Meeting Minutes

Water, Earth, Birds, and Bugs (WEBB) November Zoom Meeting – 11/18/24

www.nhwebb.org

 

Attendees: Juliet Lamont, Phil Price, Donald Moffet, Lydia Brown, Jean Lamont, Mary White, Dino Shiatis, Vicki Worrall, Isabel Swift, Beth Lamont, Alice Cornwell, Chuck Curtis,  Monique Pettit, Linda Cabot, Margot Seefeld, Jody Bush, Martha Neal, Bill Ambrose

 

  1. A) Updates from Partner Organizations
  2. Alice Cornwell report on the NH Historical Society. Foci for this year:
    1. 50th Anniversary of the founding of the society;
    2. Mullin’s Head history, ecology, archaeology, etc.
    3. Alice suggests that WEBB go back to the Parks Commission to see if they want to help advance some portion of our mission. “Don’t want to step on any toes, but they might welcome us now.”

 

  1. Margot Seefeld reports for NHCP
  2. Reports that NHCP need someplace to care for equipment (mowers, loppers, etc), especially to care for Sage Woods. Planning to build a storage shed with limited electricity, probably on the Sage Woods property.
  3. NHCP will update on other plans for 2025, as they develop

 

  1. Jean Lamont reports for the NH Library:
    1. Renovation is ongoing.
    2. Re-stocking the shelves should start in spring.
    3. Landscape planning is happening now. Heather McCargo of the Wild Seed Project is doing the landscaping plan!
    4. Library will have heat pumps and solar panels, and an expanded children’s room with large windows.

 

  1. Bill Ambrose reports for North Haven Sustainable Housing:
    1. Currently building their fourth modular unit.
    2. Building the first two houses at Fish Hawk Rd.
    3. Just got $800k grant from Maine Housing.
    4. Planning an “energy efficiency push around the island” – possibly helping to coordinate/develop an “efficiency hub” for resources, impementation, etc. Possible partnering with the Town, etc. Sam Hallowell might oversee this effort for NHSH – but all in early discussion.

 

  1. B) General Discussions re WEBB Ideas for 2025 Speakers, Topics, Articles, Etc.
  1. General discussion about solar power:
    1. Jean says some installers aren’t working on the island anymore. Donald says there are still some, though.
    2. Mary White says Fox Island Electric manager gave an “excellent” talk about FIE’s constraints around solar. Suggestion to try and get her for an upcoming WEBB Zoom meeting, as topical focus.
    3. Martha says Efficiency Maine has good solar info on their website.
    4. Bill says Sustainable Housing is considering solar for their units.
    5. Solar rebates may be reduced by the Trump administration.

 

  1. Linda Cabot reports for the Community School Foundation:
    1. The family grant has been renamed in honor of Charlie Cunningham.
    2. Juliet reminded everyone about the work party at the school garden, which we will try to repeat in 2025.

 

  1. Juliet announced the loss of long-time summer residents, Charlie Cunningham and Diana Harding, with tributes to both.

 

  1. Juliet brought up the issue of using an island nonprofit as a pass-through (e.g. fiscal sponsor) for people to contribute money to WEBB events (such as bringing in a speaker).
    1. Linda Cabot thinks that may be tricky/problematic.
    2. …but Mary White says Waterman’s did this temporarily for Crabtree Sessions until CS could get their own nonprofit set up.
    3. Alice says she thinks money passed through this way (from a nonprofit to a non-nonprofit) isnot supposed to be tax-deductible, although it may be possible to get away with it.
    4. General comments about the strength of WEBB as a convener/facilitator, and that participants really see value in that role for WEBB – official fiscal sponsorship (or similar) arrangements may undermine that independence and/or perception.
    5. Juliet says OK, maybe when WEBB wants to pay for something we can just get an existing nonprofit to do it instead – e.g. people can donate to the library to pay for a speaker to visit. Jean suggests talking to John Stevens (NHCP) about accepting money for buckthorn work.  Alice suggests the Town might also be willing to take money and use it for buckthorn work (buy Puller Bears?).

 

  1. Buckthorn Challenges and Task Group:
    1. Zeb reports that there’s a US Forest Service invasive plants program, says he is willing to look into grant opportunities. He suspects the Select Board will be supportive of buckthorn control but unwilling to run a program for it themselves. Zeb says he will lead the “Buckthorn Task Group” and is happy to write grants if he can get some advice/help.
    2. Chuck says there used to be a town “fence warden” to “make sure mainlanders weren’t breaking the rules”; how about a “buckthorn warden” to educate people about buckthorn and tell them how to get rid of it?
    3. Alice suggests an article about buckthorn and how people are trying to control it. Phil agrees to get (John Stevens, Zeb, Chuck, Becky) to write up what they are doing on this and to turn it into a North Haven News article.

