussions. To use it, send your emails to housingcommittee at townoflongisland.us . Sending to this address automatically sends an email to everyone on the committee. By default, replying to a message from the listserver sends an email to the original sender only. To reply to the entire list, just add housingcommittee at townoflongisland.us to the CC field of your email. Thanks again for your help, and let me know if you need assistance, Alden -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Thu Jan 25 12:02:51 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:02:51 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] testing Message-ID: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Thu Jan 25 12:03:43 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:03:43 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] testing Message-ID: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From atierney at nortonne.com Thu Jan 25 12:50:31 2007 From: atierney at nortonne.com (Amy Tierney) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:50:31 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] FW: year round housing Message-ID: These are my quick comments that I sent to Mark earlier today and his response below my email. Amy Tierney Marketing Representative Please note coverage changes can not be taken nor coverages bound via this email system. thanks! ________________________________ From: Amy Tierney Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 10:55 AM To: 'mlongreene2 at aol.com' Subject: year round housing Hi Mark, I did my homework last night.... After reading the survey I have a few concerns basically for the year round survey. First, most of the year round residents now on the island are over thirty years old and homeowners. The response to the questions I think will come back as not being interested in this project because of that reason. (Unless) A point I think that should be brought up is something about 'do you know of anybody who would like to be living on the island but because of the housing market can not?' When I was in the Long Island Elementary school there were about 20 kids every year, lately it has been hovering around 10. Of the 6 kids in my class I am the only one still on the island as a year rounder. A lot of the kids my age and older that grew up on the island that would want to make the island their home have been forced to move to the mainland for various reasons, a lot to do with the housing market. Unfortunately, there are a number of houses on the island but most are not suitable as a year round residence. The home we are renting often requires the renters to move out for 3-4 weeks in the summer so the owners can come down, as well as being full of mold. The house really isn't a great year round place to be but that is the sacrifice we are making to be on the island. As you know we are having twins and want our kids to be on the island and go to the LI Elementary school. We are worried and the doctor has told us that we need to have the mold gone or we need to be gone by the time the babies are born but the landlords have been hesitant to do anything about the mold and we may be forced to move back to Portland because of lack of year round housing on the island. Of the five couples that were represented at the meeting last night I think most would be interested in affordable year round housing that they can own as opposed to rent. I think we are looking for stable places to live, not just a rental unit that could have easy turn over. Even if the land could be sold at a reasonable rate and have the land owners build a house they want and have it in the deed that they need to stay for so long, contribute to the community in a positive manner and other stipulations of the like- I think more younger families would be interested. But I think my main concern is the way the survey is worded towards the year round residents now wants to know if they themselves will need year round housing in the future and the fact of the matter is that the majority of the year round residents we have now are not worried about their housing needs, but maybe a child or family member or friend that has been forced off or will be due to the housing market needs to be addressed. Sorry for my rambling and long sentences but I'm at work and tried to get this off as quick as possible. Hope you can at least understand my points. Please fell free to email me back or call me here or at home. Thanks!!! Amy From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com [mailto:Mlongreene2 at aol.com] Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 12:13 PM To: Amy Tierney Cc: Mlongreene2 at aol.com Subject: Re: year round housing Hi Amy, Thanks for those good thoughts. (and for doing your homework on time!!) This survey is important to get right and would not be needed at all (in my opinion) had we not gotten the results we did on the Comp Plan survey. Maybe a question asking if respondents know of others living off the island who would like to return if housing were a possibility?? Maybe adding your ideas to the cover letter. Please go ahead and send what you sent me to everyone else on the Committee (see Alden's new Listserve) and we will move ahead with revisions after all have weighed in. Let me know as you think of other concerns. Thanks, Mark Amy Tierney Marketing Representative Norton Insurance Agency 275 US Route 1 Cumberland Foreside, ME 04110 Phone: 829-3450 Toll Free: 1-800-777-5244 Fax: 829-6350 atierney at nortonne.com Please note coverage changes can not be taken nor coverages bound via this email system. thanks! