Frye Island Winter Newletter 2003

Greetings to All:

It is hard to believe that the opening of the Island is right around the corner. However, this has been an "Old Fashioned" winter in Maine this year. It started during the last week of October when the temperature dropped below freezing which resulted in a number of water lines freezing and hydrants breaking. We were fortunate that the temperature rose above freezing the following week and the PWD crew was able to get the main lines drained and blown out and most of the repairs made. We hope this won't cause too many problems when we re-open. Now, in the middle of March, winter continues. As I sit here in the office preparing this report, the snow is falling from the sky, we still have close to 3 feet of ice on the lake and a couple of feet of snow on the Island. We certainly join everyone in hopes that we have a warm spring and there are no delays getting the Island open.

I would like to take just a few minutes to update you on some of the projects we have been working on this winter.

We were finally able to get the title search completed on the mainland property where the ferry trailer and ramp are located and the sale of this property from FII to the Town is now complete.
The purchase of the lot on the Raymond Cape has stalled. There is a deed restriction on the property that limits any construction to “residential only.” This would require that all of the residents in this sub-division sign-off on a municipal facility which some are reluctant to do.
The re-evaluation of all of the property on the Island is still on-going and will be completed when we return to the Island. The results of the re-evaluation will be reflected in the 2004 taxes. I have included a report from the Assessor for your review. The report was prepared in December.
We are finalizing the details of a contract with First Response Security to provide law enforcement services on the Island for the summer.
We are still trying to finalize the purchase of the “right of way to the ferry landing” on the mainland. The survey is complete; we are just waiting for the property owner, Carl Bloom, to prepare the deed. I have been assured that this will happen soon.
The Department of Environmental Protection has approved the amendments to the Land Use Ordinance that were approved by Island voters at the October town

MSAD 6: Oleg Svetlichny, our representative on the MSAD 6 board has reported the following:

On March 14^th the Budget Committee, of which I am a member, voted to present the subject budget to the full Board. This budget is smaller than the current year budget. That is the good news. The bad news is that even with this reduction of $175,017.00 the towns will need to pay more than what they did in FY 02-03. This is so because of our revenue side shortages. Good news is that this increase to local allocations is modest. Town of Frye Island would pay only $10,780.24 more.

I will let you know what the full board will do. We, as members of the full board, can add to and subtract from, the figure of $32,408,520 before voting on the final figure for the referendum.

Fire Dept: Fire Chief, Steve Persson, has prepared an excellent report on the volunteer fire department which has been included on our web-site. Everyone should take the time to read it. I have included the following list of fire and emergency calls they participated in for your information:

During the year of 2002 the Fire Department responded to the following thirty-six (36) incidents.

New Hires: In January, I hired Nancy McEnaney, to help in the office. Many of you may know Nancy as she was the temporary bookkeeper for the Town last summer. Nancy has been working diligently this winter organizing our files and helping me review and update policies and procedures. This summer, she will resume her role as our bookkeeper. Nancy has also attended a number of training programs to become qualified as a Deputy Town Clerk. In this capacity, she will be able to assist all of our residents at the counter including processing boat and automobile registrations. Please welcome her when the Island reopens.

Sarah Wolcheski has been hired as the Recreation Director for the summer. Sarah is Activities Director for the Portland Boys and Girls Club. Her current position follows the school year which will allow her to become part of our summer schedule. Sarah will work closely with the Recreation Commission to provide activities for all of our Islanders this summer.

Summer Hours: This summer the office will be open for business from 9:00AM until 3:00PM Monday through Saturday.

Like all of you, I am getting anxious to get back to the Island. I must warn you however, that the severity of this winter may force delays in the opening. We are scheduled to open on Friday April 25^th but we must have the water system on and all of the safety and emergency services in operation before we can open. Please watch our web-site as we approach the scheduled opening. We will use that vehicle to keep you all updated. If you do not have access to our web site you can call the winter office at 207-892-6517. I thank everyone for their support this winter and I look forward to working with you this season to make this a very enjoyable summer.

v All Golf and Yacht Club members will receive an invoice the first week in April. These invoices will be based on categories charged for the previous year.

v 2003 Taxes – The first half tax payment was due on Jan 1, 2003. Second half payments are due on July 2003. If you haven’t paid your taxes yet, call the winter office at 207-892-6517 for a current amount. The interest rate on late tax payments is 8.75%.

v Information changes: If your address, phone or email changes please contact the office with an update or send us an email.