 

  1. Other North Haven News suggestions:
    1. Alice suggests an article about the new street lights and “dark skies.”
    2. Alice also suggests an article about the study that discusses risks (such as salt water intrusion) around Fresh Pond/Mill Stream.
    3. Zeb volunteered to write an article about bees; Donald Moffett volunteered to help with that effort.

Minutes – Water, Earth, Birds, & Bugs (WEBB) September Zoom Meeting

Monday, Sep 16, 6 pm ET

 www.nhwebb.org

 

Attendees: Phil Price, Juliet Lamont, Monique Pettit, Pam MacBrayne, Becky Bartovics, Dino Shiatis, Linda Cabot, Gavin Watson, Martha Neal, John Stevens, Margot Seefeld, Jenny du Pont, Lisa Cunningham, Beth Lamont, Lydia Brown

 

Agenda

 

  1. Quick intro of new participants

 Dino Shiatis, 20-year North Haven summer visitor, happy to be here.

 

  1. September Topic & Speakers: Buckthorn management & eradication – challnge of handling one of the most aggressive and prolific invasive non-native plants on the island.
  • Zeb Campbell (WEBB, beekeeper, honey entrepreneur): a new buckthorn management method/technique he’s involved with.
    • University of Michigan has done research on buckthorn removal. Has had good success in doing three cuttings in rapid succession (spring, summer, late fall), and again next spring.
    • Zeb has a mulching machine, attaches to the back of his tractor and works with a power take-off. Where there is a lot of buckthorn, he backs his machine into position and lowers the blades onto the buckthorn. The mulcher grinds into the branches and trunks.
    • Zeb once worked on a buckthorn removal crew, three guys with chainsaws for three weeks…a lot of money to clear an acre of buckthorn.
    • In contrast, Zeb can do an acre in six hours with the mulcher.
    • Zeb has tried cutting and burning, and cutting and mulching. Mulching is better because the heavy mulch suppresses growth of seedlings. Leaves the organic matter on the ground to turn into soil.
    • Zeb suggests that walnut trees, or other trees of genus Juglans, might be helpful for controlling buckthorn: these trees put out a chemical that suppresses many other plants, possibly including buckthorn. Zeb has planted 25 of these trees (10 black walnut, 15 butternut) and will see if this works.  These trees need about five years before they produce substantial amounts of the chemical.

  • John Stevens (ED of NHCP): efforts NHCP has developed – and/or is experimenting with – to combat the buckthorn takeover. What is working, what isn’t?
    • “Don’t get overwhelmed.” Pick your battles, do what you can, don’t let the size of the job get you down.
    • As bad as invasives may be, they are still serving some ecological role. Buckthorn takes up carbon, provides cover for animals…not good, but not necessarily a disaster.
    • Start with the low-hanging fruit. Don’t try to tackle a huge buckthorn forest where you will never see progress. Find a smaller stand that you can eradicate, or a place where you can defend a great view.
    • John goes out in winter and flags NON-invasive plants, then cuts the buckthorn around them so they can grow. He has seen success with this, e.g. with some young spruce at the North Shore Preserve.
    • Don’t necessarily start at the edge of a buckthorn forest: edges get more light, so the buckthorn grows fast. If you go into the forest a few yards and remove buckthorn there, it won’t grow back as quickly. This has worked well for John in the buckthorn stand across from the new fire station.
    • Hedgerows and field edges might be pretty when they’re straight, but animals like them better if they’re ‘feathered’, with some ins and outs and bulges.
    • NHCP is now mowing the North Shore Preserve fields multiple times per year. Although much of it appears to be grasses, in fact there is a lot of buckthorn in it. By mowing frequently, the hope is that the buckthorn will remain suppressed. Unfortunately this is somewhat at odds with the desire to leave flowers for pollinators. If he had more resources, he might try to always have some pollinator plants, e.g. split the fields into a few sections, mowing once in a year in one portion, twice in the other, and vice versa; or similar.
    • Becky says she has heard that mowing twice per year for three years is a good rule, takes most of the energy out of the buckthorn.
    • Cut big stems at chest height; keep going back and doing this and eventually the plant dies.
    • When you cut a lot of buckthorn branches, you can pile them neatly in a pile and burn them in winter. If the burned area is in the middle of a buckthorn stand, the nearby buckthorn will also be killed and the location of the burn will be buckthorn free, you can plant there.
    • NHCP intends to use herbicides based on the same policy the Nature Conservancy uses: specific times of year, paint the herbicide onto fresh cuts, don’t use in or near wetlands.
    • Another thing to do with cut branches and trees is to build a “slash fence”: basically just pile up the branches to make a barrier. This can be used to exclude deer from an area, for faster forest regeneration.
    • Phil adds: for very small buckthorn plants, a regular pair of pliers is a great tool for pulling little buckthorn seedlings.
    • Gavin Watson says: “I have been going for total eradication. I started by cutting them down to the roots and then using a trimmer to cut off all the sprouts. It takes a lot of time but it is working.” He goes through the property every few weeks during the summer with a weed whacker.
    • Gavin says in about 3 years he thinks he has killed about half of the buckthorn this way.
    • Gavin also says: no re-growth! Every time you go out, start by going over the area you did last time. Don’t move on to a new area until you have completed that area.
    • Becky says: not something most people can do, but pigs do a great job at eating buckthorn seedlings and roots. It does take quite a bit of management. Becky plants seeds immediately afterwards.
    • John agrees that animals can be used. He says goats are said to be a good method.
    • Lydia says North Haven has a bigger problem than North Haven because we had agriculture on NH and that this is what allowed invasive species to get established here. She says we need to think about healing the soil, not just removing buckthorn.
  • Others managing landscapes (Gavin Watson? Becky Bartovics? Others?)