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 5675 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Fri Jan 26 14:15:22 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:15:22 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] FW: year round housing Message-ID: Hi Amy, I have been thinking about your concerns with the draft survey. I also am nervous that if this does not get a good response, we are in trouble so far as future support from our fellow citizens. I was concerned from the beginning that the survey wasn't asking questions relevant to most Long Islanders housing needs, unless they can think of their own kids needs and the other young folks coming along. We need to get this thing out, but not if it is going to fall flat. You are right, the survey is asking our residents questions that are not necessarily on their radar screens because most "us older folks" already own a home. If we need to put some more work into the survey, we will, even if it delays things a little. The pressure of the Comprehensive Plan deadlines is the major heat that is pushing us to get this done now. Katie asked the question at the meeting: "what do we do next if the survey results that come back are not good?" I do not know. What I do know is that this is a very open minded community and most will listen and support those things that keep this place healthy. Grand examples - the creation of the Town, the new library, money for new rescue boat etc. WE need to educate folks (our friends and families) as to how important this is. I have written an article in almost every Long Islander on this issue for the last 2 years and have felt a bit like a lone voice in the wind, but people may be tired of hearing me! I cannot tell you how pleased Chee, Steve Train, and myself were to have you all turn out the other night, as we have been the only ones at most previous meetings. Here is my suggestion to all. There is a Long Islander coming out in a week or so (Feb. 1 deadline). Why don't some of you (or all of you) compose a letter urging support for the YRHC to move forward with planning for a first project (whatever we decide eventually that project should be). You folks are fresh voices on this topic and have good ideas and stuff to say. In addition, you might turn this letter or article or whatever you decide to do into an information sheet that you can hand to your friends and family just before we mail out the survey and hope that the straightforward story you have to tell about the housing situation here gets us the favorable response we need to go forward. I will also be e-mailing you the draft minutes of our meeting this week and will submit them to the Long Islander as a means of continuing to raises peoples' awareness of this issue. I think the more we keep this issue out there the better people will begin to understand it. Keep your ideas coming. Thanks, Mark -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Fri Jan 26 14:28:02 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:28:02 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] comments Message-ID: Katie - Take a moment to see my letter to Amy, as it covers some of the same good concerns you have raised. We can eventually go in whatever direction the group (and voters) decides best, but first I ask all to keep an open mind as to all possibilities and the limitations under which we may have to operate. There is NO question that the best thing would be private land/private home/free market system. We will look at the pros and cons as we get further along here, but at least let us agree to stay together towards any decisions like that and focus on the prize: housing that will allow this community to survive and prosper the crushing real estate forces on the entire coast of Maine that threaten your ability to be in this great Town. (whew - I am exhausted after that sentence). To all members: Please weigh in about meeting next Wed. at 7PM again and submit topics for us to focus on. Town Hall is not available, but I will check on the library. Reminder: Please copy everyone with your comments to keep us up to speed. I am just replying to whoever e-mails me and then in the copy to: putting: _housingcommittee at townoflongisland.us_ (mailto:housingcommittee at townoflongisland.us) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Fri Jan 26 14:35:19 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:35:19 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] draft minutes of Jan. 24, 2007 meeting Message-ID: Here is a draft of this weeks meeting: Please submit any changes. Thanks, Mark (I have reserved the library conf. room for a meeting on Wed. Jan. 31 at 7 PM Please submit topics to focus on. Thanks, MG (Alden says that he is unsure attachments will work just yet-will try, so I have copied document within) Town of Long Island Year-Round Housing Committee (YRHC) Minutes— Jan. 24, 2007 Alden Robinson Attending: Mark Greene (Housing Admin.); Ruth Peterson (Selectman); Cade Brown; Jonathan Norton; Katie Wegner; Will Tierney; Amy Tierney; Leah Doughty; Tom Hohn; Tammy Hohn; Alden Robinson (Island fellow). Meeting called to order: 7:00. 