Frye Island ... A Community Managed by its Owners

update #2 from wayne  ―  Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen

I have some good news!!! We will be opening the Island on schedule. The first boat of the 2008 season will run on Friday April 25th at 7:00 AM.
 
Public works now has about 90% of the water distribution lines charged and disinfected. The ferry crew has the Leisure Lady painted and she should be back in the water tomorrow. Mother Nature has been cooperating with us this week and the roads are drying out quite well. I do have to warn you that some of them still have a little snow on them but we expect that to be gone by next Friday. However, I am sure there will still be some wet spots so you will have to be very careful when driving on the Island roads.
 
Because we expect some of the roads to be very soft, in spots, we will only allow passenger vehicles and pickup trucks on the ferry at this time, without special clearance. If you have a heavy load, call the ferry office (207-655-4258) before coming to the Island. You might waste a trip.
 
We plan to have the office moved and running but I am sure that there will be a lot left to do for the first week or so so please bear with us. We were unable to schedule the move until we were sure that we could get over there. So we are a bit behind but hope to be able to provide all of the normal services.
 
Everyone has been working very hard and almost continuously this past week to get the Island opened on schedule. The ice and snow this year has really been a challenge but the goal all along has been to get the critical areas, (ferry, water and roads) open so that you could get to your property as soon as possible. The Island employees have done that and deserve a great deal of credit for their effort. So, for those of you who want to be here that first weekend, consider yourselves lucky, and bear with us a while because there is still work to be done. We will appreciate your understanding.
 
See you next week.

Wayne Fournier

update from wayne  ―  Greetings Everyone

Well, we have some good news and more iffy news.

The good news is that the ice is out in the channel and the crews have been able to get the ferries to the Island. There is still quite a bit of ice drifting around the lake but if the wind continues to come out of the north, it should keep the channel clear.

The iffy news is that there is still upwards of 2 feet of snow covering some parts of the Island. This makes it very difficult to predict, with any certainty, an opening date.

We have the Leisure Lady on the haul out and some members of the ferry crew are scrapping and painting to get her ready for the season. In addition, the public works crew has been able to start the raw water pumps to fill and disinfect the distribution tank. This process must be completed before the distribution lines can be filled. However, filling and venting these lines may prove to be difficult because of the snow cover. Right now, it looks as though the roads are going to be the controlling factor. We can shovel out the valves to get water in the system, but getting the roads free of snow and dried out is up to Mother Nature.

The good news is that next week is supposed to be sunny and in the 50’s & 60’s, so hopefully, we will see a lot of improvement. You should know that everyone is working very hard to get everything that we can control ready so that we can open as soon as possible. The best I can do, for now, is to keep you informed of our progress.

On another note, SAD 6 will be holding a budget meeting at the Bonny Eagle Middle School in Buxton on Thursday May 8th for the purpose of determining the Budget Meeting articles.

In addition, a referendum election will be held on Tuesday, May 13th to validate / approve the budget that will be adopted at the May 8th meeting. The polls for this referendum election will be open from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM at the Community Center for registered voters in Frye Island to vote. Absentee ballots will be available for this election to those registered voters that request them. The warrant and notice of election calling the budget validation referendum will be posted on our website for your information. I should have ballots and more information by Friday. Remember, you must be a registered voter in Frye Island to vote in this referendum election.

This budget process is a result of the recent legislation establishing the Regional School Units (RSU’s).

Wayne Fournier

hole in one ― March 20th was an exciting day. On that day, Lorna Priestley was playing golf with her sister at the Scottsdale Continental Golf Club, and she made a hole in one on #8, a par 3, 108 yard hole.  She used a three wood.  The Golf Club was very nice to Lorna.  The Marshall saw it, and gave her a sleeve of balls, and she had congratulations from everyone.  It will be noted in the Scottsdale paper this coming week. Lorna has been playing golf for 21 years, and is 86 years old.  She never thought that this would happen!

personal security ― The use of IDs & passwords for individuals to gain access on the Internet is a normal part of online activity. Some information on how this can be made easier and at the same time maintain a high level of security is on line for Islanders to read. Check out this information on IDs & Password security.

zoning court case ― The court case between the Town of Frye Island and Timothy Toomey was taken to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. A copy of the 3/7/08 Court Report is available online for your review. The court ruled against of the pleadings of Mr. Toomey.

winter trip ― A trip to the Island coordinated by David Bond was completed in late February. Checkout the report from Dave.

first ferry ― The Frye Island open season begins with the running of the Ferry System. The first ferry is scheduled for 7:00 AM on Friday April 25th. As is the norm, this schedule is dependant on favorable weather. Please check back on this website for updates as that date approaches, email the Town Office, or give the Town office a call.

court case ― The court case between the Town of Frye Island and the State of Maine concerning school funding has been settled in the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. A copy of the 2/7/08 Court Report is available online for your review. The Court ruled against the pleadings of the Town.

island opening

Greetings,

I want to give everyone an update on the Island opening.