 

  1. Q & A, Follow-up
  • Additional ideas for management?
  • Island-wide planning and action effort is proposed, including mapping, grant procurement, state programs for non-native invasives, private landowner participation and aggregation, healthy forests & climate resilience alignment? (ideas from Isabel Swift and Donald Moffett)
    • Juliet and John point out there is funding available for designing and executing invasives management programs, and regenerative forestry. Zeb says he is very interested in helping with this, and potentially available for working on this on the island.
    • Margot says let’s come up with tangible goals, and a list of what needs to be done next. Also suggests that we need to educate ourselves about current best practices etc.
    • Becky, Zeb, John, Juliet, Pam, Margot, and Phil offered to part of new “task group” to explore island-wide buckthorn management. Others not on call who want to join this group? (Alice, Chuck)
  • How to fund/pay for a coherent and effective island effort – Enviro Working Group and WEBB lobbying Town/Select Board for starter funds? Paying interns?  Conservation corps and school participation?  Grant writing? Fiscal sponsorship for WEBB thrugh a partner organization, to procure funds for this effort?  or does partner organization want to lead on this?
  • Need consistency and commitment, and a paid organizational position (probably part-time). Not a “volunteer” job if we really want broader success.
  • Would NHCP want to be our partner or fiscal sponsor for this? Does NHCP have actual staff to accomplish this, or requires new hire/contractor?

 

 

 

 

For continuing consideration and discussion at November 18 meeting:        

 

  1. Planning and ideas for WEBB 2024-2025
  • What might you want to learn more about – speakers and topics?
  • What worked this past year and summer – and can we repeat that, or build on it?  Likewise – what may not be so exciting or helpful?
  • Are there island issues/campaigns coming up that we can support (e.g NHHS 50th anniversary! Opening of new library, etc.)
  • Are people looking at website ( nhwebb.org )? Thoughts? Helpful or no?

 

  1. North Haven News Articles/Writers: We need you!
  • Articles should be 600-700 words
  • Need to be submitted to us for quick editing review by the 10th of the month prior to publication (e.g. October 10 for November NH News publication).  We have great editors who love to help fine tune, ifyou want that.  
  • Please sign up to cover a nature-community-culture topic that you are keen on.

 

  1. WEBB logistics, basic operations, funding: any voluntary donations (not dues) enthusiastically accpeted. Individual contributions have supported website development and ongoing administration.  Would be great to have some regular help for years going forward. We don’t want to infringe on -or detract from – donations to our partnere organizations…this is one-time or sporadic contributions to help out with our basic expenses.

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Water, Earth, Birds, & Bugs (W.E.B.B.) Meeting Minutes, 5/20/24

 

Attendees: Phil Price, Gavin Watson, Mary White, Monique & Laurence Pettit, Hannah Pingree, Jean Lamont,Isabel Swift, Martha Neale, Becky Bartovics, Alice Cornwell, Kayl , Pamela MacBrayne, Kim Rosenbaum, LydiaBrown, Amy , Bill Ambrose, Beth Lamont,

Juliet Lamont…several others (check recording)

 

  1. Intro of Any New Participants; Quick “News” (e.g. WEBB website, nhwebb.org )

 

  1. Panel Presentation: “Energy & Climate: Choices for a Fossil Fuel Free Future on North Haven” (PhilPrice, Gavin Watson, Lisa Cunningham, & others- Q&A for clarifications throughout). (See slide deck, attachedas PDF)

 

Sea Level Rise (SLR) is happening already; NH sea level increased by 8 inches since 1950, and accelerating – likelyseveral feet within next 30 years.

 

Infrastructure ihas been built assuming PAST tides and sea levels; changes of one foot can make enormousdifferences in impact on the ground (as we saw along Thorofare this past winter – storms of 2024).

 

Reducing Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) is a priority – focusing on what we have control:

  • Currently, Maine is 70% renewable for electricity generation/production
  • We should use electricity for everything we can
  • Ancillary benefits: reduce fuel truck trips on ferry; electric cooking ranges are healthier; heatpumps for heating, cooling, water heating – they are cheaper!

 

Start where you use most of your energy:

  • Make sure your primary residence is retrofitted
  • When replacements needed, replace with electric!
  • Plan ahead: want the best possible replacement, not just what’s available when your system fails.

