FOC Newsletter, Chairman’s Letter, Winter 2011

First, I would like to say that the Friends are heartened by the generosity of all our supporters in 2010: Assemblywoman Ginny Fields; Senator Brian Foley; the former Upstate History Alliance, now Museumwise; Parks & Trails NY; Knapp-Swezey Foundation; Astoria Federal Savings; and all our members, merchants, artists and volunteers. Please accept our deeply felt gratitude for your tremendous support during a challenging year. Even in the face of threatening NYS Park closures, your kindness allowed the Friends to strengthen the organization and find significant funding for the Grist Mill and Hatchery projects at the Preserve. With your encouragement, we are looking forward to continue making great strides in 2011.

Work has been halted on the grist mill for the winter, but will resume in early spring. In the meantime, we are extremely pleased that our application for a matching Environmental Protection Fund grant received an award of $102,500 from New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Also, we received final approval for the $100,000 grant from Senator Foley that is to be used on engineering, which includes hurst frame, flooring and the water flume. The Board has solicited bids for the scope-of-work that will guide the final stages of the mill restoration and we expect to have it ready by the time the State has completed the repairs on the frame.

There are no further developments concerning the reopening of the hatchery. We continue to press the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the State to consider the option of constructing a small facility, to produce about 4,000 fish per year from purchased eggs, for educational purposes. Meanwhile, the $250,000 grant for the hatchery is in the last review stage in preparation for final legislative approval. We are optimistic that it will be approved.

The announcement in the summer 2008 issue of our newsletter (Vol. 12, No. 2) regarding the Town of Islip's intention to return the portrait of Obediah Snedecor to its rightful place at Connetquot Preserve may finally come to pass as we have succeeded in obtaining the required lease agreement. The painting hung in the Town's Board Room for years. It will soon be displayed in the Main House at the Preserve. We look forward to welcoming Obediah home and hope you will stop by to see him. We will keep you posted as to the exact date of Obediah's arrival.

Much remains to be done, but the Friends expect to have their strategic plan ready in the next three months. This plan will serve to guide our future endeavors. Nevertheless, only your continued support will bring about the realization of our vision for a restored and working mill-museum and exciting new educational programs to serve our community and all visitors to the Preserve.

Sincerely,
Bob Labuski

Current Chairman's Letter

Past Chairman's Letters:
Summer 2011
Spring 2011
Winter 2010-11
Fall 2010
Summer 2010
Spring 2010
Winter 2009-10
Fall 2009
Summer 2009
Spring 2009
Winter 2008-09
Fall 2008
Summer 2008
Spring 2008
Winter 2007-08
Fall 2007
Summer 2007
Spring 2007