2003 Ferry Schedule: The Board of Selectmen approved the 2003 Ferry schedule at the March 1^st 2003 meeting. The first ferry of the season is scheduled to run at 7:30 A.M. on Friday April 25^th. The last ferry of the season is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. on Monday November 3^rd. The schedule during the season remains essentially the same as 2002 with the 20 minute schedule during the high season. The monthly schedules for the entire season can be reviewed on our web site.

Meeting Schedule: The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen / Board of Island Trustees has been scheduled for Saturday May 3^rd at 9:00A.M. at the Administration Building on the Island. The next meeting of the Frye Island Inc. Board has been scheduled for Friday May 9^th at 8:30P.M. at the Administration Building.

Last year was a very busy year on Frye Island. Many projects were completed or are very near completion.

The Playground at the Community Center was finished in a weekend with volunteer help and matching funds from Frye Island Inc. and the Town of Frye

Frye Island Family Park was dedicated thanks to many volunteers and people who made donations to accomplish this wonderful task.

A new basketball court was constructed at the Community Center. The surface of the court will be sealed and striped this spring and ready for use shortly after the Island opens. Once again thanks to Frye Island, Inc. for contributing matching

A Ferry Haul Out Facility has been installed adjacent to the Old Fire Barn on the Island. This project was started after the Island closed and is complete except for some finishing touches and adjustments. The ferries can now be pulled out of the water for inspections and routine maintenance.

A new Front Runner Road Rake has been purchased, with a matching grant from The Portland Water District. This piece of equipment was given a trial run last year and worked very well on our roads.

A new Town Manager, Wayne Fournier, was hired last fall. Wayne is a resident of Frye Island and is doing very well in his new position.

Hopefully, this year will be just as productive for The Town of Frye Island. Some of the things being looked at in 2003 are improvements to our water system improving the ferry schedule during high season, better security/police protection.

The Selectmen would like to thank those who volunteer their time and talents to serve on the many committees, commissions, and boards that handle the Town's business. We encourage all interested persons to join us in a mutual effort to improve our Town. There are many available openings each year and if you are interested in serving The Town of Frye Island, please make it known to one of the Selectmen or the Town Manager.

We hardy folks who brave the New England winters take our mini mental vacations from the cold and snow dreaming about our summer retreat.

Boaters, dreaming about watching the sun set floating on our crystal lake, did you know that you can save precious warm weather days by reregistering your boat by mail? It is easy. All you need is a stamped self addressed envelope, a copy of last year’s registration, and a check for the following four items: the indicated registration fee, the one dollar for the Town fee, thirty one dollars for the state excise tax and a ten dollar Maine mandated milfoil sticker. Mail them all to the Town of Frye Island, One Sunset Road, Frye Is. Me. 04071.

While you are at it, you might also want to take advantage of the new area at Paddock Circle made available for storing boat trailers. It is only $50 a year. What a deal! Call the Town office to reserve your spot.

Hikers, our Conservation Commissioon has begun clearing hiking trails drawn on the original maps of the island. Try them. You can also help clear the rest by calling Commission Chairman, Ed Charrette.

Golfers, the course improves every year thanks to the good efforts of wonderful volunteers. This year is the first in a trial to see if it is feasible to transfer the financial concerns to the Town. Stay tuned.

Fun lovers (that’s everyone, I hope) our newly appointed Recreation Commission, chaired by Phil and Nancy Perry, is working on island wide activities, especially on peak holiday weekends. They are looking for talented people who would like to share their special gifts. Call them if you can offer to conduct a workshop or demonstration or lead a special event.

All islanders would be interested in the very thorough report on our website written by Fire Chief Steve Persson. It is comforting to know that so many of our fire fighters are trained as EMTs. We appreciate their commitment to public safety.

The Garden Club will have a creative challenge this year. How do we beautify the new ferry haul out system at the island landing? They are bound to come up with an aesthetically pleasing solution to this conundrum.

Dream on friends. Think about warm sunny days. Make bets on when the three feet thick crust of ice on the lake will disappear. Get ready for another great season on Frye Island.

Twenty (20) new slips are being added to the Marina this Spring. Some slips in Quail Circle will also open up before the season. Most--and hopefully all--Islanders on the Waiting List should have a slip available.

A revised Frye Island Yacht Club Operations Policy Handbook has been adopted. It is available on line at www.fryeisland.com or you can call the office to arrange for a copy. Some of the highlights are:

- “Annually Renewable” slips are now designated in the Marina. They will be assigned to one house during the period of ownership, and passed on according to the Waiting List when the owner sells.

- “Waiting List” policies are formalized, and made fair and open. If you foresee needing a slip in the future, you should get on the Waiting List!