1. Mark Greene described the history of the Year-Round Housing Committee (YRHC) up to this point to new members, and then explained the background info packets distributed to each. 2. The YRHC discussed the mechanics of a proposed housing survey and asked for preliminary feedback to some questions. Members were asked to review and critique these surveys in the next few days before they are sent out. 3. The Committee briefly discussed different models for housing programs on other islands, including rental homes and purchase arrangements with covenants. A general proposal for a “starter” project goal, which had been floated at earlier YRHC meetings, was discussed. It would be a single-family, energy efficient, house on town land to be initially rented and possibly sold later with covenants to keep it year round in the future. 4. The Committee discussed the relationship of the proposed housing interest survey to the recently completed comprehensive plan survey. It was felt by some that the comprehensive plan survey questions did not clearly explain or gauge the real housing issues facing Long Island. If a more detailed housing specific survey brought back a clearer idea of what Long Islanders would support, the question was raised whether these results might be included in the final comprehensive plan, since any State grants and funding seem to be dependent on what is in the comprehensive plan. Mark Greene has met with the Comp Plan Committee and asked that question, but it was not known by committee members how different results, if presented, might be integrated to the survey. It was noted that the Comp. Plan survey, while lukewarm to “ affordable housing” gave a 79% “very important” vote to supporting “the existence of a year round community on Long Island.” This is good, but certainly raises doubts about responses and possibly conflicts with the Comprehensive Plan questions about “affordable housing.” 5. The Committee discussed potential funding sources for any future housing projects, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Genesis Foundation and possible funds from the Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA). 6. The Committee members present agreed to quickly provide feedback about any suggestions to improve the housing survey. If enough issues were found with the draft survey another meeting would be called next week. If approved by the YRHC, the surveys will hopefully go out in a week or two in order to get results back in a timely fashion in relation to the comprehensive plan deadlines. 7. Alden agreed to make a listserver so we could communicate efficiently and quickly with each other between formal meetings. All attendees were urged to ask others to join in. Anyone who would like to be on the YRHC e-mail list, can contact Alden at arobinson at islandinstitute.org Meeting adjourned: 7:50. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHCminutes1.24.07.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 23552 bytes Desc: not available URL: From atierney at nortonne.com Fri Jan 26 14:44:42 2007 From: atierney at nortonne.com (Amy Tierney) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:44:42 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] comments References: Message-ID: Will and I are up for a meeting next Wednesday. Some meeting topic suggestions: * the survey and getting that completed with some new good questions that will provoke a positive response * should come with questions in hand * the next steps we will have to take once the survey comes back with positive responses. * what land we have available to us, * the options we have available- renting vs. owning, where money will come from and how to apply for it Amy Tierney Marketing Representative Please note coverage changes can not be taken nor coverages bound via this email system. thanks! ________________________________ From: housingcommittee-bounces at townoflongisland.us [mailto:housingcommittee-bounces at townoflongisland.us] On Behalf Of Mlongreene2 at aol.com Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 2:28 PM To: katie_wegner at hotmail.com Cc: housingcommittee at townoflongisland.us Subject: Re: [Year-Round Housing Committee] comments Katie - Take a moment to see my letter to Amy, as it covers some of the same good concerns you have raised. We can eventually go in whatever direction the group (and voters) decides best, but first I ask all to keep an open mind as to all possibilities and the limitations under which we may have to operate. There is NO question that the best thing would be private land/private home/free market system. We will look at the pros and cons as we get further along here, but at least let us agree to stay together towards any decisions like that and focus on the prize: housing that will allow this community to survive and prosper the crushing real estate forces on the entire coast of Maine that threaten your ability to be in this great Town. (whew - I am exhausted after that sentence). To all members: Please weigh in about meeting next Wed. at 7PM again and submit topics for us to focus on. Town Hall is not available, but I will check on the library. Reminder: Please copy everyone with your comments to keep us up to speed. I am just replying to whoever e-mails me and then in the copy to: putting: housingcommittee at townoflongisland.us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Fri Jan 26 15:20:46 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 15:20:46 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] comments Message-ID: Amy, Good topics for next meeting. Others please add to this list. It would be good to have a list of former Long Island folks who might return if the housing