As you know, it is very difficult to predict exactly when we will be able to open the Island, but as of today, I would guess that opening on the scheduled date of Friday, April 25th is in jeopardy. There is still ice in the channel (the gut) and it is unsafe to cross. It is difficult to say just how much ice remains because it is not safe to venture out there, but the ice is still white. Normally when the ice is ready to go out, it gets saturated and very black in color. That hasn’t happened yet. In addition, there is still a couple of feet of snow on the Island. However, the weather has been quite warm, (50 degrees) so, hopefully, the ice and snow will disappear quickly and the ferry and public works crews will be able to get the Island opened so you can get out there as soon as possible.

 I will keep you posted as conditions change.

Wayne M. Fournier

Elissa (Liz) Norris ― We are very sad to report that on February 15th Friday morning, at 2:15 a.m., Elissa (Liz) Norris passed away, just 22 days short of her 71st birthday and just over six months short of the fiftieth anniversary with Dick. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September 2006. She died peacefully in her sleep. There is an obit available in the Boston Globe,

Frye Island occupied a special place in Liz’s heart.  She and her family first came to the island as renters in August 1972, and they continued to rent almost every summer until she and Dick realized their retirement dream and bought a cottage in 1998.  Each season thereafter, she was always one of the very first people to arrive in the spring and was often on the last ferry out in the fall.  She loved the island’s water, woods, and wildlife, and she made a special point of walking every road and circle on the island at least once each season.  In recent years, she especially loved introducing her now three-year-old granddaughter, Sasha, to the joys of Frye Island:  feeding ducks, swimming, digging in the sand, and watching the July 4 fireworks.  Frye Island was Liz’s favorite place in the world.

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral service, with cremation and interment at Mount Auburn Cemetery being private.
 
A remembrance celebration is planned and will be announced at a later date.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Union of Concerned Scientists, Two Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238.
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with Dick and the Norris family. 

Tax payment problem ― The first-half payments of property taxes for the Town of Frye Island were due on December 31, 2007. Some people paid their taxes with company or business checks and did NOT include the stub from the tax bill. If that describes your situation, please contact the Town office to make sure your account got the credit. As a general rule, everyone should include the stub from the tax bill with their payment. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

barbara hannah ― It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that Barbara Hannah, a long-time resident of Frye Island, passed away on Saturday, January 12, at her winter home in North Carolina.  Islanders will long remember Barbara as the Founder of the Frye Island Garden Club. In 2007, the Community Center gardens were named "The Hannah Garden" in honor of her dedication and commitment to the beautification of Frye Island.  

A gracious, gifted and energetic woman, Barbara was as comfortable in sweatshirt and jeans moving topsoil as she was at the theatre or in academia.  She relished planting flowers, weeding, and distributing bark mulch;  and her cheerful comment, "Now, doesn't that look a lot better?" symbolized her attitude.  In addition to being a woman of great faith, she was artistic; a gifted decorator; a fabulous hostess; devoted to her family; and a steadfast friend.

Barbara leaves her husband, Bob; six children; and countless friends she treated as family.

A funeral mass is being held on Tuesday, January 15, in Burlington, N.C.  Memorial masses are also planned at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Naples, FL and at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Windham, ME (dates to be announced.)

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be given to Hospice-Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, N.C. 27215; or to Twin Lakes Residence Association Committee, 100 Wade Coble Drive, Burlington, N.C. 27215  (to assist those residents who find themselves without funds.) Barbara would have liked donations to go to The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ,PO Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hannah family. 

winter island trip ― A trip to the Island is being planned by David Bond for the weekend of February 22-24, 2008.  Anyone interested should check out the online flyer for more details.

snow at ferry landing ― Thanks to Bob Russo for the webcams at the ferry landings. The following is a photo from the Island webcam on the last day of the year:

east pump house ― A 2007 project called for the construction of a new pump house on the East side of the Island to improve the public water system. Check out the product of the work by Public Works Department staff, professionals and volunteers.

marina dredging ― There are some photos of the dredging work being done at the Long Beach marina.

town grand list ― The new Grand List for the Town of Frye Island is now available on the Frye Island website. It can be found at anytime on the top-left menu system by selecting FIND INFORMATION, then TOPIC INDEX, then G and then GRAND LIST. Note: Information revised 11/26/07 to correct error in posting.

lot files online ― We owe a great deal of thanks to Grace Morin for scanning all of the documents in the Town Office lot files. This amounts to over 15,000 pages of material. All of this information is now online. Select Find Information, then Topic Index in the menu system on the top left, and select Lot Files. If you want to access that information you will need an ID & password.

Thank you Grace for all of your hard work.