October 12 2005

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 at Park HQ.
Present: Dave Taghon, John McCombs, Molly McCombs, Dick Kishline, Kerry Kelly, Jack Schultz, Eleanor Comings, Chuck Schaeffer, Christine Armbrecht, Tom Van Zoeren. Tom Ulrich represented the Park.
Agenda: There were no additions.

Due to budgetary reasons, some of the Park’s projects have slipped back: The Glen Haven project is now slated for 2009; Port Oneida for 2010; The S. Manitou Lighthouse project, 2012.
Another planning effort--The Leelanau Scenic Heritage Route bikeway: Barb Nelson-Jameson will be the point person for planning. A sub-committee is being appointed. Do the Friends want to be a part? Kerry will represent us. MDOT and most of the relevant townships, villages, etc., will also participate. An environmental impact statement will be needed. There will be a 10/24/05 meeting at HQ.
The Park is working on end-of-year fiscal reporting. The budget is down for this year.
75 acres in 23 tracts have been restored, with the structures removed, etc.. 31 acres of invasive plants have been eradicated. The invasive baby’s breath has been mapped. On the list of 369 classified historic structures, 209 are now up to standards, up nine from last year.
Survey cards: The results are not back; typically over 95% indicate satisfaction.
Opportunity for the Friends: Leelanau Chamber of Commerce will hold an event at Park HQ on 11/10. Can we provide food, etc.? Linda Peppler is the contact person. They would like food & drinks provided. Donations from area wineries might be pursued. Molly will call Ms Peppler & communicate with us through email.
Tom requested a listing of checks the Friends have turned over to the Park this year.

Website: Kerry has been keeping folks up to date, notifying them via email of updates to the website. Kerry also has a website with flower photos & info. This could be made a part of our website, with other sections possible--birds, historic buildings, etc.. There was much interest in this. Also, Kerry will pursue some ways of getting links from other websites.
Membership Report: As of October 10, 2005 we have 105 addresses on the membership list.
- 40 single memberships
- 59 family memberships
- 5 corporate memberships
- We have an estimated 163 members. So far in 2005 we have eleven new members.
- Our e-mail list has 24 members.
Friends brochure: If brochures are needed before the Christmas holiday we can have another 500 printed. Molly requested suggested additions/changes.
Molly proposes that since we have about 45 Thank You notes and membership cards which are sent to people who send in memberships, that we use those up and run more on heavy stock paper from her computer as they are needed. When our mailing address is changed in 6 months we can decide if we want more printed. Stickers with our new web site address can be added to the old membership acknowledgements.

Molly will send the membership renewal letter in early December, along with the newsletter & a suggestion for gift memberships.

Adopt A Trail: As of October 10, 2005 there are 26+ volunteers cleaning up and checking on 17 trails and the Crystal River in the Park. For the first three quarters of the year 2005 we have 319.5 volunteer hours donated. Some hours for the third quarter have not been reported. There is a new Roads and Trails Chief in the Park, Russ Smith. Most volunteers can report problems on the trails to him directly by e-mail.

Recent Correspondence:
- Molly read a letter from a new member in NY State, expressing great appreciation for the Park & the Friends’ efforts.
- We have received a scoping notice for an oral rabies vaccination program. Treated food would be dropped for wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, etc.. They are trying to stop the rabies spread.
- Notice of the comment period for the planning of a large stabilization and rehabilitation of Port Oneida. Comments due Oct. 21, 05.
- Each year we must register as a non-profit corporation with State of Michigan and send a list of officers. This has been done.

Michigan Lighthouse Fund: The group will be meeting on 11/11 in Traverse at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, $35/person.

Projects funded: The dune model; Glen Haven Village History Exhibit in the general store. These won’t be completed this fall, but have been funded.
The saw mill is still on hold

Resource management newsletter: This is pending due to a vacancy in the position that would coordinate it.
Aloha: We will hold off on writing for a grant until we know better what is needed. The Park has funding for the next two years of work.

Park Memorandum of Understanding: This is now finished. It is very similar to the previous one, but in a new form. It covers five years. It will be distributed to the Board via email for approval.

New Business:
- Dave has been spending time with David H. Day. Mr. Day wants to donate some things to the Empire Museum. Dave will encourage the idea of some going to Glen Haven. He has also been pursuing this with Marion Warnes.

John said that we have donated $6600 to the Park so far this year.
Seed $ for the 2006 Port Oneida Fair: We will receive $1500 from MI Arts & Culture Council after we get the final report in. We could donate it to next year’s fair as seed $. Motion to do so passed.