 

Electrification – these are the items you should use:

  • Heating/Cooling: heat pump
  • Water Heating: heat pump water heater
  • Cooking: Induction range – efficient, fast
  • Vehicle: EV
  • Insulation: Worthwhile if house poorly insulated; can help with summer cooling
  • Weather sealing (windows, doors): Very worthwhile in old houses; less important in summer.

 

Residential Solar:

  • Maine can produce a lot of solar

 

  • EPA just selcted Maine for $62mm grant to install solar on low-income households – this can apply to NH!
  • Federal tax credits for solar installation, based on % of time you reside in the
  • Even if you aren’t at the house year-round, you can still install solar to generate energy year-round, contribute to the ..
  • Lots

 

Is there a buy-back program for “extra energy”? Sharing? Can island form some kind of shared solar generation facility/site?

 

Heat Pumps:

  • Moves heat from one place to
  • Heat pumps can cool a house and/or heat
  • Efficiency aine has terrific rebate program for heat pumps: range is from 80% of total project cost (i.e allrelated costs) to 60% (mod income), 40% (hi inc)
  • Heat pumps can also heat water – much more Maine has rebates, as well as federal rebates on top of that.

 

EfficiencyMaine website screen shots and resources; excellent resource hub: https://www.efficiencymaine.com

 

Fox Islands Wind website has videos, events community meetings, and resources you can look at:https://www.foxislandswind.com/community-and-events

 

3.  Follow-up Q&A about presentation, related issues/ideas

 

Resources for Energy/Resources Efficiency: use grant funding to create those??? Also Fox Islandsresources/meetings

  1. Summer Event Scheduling: Avoiding Conflicts with Partner Org Events (Juliet has checked calendars ande-mailed orgs for unposted dates; has accounted for everything on calendars and/or via e-mail replies)

 

  1. Potluck/Beverage-Appetizer Mingles

⇒         Hosts: Jody Bush (July); Linda Cabot (Aug)

⇒         For July: align with loosestrife weeding (see below) – afternoon, with late afternoon potluck beverages/apps afterwards

⇒         Aug dates TBD, but likely late Aug to avoid Community Days & family time

 

  1. Purple Loosestrife Weeding: one in July, led by Christina Vincent

⇒         Friday afternoon (2/2:30 – 4/4:30), July 12 or 19 – which is best?

⇒         Align with July WEBB Mingle event(s) – See above.

 

  1. WEBB NH Community School garden day – Friday morning community schedule still in place – working with that

⇒         Friday, Aug 2 (10 am -12 pm, to avoid Coffee & Compost conflict)

⇒         Light bevs/snacks afterwards?

⇒         Additional possible work parties in May & June (Pam MacBrayne organizing)

 

  1. Speaker events/panels at Waterman’s, NH Historical Society, Other

⇒         Any partners want partnering opportunity? Please let us know!

⇒         No stand-alone WEBB speaker/presentation event this summer, because of the various workparties, mingles, and great array of partner organization events.

But looking at ideas for next year!

 

  1. Summer WEBB meetings are usually the mingles – but can schedule and ad hoc in- person meeting inJuly if participants want We’ll see how things look.

 

6.  NH News Articles for July, Aug, September

 

July issue: write up the Energy presentation

 

August issue: School garden event write-up! Ecology Club? Video to embed on WEB website?

 

  1. Next online WEBB Meeting: September 2024 (probably Monday, Sep 23 at 6 pm ET, per usual schedule)

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May 20 WEBB Meeting Energy_Slides_North_Haven

Minutes: WEBB Meeting 3/25/24, 6 pm ET 

 

WEBB Website: http://www.nhwebb.org/

 

3/25/24 Meeting Attendees: Juliet Lamont, Phil Price, Donald Moffett, Mary White, Monique Pettit, Claire Oxford, Kim Rosenbaum, Martha Neal, Gabrielle Ross, Isabel Swift, Jenny DuPont, Nan Lee, Becky Bartovics, Jen Porter, John Dietter, Patricia Curtis, Beth Lamont, Lydia Brown, Peggy Mayfield, Jody Bush.

 

Two quick new updates:  

 

* One of our wonderful partner organizations, Southern Harbor House Eldercare Services, has just launched is spring “Fun Raiser” raffle drawing for a basket of island gifts.  And what a basket it is!  Everything from Turner Farm dinner tickets, to Foggy Meadows Farm goodies, to Zeb Campbell’s beeswax candles – and so much more!  Please check it out and support this fantastic organization!

 

* Coastal resilience and long term safety is the focus of a Maine community-led webinar on Tuesday, March 26.  (register for free by clicking on the link).  “Getting Out of Harm’s Way” is part of the Region 1 Comprehensive Center’s (R1CC) “Building Stronger Communities” workshop series, which explores ways coastal Maine can plan and manage for the challenges we now face with a climate-change impacted future.  How can we keep our communities, people, and infrastructure safe and reliable?  This workshop will discuss what local communities are already doing, and new ideas for the future.

