FIPPOA
F ire Island Pines Property Owners Association
Photo Courtesy of Scott Bromley



 
  
Our beach continues to be FIPPOA's top priority.  FIMI, the large Army Corps of Engineers dune reconstruction project, is moving along with sand being pumped on the beach in the far western communities.  This is a crucial development, because now that it has started, the project has to be finished for all of the communities.  The Pines, which has a large number of impacted properties, is in Phase 3B of the larger project.  Suffolk County and the Army Corps of Engineers are working to develop engineering proposals for the ocean front homeowners that will generate the least impact on those properties.  This detailed and time consuming work is expected shortly, and once completed, the engineers will reach out to the affected homeowners to present their work.  We are still told that the project will reach the Pines late this year or early 2017.  We are informed that impacted homeowners in the Pines will have full use of their properties at least through September of this year.  

The trap bag project, a temporary dune replacement that we created two years ago to protect the community, has survived relatively well this winter.  The tides are high, but the trap bag system is largely keeping water out of the community.  A project to replace the lost and/or damaged trap bags is being contracted through the Erosion Control District.  The project has been delayed by administrative problems at the Town when the Town staff was unable in November and December to generate the required number of bidders. This pushed the project into the new fiscal year, requiring that much of the paperwork underlying the project be re-done.  We are assured by the Town staff that the paperwork is now in order and the project should start shortly.  Three sets of stairs to the beach have been lost to storms this winter, and the Town has also been notified to replace them.


The FIPPOA Board voted in January to change the name of our Foundation.  Our new name is The Pines Foundation.  The change was made to make the name more inclusive and user friendly and to assist the Pines Party Committee in  their fundraising.  Thanks to Frank Liberto and Joey Medoza for working on this project.

Many residents are concerned by the recently published FINS deer management plan.  The plan, as published, is the result of five years of study and is a record of the research conducted, the alternatives proposed, and their implications (one and one half inches thick!).  It details the adverse impacts of the deer on the island environment, including ravaging many plant species and being the hosts for a string of diseases.  The deer population is now at approximately 264 deer per square mile on the island, whereas a more naturally sustainable level for a healthy herd would be 25 deer per square mile. The Park Service is particularly concerned about the diseases spread by the deer and deer that are "habituated", ie deer that have become accustomed to living and interacting with humans. The four alternatives outlined by the Park Service are: 
a.    No action 
b.    Immuno-contraceptives only 
c.    Culling and removing  by various means  
d.    Combination of all of the above 
Many residents favor alternative B.  However, this alternative is expensive, has had mixed results to date, and the experimental use of the necessary drugs is no longer approved by New York State.  The Park Service favors Alternative D, and a final decision is expected shortly.

Work is continuing on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the closing of the breach at Old Inlet to the east of the Pines.  The Draft EIS, which will weigh the benefits of closing the breach against the benefits of leaving the breach as is, is expected later this summer.
 
And finally, if you haven't already done so, please take a moment to renew your 2015 FIPPOA membership as a subscription or for a single time .  You can read about some of our efforts on your behalf at fippoa.org .

Jay
Jay Pagano

  
 
Southern Pine Beetle Infestation Update


At the FIPPOA January 2016 board meeting, Scott Ahlborn, the newly elected President of The Pines Conservation Society (PCS) and Jordan Raphael, Park Biologist, National Park Service (NPS) presented an update on the Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) infestation.  The advanced state of blight is alarming.

"Tackling the SPB infestation is now the number one priority of the National Park Service - nationwide. The NPS has reached out to the community of Fire Island Pines.  Based on what we have seen on the island the Pines is the worst hit community  ."

The Pines Conservation Society (PCS) and FIPPOA are joining forces to remove diseased and dead pines and to make new healthy pine trees available for planting this spring.  Together, we are calling on the homeowners in the Pines to join with us as we attack the infestation wherever we find it-on public lands and on homeowners' properties.  PCS is in contract with Bartlett Tree Experts, one of the most respected arborists in the country, who will be coming to the Pines and removing as many infected trees as possible in March.  In the coming weeks PCS will be reaching out to you with detailed information on how you can take advantage of Bartlett Tree Experts for your properties while they are in the Pines.   This is what some of the SPB infestation looks like in the Pines.
 
  
  Brian Candreva
Brian Candreva passed away on January 27, 2016.  He was 38 years old.  Brian worked at Peter's Marina Meat Market as he was growing up.  Brian was also a fire fighter with the Fire Island Pines Volunteer Fire Department.  Brian is survived by his daughter, Alexandra Candreva; his parents, Eddie and Annie Candreva; his brother, Matthew Candreva and wife Candace and by his two nephews, Riley and Tyler Candreva; and by his grandmothers, Mary Kearns and Ruth Candreva.

John Mueller 
John C. Mueller, 80,  passed away on January 21, 2106 after complications that arose after he suffered a fall in his New York City home on Sutton Place.  John was a graduate of Phillips Execer Academy, Yale University in 1956 and the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1959.  John was a long time Pines resident at 211 Midway Walk.

 
Minutes
The 2016 Calendar is Shaping Up!

Let us know by return email, if you would like to add something to the FIPPOA community calendar.
 

Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association Officers & Directors

Jay Pagano, President 
Ed Schulhafer, Vice President
Rodman (Tad) Paul, Secretary
Henry Robin, Treasurer

Allan Baum, Alan Brodherson, Hal Hayes, Mike Hartstein,   Greg Henniger, Garry Korr,
Nicole LaFountaine, 
Chris Lovito,  Russell Saray ,  Eric Sawyer,
Bob Tortora,  Jim Vandernoth,  Randy Wilson