- One House/One Slip is the policy for future slip assignments, so that the greatest number of Islanders can use a slip. With respect to past multiple slip holders, the Marina Committee and the FII Board are considering which ones to continue.

- Quail Circle Annually Renewable Slip: $150.00 - Equity Rights Slip: $225.00
- Annually Renewable Marina Slip: $750.00

- Due Dates: Fees are due when the Island opens, with a grace period until Memorial Day.

THE DUE DATES ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SLIPS MAY BE REASSIGNED TO THE WAITING LIST IF FEES ARE NOT PAID ON TIME.

- Sticker System: All boats using Marina or Quail Circle Slips will have a sticker, and to get the sticker you must have:

As the Island grows, the boat slip facilities are becoming strained. The Marina Committee and Frye Island Inc. Board have spent a great amount of time and effort to address this situation, when revising the Frye Island Yacht Club Policy.

It has been a long cold winter in Maine and the thought of heading off the first tee for a round of golf has kept my spirits from falling as far as the thermometer. I hope you have enjoyed good health and stayed warm and will soon be ready to return to Frye Island.

The Golf Committee has been busy preparing for the coming season and it has been surprising the amount of planning and work that has been accomplished during the off season by the Committee. I wanted to share the changes that you might expect to see and describe the plans we have made, and would welcome your feedback or thoughts you may have.

It may be helpful to think back to last season for a minute when I believe golfers found their golf course in the best shape it has ever been in. The improved condition of the golf course can be attributed to a number of factors. First, obviously the people who work on the golf course are the critical element in maintaining and improving the playing conditions of the course and their committed efforts are greatly appreciated. The Golf Committee and the Island Administration also played a role in the planning and management of activities at the golf course and thereby assisted in these changes. I also believe the recent investment of about a year and a half ago, in some basic but necessary golf course equipment has paid huge dividends and its value may sometimes be overlooked. Lastly, the members and island owners in general have made sizable contributions in providing volunteer time to make the golf course and its related facilities a valuable community asset for Frye Island. The combination of these and other factors culminated into the conditions of our golf course significantly improving last year and we expect to continue to make further improvements in the future.

As you might expect though, we encountered some struggles last year also and we are challenged to deal with these issues while still setting our goals higher for the coming season. The underlying theme to the issues of last year and the changes of this year will revolve around finances. Unfortunately, by the time the season came to a close last year the realization that our finances were in trouble came too late and we weren’t able to adjust our expenses soon enough. For the coming season we are committed to not only covering our expenses for this season, but we set goals during the budgeting process to build a surplus to carryover in to future years. With a combination of more intensive planning, expense controls and improved efficiencies we think we will be up to the challenge.

Here are some of those changes that we have identified and will be implementing this season. Maybe the toughest decision came in the area of staffing, when at the end of last season we had to re-evaluate the ability of our nine hole golf course to support certain positions. Ultimately, we felt we couldn’t fund the year round position of a golf professional so we decided to not renew Rob Lawson’s contract for the 2003 season. Rob brought a number of good suggestions and changes to the course, unfortunately we were not able to increase revenue to support the sizable added expense of this position. Although we do not have any specific plans for a part time golf pro for the coming season, we have discussed the possibility that in future years we may look to set up an arrangement to have one of the pro’s from a local course to be on the island a couple days a week to give lessons and provide input to the golf course. This change away from having a full time golf pro will have a significant favorable impact on our expenses, but we will also try to offset the loss of the course management expertise by considering a consulting relationship with one of the local course superintendents on an as needed basis.

Another change that is expected to save the course a fair amount in expenses is through a new relationship with the town. Beginning this season, Frye Island Inc. will lease the golf course to the town and by doing so we should to be able to save on expenses in a variety of areas including things such as property taxes, sales tax exemptions on purchases of items like loam, gravel, fertilizer etc. We can save money by combining administrative costs and making certain tasks more efficient such as payroll. We think there are also saving opportunities in purchasing workers compensation insurance and general liability coverage through the municipality.

In some areas, to improve our financial position we felt there was a need to defer certain changes until we are in a better financial position. The idea of building a driving range in the near future gained significant momentum at the end of last year with some islanders, and a number of ideas regarding fund raising and financing were tossed around. We discussed the potential construction of a driving range at the winter meeting including review of some cost, revenue and financing options. In the end however, we came to the conclusion that it would more prudent to defer consideration of this project until we returned to profitability and stabilized our finances.