 

2024 WEBB “Task/interest Group” Actions, Events, and Scheduling

 

                The groups/tasks below need logistical planning, but also scheduling and volunteers for participation, and coordination if partnering with other organizations.  I’ve already had a couple of volunteers contact me after the last e-mail; please continue to do so, or speak up at the meeting to join a task group.  AND – if you have a new/additional idea that isn’t listed below, please let us know and we can add it to the discussion on Monday.

 

1)  Town of North Haven Thorofare Planning Survey (Claire Oxford): “The Town of North Haven is embarking on the information and data collection stage of the Thorofare Waterfront Project. For more information, please see the Town’s website. Please share any input, questions, and concerns — we want to hear from you!”  The survey is at,

https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/6192fac9175b4ed8a46f62674abe97f2

 

  • Electrification of Island (Incentives, Programs, Fossil-Fuel Dependency Reduction):  Phil Price, WEBB coordinator (pnprice@creekcats.com); additional advice/ideas/consultations may come from Gavin Watson, Tei Carpenter, Chris Huntington, Lisa Cunningham, Bill Ambrose (wants advice around Sustainable Housing), others? 
  • Possible focus topic for a future WEBB Meeting: overview of available energy efficiency and electrification options; video tour of NH residents/homes with various electrification components. 
  • A video “home tour” of electrification options that WEBB members have installed?

 

Claire Oxford says she knows about some programs available, for LED lighting upgrades etc.  She is happy to be listed as a contact and to participate in any WEBB outreach.


Becky Bartovics says Fox Islands has applied for a grant for a large battery for emergency backup.
 

2) Summer 2024 WEBB Purple Loosestrife Weeding Workshops & Gatherings: Christina Vincent (lead on the idea!), Jody Bush, Juliet Lamont (facilitator?), Others?

  • Might add Buckthorn Pulling Day as well!
  • One work party in July, one in August?

 

Quite a few people on the call indicated willingness to participate.

Becky said she may be able to contribute three weed wrench / puller bear devices for a buckthorn pulling party.

 

Peggy Mayfield reports that nine Conservation Corps people will come in mid-April for a ten-day “training session” of dealing with blowdown and doing other maintenance tasks, possibly including pulling buckthorn! April 16 start date, John Stevens is the point person.  Peggy says John would like to make connections between the Corps people and the community.

 

3) Summer 2024 WEBB North Haven Community School Gardening Day (one of the Friday open community gardening dates): Juliet Lamont (coordinator for WEBB; jlamont@creekcats.com); Nathan Liddle (NHCS program coordinator?); Others?

  • One WEBB-NHCS gardening day in July, one in August?

 

4) Develop & Launch Town of NH “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” Campaign & Summer Panel/Presentation Event – Martha Neal, Becky Bartovics leads

  • Becky Bartovics reports that state regulations are changing such that food waste will no longer be allowed in the solid waste to be shipped off-island, so we will have to set up composting.
  • Martha Neal has offered to help set up a program of some kind, with the Town taking the lead. Claire Oxford is helping to work on this with the town and will include Martha in the discussions.
  • Lydia reports that as of a couple of years ago Vinalhaven has a composting system based at their transfer station. Vinalhaven has produced an excellent, educational poster/flyer about composting at the island’s Transfer station. Maybe a model for North Haven?
  • Suggested Summer 2024 (or other season) WEBB-sponsored panel/event – e.g. “How Much Waste Do We Create on North Haven, and Where Does it Go?” (or similar);
  • Partner with school/students, and classes for this event/panel, and campaign overall?  

 

6) WEBB Partnerships with North Haven Historical Society (NHHS): events/speakers related to indigenous tribes, culture, etc. – school events, talks, etc.  Alice Cornwell, lead.

 

7) Native plants and seeds speaker – and planting? – event 

Peggy Mayfield is going to an online event by Wild Seed Project on March 26. Wild Seed also has in-person events in April. Will report back as to whether this is a good speaker possibility for the island (in person or Zoom).

Peggy has put together a brochure about invasive plants and native alternatives, through her NHCP role.  A link to the brochure is available on the WEBB website, on the “Resources” section, Native Plants page.

 

8) Introduction to the new WEBB website!   http://www.nhwebb.org  

            Huge thanks to Mary White and Linda Cabot for initiating and supporting this effort, and to other members of the website review team (Monique Pettit, Kim Rosenbaum), who have reviewed, commented, and aided in providing content and support over these many last months.

 

9) WEBB Meeting Minutes and Recordings: We will post past WEBB Minutes, as well as any presentation slides used (e.g. Rick Lattimer’s Thorofare presentation slide set for 1/29/24 WEBB Meeting), on our new WEBB website.