scene was different. Let's compile one and put these folks on our mailing list. MG -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cadebro at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 19:24:38 2007 From: cadebro at gmail.com (Cade Brown) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:24:38 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] Comments Message-ID: I have gone over the surveys and I think they do a good job of collecting information on the current housing on the island, and that's what a survey is for. I also share Amy's concerns and I think Mark makes a good point that we need to raise awareness of housing on the island. For those who have it there is no concern nor exposure to the issues, so there is no reason for favorable answers on a survey. But I also don't think you want to push the issue in the survey itself, that it should be (and feel) neutral and for information only. I definitely think there should be another meeting (though I might not be able to attend next Wednesday night) to discuss things further. It's easier to discuss matters face to face, rather than in the linear fashion of emails. And, I think one thing that should be discussed is whether YRHC should hinge on the town accepting the results of the comprehensive plan. It might (and that is a might, not a fact) cut off State funding, but there are other means. To be frank, there is a reason I (and most of the other 200 year-round residents) put up with the cold winters, CBL schedule, expensive gas and cost of living, lack of social entertainment, and that's because we are passionate about our island. I want to raise my children in the LI School. I want them to grow up next to Will and Amy's twins. I want to volunteer as much of my time as possible to help this community thrive. And I'll be damned if I'm going to give up on Long Island because some can't see that there need to be young working families on the island to keep it sustained during the cold months. The first 13 years of the Town of Long Island marked a period of the island gaining its feet and its independence. A lot of time and money was spent forming its government and infrastructure. The debt to Portland is paid off, and a decent infrastructure is in place. I think it's time that Long Island stops spending on itself, and starts investing on itself. By that I mean more support for its school, its rec department, year round housing, assisted living, finding a way to bring more jobs to the island and young people to fill those jobs. Where will Long Island be in 10 years? 15? 20? I know that the average age of the Fire Department is 40, the average age of the EMTs is 50. Is there a town employee under the age of 40? I can only think of my wife. Those are some scary thoughts to me. Anyway, if the outlook is bad after the surveys we shouldn't give up. We should press forward in other ways. Habitat for Humanity works by volunteers helping building affordable homes, and those who receive have to participate in building future homes. The state-funded YRHC is planning on starting of with one efficient home to be rented out. With enough help and hard work the same could be accomplished free of state-funding. And, as with the current plan, see where it goes from there. That's all I have for now. And, Alden, can you add my wife's email to this list. She won't be able to attend any meetings, but I'm sure she is interested and might have some input as well. lillystar3 at aol.com From tomtam1997 at yahoo.com Sat Jan 27 10:36:41 2007 From: tomtam1997 at yahoo.com (Tammy Hohn) Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 07:36:41 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] housing Message-ID: <95192.58817.qm@web55511.mail.re4.yahoo.com> Tom and I would definitely like to meet again next week. In going through the survey, I share Amy's concern that it seems to ask current homeowners if they will need housing in the future. I also think that the proposal in the letter (the town building a year-round rental) may bias people from the start. As Cade said, it should be neutral, and I think that by including that proposal, people will make a judgment before taking the survey. So, I'd like to see proposals for year-round housing in the survey only, and perhaps ask the people taking the survey to number their preferences so that the committee would have a better idea of which proposal would have the most community support. My general thoughts are as follows: -For those attending the meeting (aside from Amy and Will with the mold issue) the problem appears to lie in permanent year-round housing rather than year-round rental housing. -There are currently no homes or land for sale that a working-class family could afford. -In order to maintain a year-round community, the committee should consider rental housing and permanent housing. The proposal, for a single year-round rental to be built, would bring numerous problems in my opinion, including: -It involves the town using funds to not only build the house, but also to maintain it as a landlord does. Will the town need to pay a property manager? This is a large financial investment. -Who will decide which family gets the house? Will another one be built? -If this will be a serious proposal, a time line should be proposed as well. It could take a great deal of time for one home to be built. -There are already five families looking for year-round housing, I think that timeliness should be considered in resolving the housing