Meeting Notes -- 11 January 2006

In Attendance: Denny O'Brien, Jay Horschak, Pauline Angione, Marla O'Byrne, Dirk Faegre, Ed Pontbriand, Nancy Horschak, Tom Mayer, Jeanie Wilson, Ruth Sargent, Rosemary Levin, Garry Levin, and Bill Zoellick

FOA Report

Marla reported that FOA has received permission to reprint the recent National Geographic article on Acadia National Park in the next issue of the FOA Journal. She also reported that the search for the new President is on track. Finally, Marla reported on the Friends of 
Acadia response to the proposed changes to the National Park management policies. This response focused on the proposed policy statement's shift away from a strict focus on the NPS mission "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations" as required in the Organic Act that created the NPS. FOA's comments express a concern that the proposed management policy changes dilute the primary emphasis on resource protection  FOA also expressed concern about language that includes human resource use as a kind of "natural" ecosystem impact.  If human uses are natural uses, then there is nothing that is not a natural use. Marla encouraged response from individual members of Friends of Acadia..

SERC and Acadia Partners Report

Denny reported that facilities discussions and planning is still underway -- starting on the reconstruction of the Commissary (which will become an auditorium) was expected by now -- it should start soon. As for programs, negotiations are underway to bring an archeological study onto the campus this spring to look at shell middens in Gouldsboro bay. Conversations are also underway with Unity college to run a summer session, and with College of the Atlantic.

Gatehouse

We expect to do the gatehouse activities next year in the same way as last year.  Tom is wanting to step aside as coordinator -- we are still looking for a volunteer to replace him. One possibility that we considered was turning the responsibility over to a group of seasoned gatehouse volunteers.

Newsletter

Bill passed out drafts of the spring newsletter. People will review it and pass along comments to Dirk or Bill.

Architectural Drawing Archive

Pauline reported that all the drawings are now in their final locations. The effort has now moved on to keying the data into the database to make the drawings searchable and easily accessible.

Snow Circus

It certainly does not look like there will be snow. Ed will make the call next week as to whether to go ahead with this or not. It is currently scheduled for February 12. Ed will handle the publicity.

Park Report

Today Ed did some burning of brush piles that had accumulated, along with brush from thinning that had been done around the buildings. Ed is also applying for a grant to do trail work.

The park intends to bring the medical building online as part of the SERC activities and is seeking help from volunteers to get the building ready to go.

The Park will also need help moving furniture out of the dorms and into the apartments.

There is money for 3 or 4 Resource Acadia programs.  Ed is asking for suggestions for programs that we would like to see.

Ed also asked about dates for a clean up schedule. We agreed to do a cleanup on the last Saturday in April -- April 29 -- which is the same day that Friends of Acadia is doing a cleanup on MDI.

Ed is planning to have two couples on VIP volunteer duty, as we did last year.

There will be new signage on the highway leading to the Park.

The meeting adjourned around 8:40 PM.