            For those who have asked:  we are looking into how we might post or send recordings of past WEBB meetings.  We don’t have that option yet as a standard practice, due to the massive size of the recording files, memory/storage issues, and where the meetings can be viewed or retrieved.  And we want to be very conscious of privacy beyond WEBB participants.  We’ll see if we can work something out.

 

10) Trees: Jody Bush raised the issue of tree planting and purchases for the Public Safety Building (PSB) site.  This will be discussed at the next North Haven Environmental Working Group meeting, being scheduled for early April.

 

11) July (and August?) WEBB Potlucks, Speaker/Walks, Gathering?  Ideas, Rough Dates, Venue(s)?

            WEBB members will discuss via e-mails over the next two months.

 

12)  Claire Oxford mentions that Gabe McPhail / Town of Vinalhaven have been working with the organization “A Climate To Thrive” on a ‘climate ambassador’ program, Thursday evenings for 5 weeks, will be working with 8-15 people at a time.  Oxford will be participating. Provides a way for people to support planning around climate change, sea level rise, etc.  Oxford will distribute a flyer.

 

 

*** Next WEBB Meeting: roughly two months from March 25: either Monday, May 20, or Monday May 27 (Memorial Day) at 6 pm ET.  Given Memorial Day holiday overlap, likely to be May 20. ***

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WEBB Meeting 1/29/24, 6 pm ET (Zoom): Agenda, Minutes, & Related Materials 2024 WEBB “Kickoff” meeting

Next Meeting: March 25, 2024, at 6 pm ET (Zoom)

Link(s) to WEBB meeting recordings: Not possible yet, but looking into options

Additional document posted here: PDF version of slide deck prepared by Claire Oxford for the Thorofare Overview.These slides weren’t used in the meeting, but posting them to this website for reference, in case anyone wants to see them

Summary of Task Groups, Events, and Contacts named coming out of this meeting: Please volunteer if something interests you – contact jlamont@creekcats.com for e-mail addresses.!

  • Electrification of Island (Incentives, Programs, Fossil-Fuel Dependency Reduction): Phil Price, WEBB coordinator (pnprice@creekcats.com); additional advice/ideas

/consultations may come from Gavin Watson, Tei Carpenter, Chris Huntington, Lisa Cunningham, Bill Ambrose (wants advice around Sustainable Housing), others?

  • Possible focus topic for next WEBB Meeting, March 25, 6 pm ET: overview of available energy efficency and electrification options; video tour of NH residents/homes with various electrification components.

 

  • Summer 2024 WEBB Purple Loosestrife Weeding Workshops & Gatherings: Christina Vincent (lead on the idea!), Jody Bush, Juliet Lamont (facilitator?), Others?
    • Might add Buckthorn Pulling Day as well!
  • Summer 2024 WEBB North Haven Community School Gardening Day (one of the Friday open community gardening dates): Juliet Lamont (coordinator for WEBB; jlamont@creekcats.com); Nathan Liddle (NHCS program acoordinator?); Others?
  • Develop & Launch Town of NH “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” Campaign – focus on composting(commercial), but also education around waste, – Martha Neal, Becky Bartovics leads
    • Suggested Summer 2024 (or other season) WEBB-sponsored panel/event:

“How Much Waste Do we Create on North Haven, and Where Does it Go?” (or similar); Partner with school/students, and classes for this event/panel?

  • WEBB Partnerships with North Haven Historical Society (NHHS): events/speakers related to indigenous tribes, culture, etc. – school events, talks, etc. Alice Cornwell,

 

Meeting Minutes (Jan 29, 2024):

 

Attendees: Juliet Lamont, Phil Price, Claire Oxford, Jean Lamont, Nan Lee, Rick Lattimer (Town Administrator), Alice Cornwell, Bill Ambrose, Amy Davis, Becky Bartovics, Pam McBrayne, Beth Lamont, Margot Woodworth, MoniquePettit, Shaun Krupa, Vicki Worrall, Linda Cabot, Kim Rosenbaum, Lisa Cunningham, Lydia Brown, Patricia Curtis, Jody Bush

Agenda:

6 – 6:05 pm – Welcome & Introductions

Brief intro by Juliet Lamont

6:05 – 6:50 pm: Thorofare Planning Project overview, grant updates, recent storms (Rick Lattimer, Claire Oxford)

Website: https://www.northhavenmaine.org/town_government/thorofare_waterfront_project/index.php

Idea behind the project: “Improve the economic and transportation hub of our community.” Improve access (for boaters and others in public)

Create more economic opportunities

$200K project scoping grant obtained a few weeks ago. Will pay for public meetings and initial design – “70% design” that can be used as a basis for getting more money.

GEI has been hired to help with the design; they know what is feasible and generally what things cost.

Next step: engage stakeholders. About 52 people on the list currently, goal is to represent all viewpoints. Becky B has agreed to represent environmental and sustainability interests, along with other people.

First community meeting tentatively set for late April.

Timeline will be developed with the Select Board at their next meeting, will be shared with the community.