Another change that we will implement will be to have the Golf Committee play a more active role in overseeing a number of aspects of the golf operation. By doing so, we think this will allow us to plan, communicate and achieve our objectives in a more efficient manner. Specifically, Bruce Nisula will be the coordinator of the course operations including ongoing maintenance and improvements to the course. He will provide guidance to Jay and the golf course crew on the priorities of the Golf Committee and look to keep control of the expenditures per the budget. Likewise, I will be the coordinator of the clubhouse and lounge and will look to make some improvements to the financial systems and internal controls directed toward improving profitability. In the area of our inside operation I’m pleased to announce Laura Crosby has accepted the position of the Clubhouse and Lounge Manager and with Laura’s past work experience in this area I’m sure she will do an excellent job. Kathy Lyons will be the coordinator of Pro Shop Retail area and will work with Laura to bring profitability back to this part of the operation as opposed to the losses that we have recently experienced. Tom Bishop will be the coordinator of golf tournaments and will require that those people sponsoring or running tournaments at the course follow established guidelines for running a tournament i.e. earlier and better communication of the event, clearly stated formats, requirements for care and cleanup of the facility etc. Better communication and organization will help to make these events fun and attractive for tournament participants. John Kett will be coordinator of the Sunday morning scramble and will provide notification of the scramble formats, clarify rules, and John will see that an individual will be assigned to organize and select teams each Sunday morning. I also will be the coordinator of work days and will be responsible for communicating these events and coordinating the efforts of those participating.

There you have it, an overview of our plans for the coming season. At our winter meeting in early February, Bruce Nisula provided some statistics about the vast operating budgets and scores of staff that the average golf course has at its disposal. These statistics made us on the Committee stop and realize what a valuable asset we have and made us appreciate the efforts of both past and present staff and volunteers of the Frye Island Golf Course. I hope the continued improvements that we have planned will provide even more enjoyable golf for every golfer at our course for the coming season.

As I finalize this letter, the temperature here in Maine is still in the teens and it is close to mid March, so I will hold onto that vision of teeing off the first tee on a warm sunny morning, and to avoid spoiling a pleasant thought, I’ll try not to think about the likely position of my second shot.

$500.00 Initiation Fee (one-time fee, payable in three annual installments of $200.00, $150.00 and $150.00)

$150.00 Trail Fee - Registers a Member to use a personal golf cart on the Golf Course; if the Member has more that one golf cart, a Trail Fee is required for each golf cart.

$ 30.00 Club Storage Fee - Entitles the Active Member the right to store one set of golf clubs and pull cart in the basement area of the Club House for the season.

The above fees must be paid in full by Memorial Day, or the member will be charged retroactively for rounds played.

The revaluation project started with the printing of new property record cards that are designed to be used with the new TRIO software. I selected a bi-fold card design that will allow placing any important information, i.e. old property cards, inside the new card. I attached mailing labels to the cards listing the map/lot and account number.

During the months of September and October I started working on the revaluation in earnest. I inspected about 40 properties and did mostly exterior inspections. I also did inspections on about 50 additional properties that had sold in the last two years. Building information was entered on the new property card, including a sketch. The building measurements were verified. Although most dimensions on the old cards were accurate, some changes were made, either size or items such as decks or sheds that were not on the old cards.

In early December TRIO conducted a training session on the Appraisal portion of their software and installed the building cost table from the State of Maine Assessing Manual. I will be using this building cost table with a time trend to reflect inflation. Once the cost table was installed I tested the costs by installing the building data for the properties I had inspected. I then calculated tentative assessed values based upon the building cost tables and the land tables. The final step is to compare the tentative new values to the actual selling prices. If necessary the cost time trend can be increased or decreased to fine-tune the final values.

To date I have completed building the land table for the shorefront lots and “one back” lots and entered the lot size in the computer. Yesterday, I completed the land table for the interior lot. The next step is to enter all the lot sizes for the interior lots. For all the properties I have inspected either this fall or during the building permit inspections, I have entered the building data at the same time that I have entered the lot size.

The next step this winter is to determine which lots are contiguous, under the same ownership, and undersized. I will then combine these lots for assessing purposes and recalculate their values. I also need to set up new accounts for a lot of the Frye Island, Inc. lots that have historically been assessed as “bulk land”. My intention is to assess all FII lots in contiguous blocks as one lot for assessing purposes.

The preliminary results of the revaluation seems to be following my initial pattern of sales analysis. The shorefront property owners will be seeing a substantial tax increase. The “one back” lot owners should see a minor tax increase. And if the forgoing pattern holds, the interior lot owners may see a tax decrease. I will know more on that regard as I complete the interior lot values. If you are wonder what would cause these changes: very simply two things. First, it has been since 1982 since the last revaluation. Second, shorefront properties have increased in value to a larger extent than the other lots.

