Peaks Island Council

Peaks Island Council WORKSHOP MINUTES Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6:15 p.m. Hybrid ZOOM/in-person meeting in the Community Center NEXT Regular Monthly PIC Meeting September 24, 2025 CALL TO ORDER: 6:21 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Laura Glendening, Fred Somers, Scott Mohler, Karsten Rees, Shelagh Reiser, Norm Proulx on zoom. Absent: Jess Burton Number of Audience Members (AM) in attendance: 8 in person, 1 on zoom APPROVAL OF MINUTES Unanimous approval of minutes from July 23rd PIC meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS No announcements. TREASURER’S REPORT Patnaude said the current account balance is now $7,909. Money has been distributed to: $35 bike tickets $406 needs-based tickets $25,000 to Peaks Island Taxi $2,400 to Island Compost Project $2,000 to PEAT $7,250 to Children’s Workshop Unanimous approval of Treasurer’s Report. PUBLIC COMMENT (beginning of meeting) AM asked that road repairs and seawall repairs on Seashore Avenue be completed before winter storms. AM asked that the wall be “built back better.” Patnaude said that larger rocks can be used in the riprap wall which may make the wall higher and wider. Patnaude added that in key locations the wall will be pinned. Patnaude said the Peaks Island road repairs are in the queue behind repairs to the barge landing on Cliff and the causeway between the Diamond Islands. The Peaks Island road repair project is 12-18 months out. Somers noted that FEMA funds will pay for 75% of the project cost. Somers asked if the city’s matching contribution (10%) and the state’s matching contribution (15%) have been secured. Patnaude said the city’s contribution is in the CIP but he is not up to date on the state’s funding. PIC August 27, 2025 Meeting Minutes, DRAFT. Page 1 AM asked about removal of the boat on ferry beach. Patnaude said the neighborhood prosecutor, Rich Bianculli, (lawyer that works for the police department) is going to work with the police department and, if necessary, issue a citation. Patnaude asked about other boats (kayaks, etc) on the beach. Glendening said PIC should look into establishing a sanctioned place for islanders to put their boats. COMMITTEE REPORTS & UPDATES • Executive Committee – Glendening said that the city reimbursement for the zoom account has not been figured out. Patnaude said that the city uses Google Meets and that may be the best way to move forward. Mohler said he would investigate using Google Meets as a platform for remote participants. • Environmental and Sustainability and Parks and Rec Committee Timmi Sellers said the exercise equipment for Trott Littlejohn Park will be arriving Friday morning, and it will be installed within 2-3 weeks. Sellers said that PEAT is applying for a sustainability mini-grant to fund a one-day event to bring island groups together to discuss sustainability. Glendening proposed separating Parks and Recreation Committee from Environmental and Sustainability Committee. Mohler asked if it makes more sense to start a new Safety Committee. Glendening said the Environmental and Sustainability Committee could discuss issues about climate change effects, the effects on the island of the bigger boat, tourism, down front traffic, etc. Glendening said those issues are not part of Parks and Rec. Mohler suggested that PIC comprehensively look at the committee structure and reorganize which committees oversee which efforts. Rees said that the down front traffic work is more related to public safety. Proulx added that keeping the school open is also a sustainability issue. Councilors agreed to reassess committee responsibilities. • Ferry Service Somers said the new ferry will be delivered in January 2026. Then there will be several months for staff training and coast guard approval. • Housing and Zoning Committee – ReCode Zoning survey Rees said the Housing and Zoning committee met with Dan and Sarah Cutera about a workplace housing “cottage court” that they want to develop on land they have newly acquired. The committee is directing the Cutera’s towards state grants that might help fund the project. Rees asked what will be done with the residual amount that was appropriated to pay for the housing for the island fellow who has left the island. Somers said that PIC could see if funds were required by needs-based tickets as the fiscal year goes on. Patnaude said that re-allocating the money to an island organization would be more difficult than purchasing more needs-based tickets. • Island Assessment – Somers said he would connect with Jess to get additional clarity about the $25,000 grant from Casco Bay Estuary Partnership. • Paper Roads PIC August 27, 2025 Meeting Minutes, DRAFT. Page 2  Norm Proulx said the committee may request funds to hire someone to make a final map with all the paper roads on the island. • Parking Reiser said that the Parking Committee will be meeting with the new Casco Bay Garage management. Anyone with concerns should reach out to Reiser or Rhonda Berg (committee member). • Golf cart No update. • Election Committee Three PIC seats are up for election in November, three CBL seats are also up for election. The PIC Election Committee is looking for a chair. Mohler will ask Jerzy Sylvester if he would like to be the chair. OLD BUSINESS Status of boat removal – discussed during public comment. NEW BUSINESS ● Land use Code Update Rees filed PIC Land Use Code amendment recommendation with the City Clerk. City Clerk forwarded it to the Corporations Council Office and the City Manager. The Corporations Council Office said the amendment needed to go to the Planning Board. Rees said that the Planning Board must review the PIC amendment and make their own recommendations before the PIC amendment can go to the city council. Rees and Glendening will meet with the Planning Board tomorrow (August 28th). Rees made a motion that Rees and Glendening are authorized to bring the application for PIC land use amendment on behalf of PIC. Somers seconded. Motion passed unanimously. • Impacts of tourism Glendening said that research must be done to understand the current level of tourism and how much tourism the island can handle. Somers said there is some data in the land side study and the Island Assessment report may have some information as well. Glendening said the topic needs to be discussed by PIC on a regular basis. Somers said this is something that could be reviewed when all the committee responsibilities are reviewed. • Elections Committee There are three openings on the PIC – Sheila Reiser, Scott Mohler and Norm Proulx. Three people are running for PIC seats – Jonah Bradenday, Jerzy Sylvester and Norm Proulx (Norm is running as a write-in candidate). Councilors agreed to invite Jerzy to the next meeting and to ask him to chair the PIC Elections committee. PIC August 27, 2025 Meeting Minutes, DRAFT. Page 3 Proulx asked what the Elections Committee would do. Mohler said the committee organizes candidates nights for the CBL board election, the city council election, and the school board election. • Tolman Heights Zoning Somers said a homeowner in Tolman Heights wanted to install a yurt as a “campground” and was going to ask for a land use waiver, but that has been withdrawn. • Swim buoys Glendening said that swim buoys are a safety item for islanders to safely swim on island beaches. The buoys cost about $500 and a cabinet for a lifesaving ring also costs $500. Glendening asked who in the city should be contacted so that the swim buoys could be installed. Patnaude said that Parks and Recreation would not get involved. Glendening said that Long Island has a swim buoy off Singing Sands Beach and that buoy was just dropped in by the community. AM asked if any public beaches in town have swim buoys. Patnaude said there are no swim buoys or lifeguards at beaches in town. Glendening will speak with the Harbor Master to discuss requirements. PUBLIC COMMENT Rees said he and Proulx are still trying to contact CBL about a method for purchasing needs-based monthly passes. Somers made a motion to adjourn. Reiser seconded. Motion passed unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS/UPDATES Next PIC Meeting: Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 6:15 pm in the community room and on Zoom. Meeting Adjournment: 7:45 p.m. PIC August 27, 2025 Meeting Minutes, DRAFT. Page 4