GEI will be visiting North Haven (Dan Bannon and Leila Pike on 2/10-2/12.

They will be meeting with stakeholders; will have an ‘open house’ where people can talk to them.

Info about these people: https://www.geiconsultants.com/?team=daniel-j-bannon-p-e-cfm https://waterfront.geiconsultants.com/team/leila-pike-p-e/

Grant money:

Grant provides $10K management fee that does not require match

Grant provides $150K from federal government, requires match from North Haven North Haven provides $50K but this can include in-kind work rather than dollars.

Volunteer contributions count at $31/hour and can be counted as ‘in-kind contributions’, thus reducing the amount of actual cash North Haven is responsible for.

 

Once a 70% design is attained, the idea is to apply for more federal (or state) funds, such as a multi-million-dollar infrastructure resiliency grant.

Town is developing a survey to find out what people want for the downtown.

As for the storms that have damaged property this year: there is a process for applying for FEMA funding, but it will not pay for improvements, only for rebuilding what was lost.

Linda Cabot asks about learning from experiences elsewhere. Lattimer points out that GEI is a 1400-personcompany with offices around the country, so they have learned lessons from New Orleans and North Carolina etc.

Alice Cornwell asks whether there are short-term things that can be done to reduce the impact of storms in the near future, such as plastic booms that help take energy out of waves so they do less damage to structures like Brown’s Boatyard. Lattimer says the town will be talking to GEI about whether there are quick things that can be done before the longer-term plan gets implemented. Pam McBrayne says the marina she uses in Fiji has booms like this, whichthey deploy when there’s a cyclone coming, and that they can be very effective.

Lattimer says to expect a range of solutions, not a single seawall or boom that will protect the whole town.

Nan Lee asks whether the new emergency building has fuel tanks, or is the island completely dependent on Brown’s?Lattimer says: at the moment we are completely dependent on Brown’s. He has already asked Brown’s about thefeasibility of storing vehicle fuel higher up somewhere. Obviously marine fuel needs to be stored near the water but itwould be good to store everything else somewhere it will be safer and will be accessible even in high water.

Lisa Cunningham points out that vehicles are rapidly transitioning to electric and suggests prioritizing solar power, car charging stations, etc. Lattimer says the town is trying and has worked on this, for instance applied for a grant a few years ago to get federal funding for a car charging station but could not get a necessary estimate from an electrician.Also, Fox Island Electric is trying to raise a few million dollars for a big battery so the islands can store power we generate during the day for use in the early evening, rather than having to buy it (electricity is expensive in the early evening). Lattimer says we want car charging stations, boat charging stations, etc., but that this takes money. The town is trying to get that money and things are happening, although not as fast as we would like. For instance, the town has gotten a grant to replace streetlights with LED’s (which use less energy).

Alice Cornwell notes that Vinalhaven has an electric schoolbus! (Lattimer points out Vinalhaven currently has no bus driver, so the bus is not in use!)

Lattimer also says North Haven would like our own emergency power. We are not allowed to get a gas-powered generator of the right scale, and when last checked a battery was much too expensive. Phil Price volunteers to dosome legwork on this issue if the town (Oxford) provides info about the energy requirements. Price will consult with Gavin Watson, Tei Carpenter, and Chris Huntington on this; all have relevant expertise.

6:45/6:50 – 7:15/7:30 pm – 2024 WEBB event/partnership brainstorming, NH News Articles, key updates from partner organizations, etc. Some early ideas:

 

  • Birding Talks/Workshops/Walks (might be in addition to NHCP walks – or partnering?) – checking about possibility for Christian Cooper or similar
  • Other speaker events? Workshop ideas?
  • Purple Loosestrife Weeding Work Parties (Christina Vincent & WEBB) – food/beverages!
  • Mullin’s Head Petition and/or Public Education around Permanent Protection (Bouzha Cookman, Alice Cornwell, others?)
  • PSB Landscaping (continuing – Jody, Becky)
  • Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Campaign – link to push for Townwide composting program, commercial compost facility, other? (Martha, Becky)
  • Benthic organisms – presentation/education around the ones we DON’T know as well (Margot Woodworth?)
  • NH Historical Society ideas/events/partnerships?
  • NH News articles: topics: upcoming (March) “nature-based solutions”, living shorelines, etc.; what about April, June, August issues?
  • Native Plant Programs, Activities: NHCP, NH Library, NH Community School
  • Other ideas?

Lisa Cunningham says she would like to see some kind of presentation (zoom or in person) about heat pumps, rationale for getting off propane, etc.

Purple Loosestrife removal parties have been suggested for the summer. Cornwell suggests a ‘buckthorn day’ too!

Cornwell also says 3rd and 4th graders are having a special day to talk to enviro people (including Becky B, Pam M, etc.), they are especially interesting in apple tries. Also says there is a new center for UMass Amherst Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science and that people from there will be giving talks at the Historical Society. Would like WEBB support in getting the word out and would like to have people come to the talks.

