>North Yarmouth Business AssociationToddy Brook Golf Club Meeting Room
Minutes October 16, 2014
| Attendance | Mary Conroy, Marilyn Matthews, Michael Babin, Rob Taisey |
| Meeting called to order at 7:10 AM by Mary Conroy.
Members introduced themselves to guest speaker Alan Stearns and gave brief description of our businesses. |
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| Presentation | Guest Speaker was Alan Stearns, Executive Director of Royal River Conservation Trust, a non profit organization that assists both State and Municipalities in acquiring public land, and also assists with the program management to conserve those lands. The Trust also owns some parcels itself, implementing conservation easements to maintain access to public trails, farmlands. The area managed is the Royal River watershed, ( Pownal, New Gloucester, No. Yarmouth, Yarmouth, part of Cumberland.) They have just two staffpersons, and an annual operating budget of approx. $200,000, largely expended on legal / acquisition costs, and surveying costs. Their goal is to keep natural / recreational resources available to the public. An example is the Shaker Village, where the Trust raised monies so the Village could rehab some deteriorating buildings, and in return the Orchards at the Village will always remain, the land will not be developed. Their current acquisition project is the Knights Pond, Blueberry Hill zones in North Yarmouth and Cumberland. A sixteen member board oversees the Trust. They have approx. 500 membership base of annual donors / contributors. Most labor is volunteer. |
| Discussion | We realized nine new NYBA members through the trade show signup. Member renewal dues invoices were emailed / mailed out 10/16/14 due 11/10/14. Thank you notes for joining will be sent to the nine new members versus invoice.
Speaker for November will be Bernadette Rumo from Captiva Salon & Spa. |
| Reports | Treasurer reports $885. in our account, Marilyn delivered two $25. checks to Treasurer at meeting. |
Meeting adjourned at 8:10 AM — Respectfully Submitted: Marilyn Matthews, Secretary