issue. That's all for now, Tammy ____________________________________________________________________________________ Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Sat Jan 27 13:39:24 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 13:39:24 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] proposed agenda and thank you Message-ID: Hi All, I was pleased and encouraged by all of the good thoughts that you all shared with each other these past few days. It will not be easy and there will be honest differences of opinion to come, but that will make a better product in the end and equally of note something that the community will support and help make happen. Keep your "eyes on the prize", which I hope is an improvement in the availability of reasonable housing options for those that wish to live here. Attached is a proposed agenda for the next meeting. I will post it in normal places. Maybe you might print and hand a copy to someone else interested in this. Note it is NOT at Town Hall. Thank you, Mark YEAR ROUND HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING Wed., Jan. 31, 2007 7PM –Learning Center Agenda for this meeting: 1. Review proposed survey/changes 2. Discuss other island models. 3. Refine possible goals. 4. Discuss where we go from here. 5. Open time for ideas from you. All welcome. Questions??? Call Mark Greene, 766 4440 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YEAR ROUND HOUSING- Jan. 31.doc meeting notice.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 19968 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Sun Jan 28 19:03:32 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 19:03:32 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] LongIslander and Wed. YRHC meeting Message-ID: Having had a chance to hear from all of you via e-mail or telephone was very useful feedback. If I may make a suggestion from all of your concerns (and mine too): we have a real issue and a real community problem that will be supported by the community once folks (older and younger) fully appreciate the ramifications of these housing issues. It is amazing to even mention the concept of "affordable housing" to folks here (seasonal or yearround) and see the negative response. Once, however, I discuss the issue and possible solutions (which I have been doing for quite some time) one by one, folks generally come around. I think we need to focus on what our message is, in the same way you would for a political campaign, and boil it down to some real, honest, short ideas that frame clearly the need and how it does not mean welfare or lost taxes or slum housing or any of the things that lurk in people's minds over this issue. That may be the most important thing we can do next Wed. The LongIslander is received by the vast majority of folks here, seasonal and yearround. I had mentioned this idea briefly last week, but I think that an article by some of you, rather than me, would be most appropriate in this Feb. issue. Like the survey cover sheet, it probably should not suggest possible solutions, just outline the housing problem and reasons that it needs solutions. The deadline for this issue is Thursday, Feb. 1, and the next issue is not until April, long after the survey has gone out and been returned. The timing of this, while very soon, is good but we must get something ready Wed. evening. We should hold back sending out the survey until people have received this issue. If you agree, please bring some drafts of possible articles or letters you might submit for the group to review and critique or even better, circulate them via the e-mail for review ahead of the meeting. Obviously you do not need the groups review of anything to send it in if you want. I will be submitting the minutes of the last meeting as is unless anyone has further changes to make to them. Best, Mark -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Mon Jan 29 13:29:53 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:29:53 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] LongIslander and Wed. YRHC meeting Message-ID: Hi Katie, Chris McDuffie's e-mail address is: _cmcduffie at earthlink.net_ (mailto:cmcduffie at earthlink.net) for LongIslander articles. Would you mind waiting to actually send it until after our meeting on Wed. so that we can discuss what stategy will work best to keep peoples' minds open until we get the survey out? Thanks, Mark -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From arobinson at islandinstitute.org Mon Jan 29 16:29:32 2007 From: arobinson at islandinstitute.org (Alden Robinson) Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:29:32 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] new listserver members Message-ID: Dear Year-Round Housing Committee, At your request, I have added two new members to this listserver: Steve Train and Missy Brown. As always, feel free to contact me with questions or requests. Thanks! Alden -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From arobinson at islandinstitute.org Tue Jan 30 17:37:30 2007 From: arobinson at islandinstitute.org (Alden Robinson) Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:37:30 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] one more member Message-ID: Hello YRHC, I have added the town office email to this list so that the selectmen may receive hard copies of our correspondence. See you all tomorrow night, Alden -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cadebro at gmail.com Tue