Becky B. says there’s a plan to plant native plants around the new public safety building. Could be a good summer work party.

Jean Lamont says the library restoration is well under way and landscaping work will be done when the exterior building work is done, using native plants. Becky B says she will try to get students to help with the planting. Library will be heated with heat pumps and Lamont thinks solar panels are part of the plan. Probably no ‘planting party’ until spring 2025.

Juliet suggests a WEBB work party at the school, working on their garden.

Bill Ambrose says North Haven Sustainable Housing has a $1.7 million building budget (?!) and would like to talk toLisa Cunningham about opportunities to incorporate solar, heat pumps, etc.

Martha Neal raises the issue of recycling, reuse, etc.: reduce the waste stream. Could North Haven do a compostingprogram? Becky B suggests tying this to wasted packaging, and to the fact that packaging that comes onto the island has to go off again, and we all pay for that.

Suggests a speaker event that focuses on this. Juliet suggests getting some data from the transfer station so the talk can include NH-specific details. Maybe kids from the high school could participate in some way. Becky B says there’sa landfill in Maine that is impacting a river, maybe someone from there could talk or could help prepare a talk.

 

Juliet L suggests bringing Christian Cooper to the island to give a talk on birding, she will try to make this happen. Could link with the library, NHCP.

 

Additional Information, Resources, & Links:

  • GoFundMe for J.O. Brown Boatyard Damage Repair

Many of you have asked, “how can we help?” after the recent storms. There is

a GoFundMe effort that was launched last week, to help J.O. Brown’s Boatyard rebuild after the storms. The immediate response has been extraordinary. But the Boatyard has massive damages and repairs on its plate, now and in the future. Please click here for the link to that page, if you want to participate in this fundraising drive. And for those on-island, there are ongoing efforts to help with cleaning tools, repairs, etc. Please contact Brown’s for more details, or look for posts on the Facebook North Haven Maine page (if you are a Facebook user).

  • Resources/References around Town’s Thorofare Waterfront Project and Island Climate Resilience

As immediate references/sources for the dicussion topics today, I have posted below (and in hyperlinks inthis text), several Town links to key websites that focus on the Thorofare planning process (the “Thorofare Waterfront Project”), as well as goals and actions around the Town’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Impacts priorities, which a number of WEBB participants have been working on.

The Thorofare planning process is intended to be open, transparent, and inclusive – and the first twocommunity meetings (late November and early December) certainly showed that in full! So we hope everyone will embrace this opportunity to participate in whatever ways you can, and that you feel comfortable with.

  • Partner organizations and their website links, and several general Town of North Haven resources links, all listed out below.

WEBB Statement of Goals & Actions:

Our goal is to facilitate synergies and interconnections that build knowledge and action around the environment,community, and culture on North Haven. We’re an inclusive group, focused on collaborations, partnerships, and support of existing non-profits, all based around intersections across nature, culture, community, and well-being. We’re not a new non-profit. Instead, we aim to highlight and build interconnections among existing organizations, and among all of you – the many wonderful, passionate, accomplished individuals who care about ensuring a sustainable, vibrantisland community. We’ve been expanding by word-of-mouth (there’s no e-mail database for the island), and welcome new participants. So please encourage your friends and colleagues to join in!

 
  

 

Town of North Haven website links for more information on Thorofare and Environment:

Thorofare Planning Process, Town link

Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Impacts, Town link

 

Fresh Water Resources focus & studies, Town link

Partner Organizations & Key Town Resources:

Our new WEBB website will bring more information right to your fingertips – events, resources, videos and more! – onceit is published on-line. Nearly there! But for now, here are links to the websites of our partner organizations, which have a continuing array of engaging events and activities happening year-round. And please see the Town of North Haven Community non- profit Calendar for full listings as well, at North Haven community calendar :

longer!). Contact Nathaniel Liddle for more information, at nathanielliddle@gmail.com

Resources of Interest

  • North Haven News has a regular (almost) every-other-month WEBB article, on a variety of topics – everythingfrom mushroom (OK – fungi!) buoys, to bees and pollinators to bald eagles and more. The July 2023 issue had a rich, in-depth article and discussion written by Alice Greenway, Kim Rosenbaum, and Becky Bartovics, summarizing and discussing The Town of North Haven’s recent hydrogeologic (water) study (study documents are available in fullif you scroll to bottom of page link here). The September 2023 issue featured a WEBB article (Nan Lee, author)highlighting the profoundly impactful scientific work, writings, and activism across the life of Rachel Carson. The December 2023 issue featured a WEBB article (Nan Lee, author) about the remarkable ash tree and forest history on-island.

We encourage you to read this fantastic local publication! And while you’re at it, please give a donation to NH News, which depends on all of us for publication. Thank you!

 

final Municipal Resolution brought to and adopted by the North Haven Select Board in April 2023.

1:29:24 WEBB Meeting Town Presentation Slides

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