The Frye Island Inc. (FII) Board held two meetings this winter – one in December and the other in March. While the agendas covered many issues, the three most notable topics are the Real Estate Policy, the operation of the golf course and marina, and the potential transfer of assets to the Town.

Real Estate Policy – Last year the stockholders voted to accept the updated Real Estate Policy. The update was prepared by the Board in response to a request from the stockholders in 2001. The updated policy clarifies the methodology that is used by the Board in selling or purchasing real estate. It provides guidelines used by the Board in determining the number of lots to be sold each year and the manner in which proceeds from the sale of lots are used. A copy of the policy is available for review on the Island home page.

As a general summary, in approximately the last ten years the FII Board has made the following real estate transactions:

· Donated 23 lots to Conservation for construction of the Marina

· Donated 12 lots to Conservation for construction of the Family Park

· Acquired 16 lots for the purpose of selling Buildable Lots. (Because of the limit on the number of septic systems that can be constructed on Frye Island, FII will not sell a Buildable Lot unless it has first secured a lot from a private lot owner.)

· Purchased 1 lot in order to own all the lots surrounding the Quail Circle canal.

· Transferred the potable water system to the Town. This included the intake, the treatment system, the distribution system and all associated land.

The following is a partial listing of projects that were funded in whole or in part over the last two years by FII with the proceeds received through the sale of lots:

· Paint Community Center

· Community Center Doors

· Paint Ferry Bilges

· Assist with cost of Mechanism to Pull Ferries from Lake

· Half the cost for new Basketball Court

The total amount of money contributed totaled over $200,000 resulting in significant improvements to Island amenities without having to use tax dollars.

Please note that one part of the updated Real Estate Policy includes the creation of a Steering Committee to assist the FII Board in planning future real estate sales and acquisitions. If you are interested in working with some friends and neighbors on this very important mission, please contact Wayne (General Manager) and let him know of your interest.

Golf Course and Marina Operations – For many years FII leased most of their amenities (Ferries, Beaches, Tennis Courts, Buildings, Pool, etc.) to the Town who was then responsible for their operation. The exceptions have been the Golf Course and Marina that were not included in the lease and were operated by FII. In 2003 these two amenities have also been included in the lease and will be operated under the Executive Committee of the Board of Island Trustees. We believe the result will be increased efficiency, reduced liability and reduced income tax. Both the Golf Course and Marina should operate with a positive cash flow. Additionally, the Marina slips owned by FII should generate an income of approximately $30,000 that will be deposited in a reserve account for capital improvements. While we are proceeding on an experimental basis this year, we think there is a good likelihood we will continue in this manner in the future.

Transfer of Assets to Town – As you are aware for more than two years the FII Board has been considering the merit of transferring certain amenities to the Town. The advantages of these transfers could include reduced liability and increase the potential for receiving state funding to finance future enhancements to the infrastructure. The Board is working with an attorney to review the legal documents that could be used in such a transfer. While we want to explore all the potential advantages, we also want to make sure that we have all appropriate “checks and balances” in place. This includes assurances that any and all assets transferred to the Town will remain available to all property owners on the Island. When all relevant information has been collected it will be distributed to the stockholders for your review and consideration. There will be no transfer of assets without a general vote of the stockholders.

Too little snow last year! Too much snow and cold this year! The one thing that doesn’t change is the smile that comes to our faces when we realize the Island opening is just around the corner.

Fire Emergencies		Emergency Medical Services
Structure Fires	0	Anaphylactic Shock
Electrical Fires	2	Food	1
Wires Arcing		Bee	1
Wires Arcing Tree Fire		Bee Sting (No Reaction)	3
Vehicle Fires	0	Cardiac Incident	1
Wood/Brush Fires	0	Resuscitation	1
Illegal Burning	0	Back Spasm	1
Smoke Scare	2	Diabetic	2
Water Problem	1	Severe Abdominal Pain	1
Tree Down	3	Treat Previous Injury	1
Vehicle Accidents (No Injury)	3	Falls
Water Incidents		Abrasions	2
Runaway Boat	1	Hip Injury	1
Sunken Boat	1	Lacerations
Sunken Boat w/2 Injured Victims	1	Knee	1
Service Calls	2	Hand	1
Accidental	0	Finger In Saw	1
		Puncture Wound	1
		Hand-Fish Hook	1
Total Fire Emergencies	16	Total Emergency Medical Services	20