Jan 30 17:40:11 2007 From: cadebro at gmail.com (Cade Brown) Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:40:11 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] Meeting Message-ID: Comprehensive Planning has a meeting at the Learning Center tomorrow night at 7pm as well. Just wanted to make sure you were aware of that. Or is that the plan, to hold both meetings together? From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Tue Jan 30 19:22:37 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 19:22:37 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] Meeting Message-ID: Hi Cade, Thanks for the alert, but I reserved the conference room off the library and CP meeting is in the larger function room. I was unaware that they also had a meeting the same nite until the other day. Hope you can make it. Thanks, Mark -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Wed Jan 31 21:01:41 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:01:41 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] YRHC Meeting letter request Message-ID: 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. We will get you minutes and other materials from tonight's meeting in the next day or so. Thanks, Mark Cade's letter of Jan. 26: I have gone over the surveys and I think they do a good job of collecting information on the current housing on the island, and that's what a survey is for. I also share Amy's concerns and I think Mark makes a good point that we need to raise awareness of housing on the island. For those who have it there is no concern nor exposure to the issues, so there is no reason for favorable answers on a survey. But I also don't think you want to push the issue in the survey itself, that it should be (and feel) neutral and for information only. I definitely think there should be another meeting (though I might not be able to attend next Wednesday night) to discuss things further. It's easier to discuss matters face to face, rather than in the linear fashion of emails. And, I think one thing that should be discussed is whether YRHC should hinge on the town accepting the results of the comprehensive plan. It might (and that is a might, not a fact) cut off State funding, but there are other means. To be frank, there is a reason I (and most of the other 200 year-round residents) put up with the cold winters, CBL schedule, expensive gas and cost of living, lack of social entertainment, and that's because we are passionate about our island. I want to raise my children in the LI School. I want them to grow up next to Will and Amy's twins. I want to volunteer as much of my time as possible to help this community thrive. And I'll be damned if I'm going to give up on Long Island because some can't see that there need to be young working families on the island to keep it sustained during the cold months. The first 13 years of the Town of Long Island marked a period of the island gaining its feet and its independence. A lot of time and money was spent forming its government and infrastructure. The debt to Portland is paid off, and a decent infrastructure is in place. I think it's time that Long Island stops spending on itself, and starts investing on itself. By that I mean more support for its school, its rec department, year round housing, assisted living, finding a way to bring more jobs to the island and young people to fill those jobs. Where will Long Island be in 10 years? 15? 20? I know that the average age of the Fire Department is 40, the average age of the EMTs is 50. Is there a town employee under the age of 40? I can only think of my wife. Those are some scary thoughts to me. Anyway, if the outlook is bad after the surveys we shouldn't give up. We should press forward in other ways. Habitat for Humanity works by volunteers helping building affordable homes, and those who receive have to participate in building future homes. The state-funded YRHC is planning on starting of with one efficient home to be rented out. With enough help and hard work the same could be accomplished free of state-funding. And, as with the current plan, see where it goes from there. That's all I have for now. And, Alden, can you add my wife's email to this list. She won't be able to attend any meetings, but I'm sure she is interested and might have some input as well. lillystar3 at aol.com _______________________________________________ housingcommittee mailing list housingcommittee@ http://townoflongisland.us/mailman/listinfo/housingcommittee_townoflongisland. us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Wed Jan 31 21:11:36 2007 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:11:36 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing Committee] Cover letter for survey - correct draft Message-ID: Attached is the corrected draft of the cover letter that should have been sent to you earlier. Please trash the original version sent out. Sorry for the error. I have not made the changes yet that we discussed tonight, but I will remove the mention of the proposed initial project and add the idea or question about "Could you afford to but the house you are living in now? Any other bits of fine tuning are welcome and feel free to send those to me as soon as you have them. Alden will send out new copies of the two surveys for you to retake and critique for next meeting. Save the survey changes for the meeting next Wed. Thanks for taking the time tonight - hope it was helpful. 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