Here are the minutes from our previous Membership Meetings
MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 20, 2024
Began with the pledge, followed by the minutes, and the treasurer’s report. We have received many checks for dues for the year 2024, but we still need many more. Lisa is working on this. The meeting was then turned over to Zach Marchetti of the Brevard Zoo for the newest updates for the aquarium and an announcement about the newly acquired OKAPI, a critically endangered member of the giraffe family that leads a solitary existence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The zoo is helping with the conservation of this beautiful animal. Our Legacy $100 million campaign is doing well. He figures that now that Princess Cruise Lines asked about the aquarium fundraising, the other cruise lines will follow. It has $74 million now, along with 250+ Aquarium Founders. One dollar of each entrance fee will be returned to Indian River Lagoon conservation. An absolutely necessary transport vehicle will be purchased for the movement of animals between Sea World, e.g., and the new facility, and manatees and sea turtles. Critical care of many animals will continue at Sea World and other facilities and the zoo will stabilize the animals as they leave the other facilities. The manatee enclosure will be In front of the now three-storied building The Indian River Lagoon is the focus of the aquarium because it has the most diverse wildlife in North America. The sea turtles will still be in the zoo where visitors can watch procedures and preparations for animals to be returned to the water. Each turtle has a name so that we can relate to it empathetically. The Locks will have a children’s play area in which the child will seem to be the same size as a seahorse. Included in the exhibits will be the St. John’s River with its manatees, gators, and otters. There will be a tunnel through the otter habitat where kids can mirror play with other kids and otters and these will provide a link to empathy. The aquarium WILL supply the critical care of manatees. Pools will be connected with hydraulic floor movers that will adjust the water depth. It will be possible to follow a manatee through all of its care. Where we stand now is the need for conservation first with everyone seeing the same needs. Preservation and environmentalism will come next. On the zoo website, one can see where there is growth of sea grass. There are many types of sea grass, but it appears that manatees feed on the fastest growing grass and that lets in light and allows for more growth. Some of the sea grass is like land’s torpedo grass with its rhizomes everywhere. Currently, Volusia, Indian River, and Orange Counties have the biggest areas of sea grass growth. Lisa and Maurice gave a summation of information gleaned on the 2020 N. Banana Rd. building disaster. “The build will have minimum impact on the five-acre site because it will only use 1⁄4 acre and will fix up any damage.” There is a fence along the buffer area. The material dredged will dry and then be carted away. It seems that 2020 rules have been broken, and we members need to call DEP to express our concern and displeasure. Maurice said that his friend, Bill Barnes, will give regular updates on the situation so that we all can be informed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:00. Respectfully submitted, Laurie Crooks
MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 2024
Began the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the treasurer’s report.
Old business was initiated by Kelly Hough who talked about the property on Sandpiper and North Banana
which is zoned Wetlands. Construction has continued in violation of laws about building on the
waterfront. Apparently, the builders and owner have been fined, but have paid the fine, yet still continue
with construction. Septic was approved. Why? A building is supposed to be 25 feet off the water line, but
it is not even ten feet off. the water line. A permit was granted. Why?
Lisa Ruckman said that county and state people need to be contacted about this property and construction
since it will prevent neighboring people from being able to get out. If an owner doesn’t follow the laws, a
judge can impose a lien. In this case it was an $80,000 fine, which has been paid. Apparently, the same
developer was not allowed to build on the north side of Sandpiper, but we question why it is okay to
build on the south side – closer to the water.
Maurice will check on this.
Lisa then read the minutes from the November meeting which dealt with MIRA, THE MERRITT
ISLAND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
This agency is located in the government building on North Courtenay in Merritt Island. It has
successfully applied for many grants and has used some of the money obtained to build the amphitheater
near the Veteran’s Center. Now the group is concerned with the State Route 520 business area. More
information is available on its website, https://mymerrittislandfl.com/. CAMI, www.ca4mi.com, another
concerned group, aims to connect and engage the community of Merritt Island through arts, conservation,
beautification, and smart economic growth.
Zach of the Brevard Zoo, the East Coast Zoological Society of Florida, ECZS, spoke to the group about
new events at the zoo. As a non-profit group, the zoo has an amazing 500+ volunteers. The mission of the
zoo is conservation and education, i.e., helping people in and for nature.
RECENT BIRTHS
- COTTONTOP TAMARINS: Due to decreasing habitat and the pet trade, these animals are
highly endangered in their small area of Colombia. This was the third birth at our zoo.
Interestingly, the male and female raise the babies. - BLACK HOWLER MONKEY: This was the fourth birth at zoo. All howlers are born blonde
and ride on their mothers at the top of the canopy. Here they blend in with the environment for
preservation. Males are all black . - EASTERN BONGO: This was the fourth birth at the zoo. They are from Central Africa, in an
area being decimated by mining for cell phone components. The Bongos can be seen from the
train ride. - BABIRUSAS: These are members of the swine family, but unlike other relatives in the family,
they don’t root in the ground. They stand up and pluck fruit from bushes. The males have tusks
that curve around their faces. To prevent them from growing into their heads, they must be
trimmed with a Dremel. They love tummy rubs! - EMERALD TREE BOAS: The second birth took place naturally up in the trees. The babies are
red, green, and brown.
TRAINING OF ANIMALS - If a good behavior is seen, the behavior is “captured” with treats as reward.
- Volunteers build a relationship that is enjoyable and then build to a particular behavior.
- With snakes, behavior modification is harder since they can’t hear well and they only eat once a
week. Food is not an incentive.
RESTORE OUR SHORES - Lots of volunteer opportunities individually and with groups.
- Collect oyster shells from restaurants, then sanitize and disinfect with exposure to the sun.
- Making metal oyster cages, clams collected, etc.
- Distribution
- Check the Restore Our Shores website: restoreourshores@brevardzoo.org.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - Check website: voladmin@brevardzoo.org for full listing.
- Zoo Teens for students 13 – 16.
Zach will be returning in February, next month, to talk about the proposed aquarium and latest updates.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15. Respectfully submitted, Laurie Crooks
MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 2023
Began with the pledge, followed by the minutes, and the treasurer’s report.
Stephanie Maduskuie, Community Redevelopment Manager of the Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency (MIRA) as our speaker. She came to talk to us last year & was back to give us an update on projects. She shared information about MIRA starting with an overview of what it is, where the funding comes from and how it’s structured.
The county established MIRA in 1989 to “promote quality growth & economic development” for the unique MI community. They work with businesses to attract good business to our island in designated zones such as SR 520 and the Barge canal (see their website for a map.) MIRA works within the County’s Comprehensive Plan (they cannot do something that is not already in the plan.) The agency was approved to run through 2034.
Funding for projects comes from “various sources, including Tax Increment Financing (TIF), grants, and donations.” The agency’s 1.3 million budget, which comes from the general County fund, gets earmarked specifically for the Merritt Island business Redevelopment agency. MIRA reports can be found on their website.
The “seven member appointed volunteer Board is responsible for providing oversight to MIRA.” The MIRA Board meets regularly to discuss potential opportunities, votes on plan projects and then MIRA staff implements it. The MIRA Board chair, Marcus Herman, is a supporter of the EMI HOA and shared his experience with us. MIRA agendas and other documents can be found on their website.
UPDATES:
• Transit shelters – 4 were installed last year & 4 additional shelters will be installed
• The Merritt Island Amphitheater, which will be located by the Veterans Memorial Center, was to break ground on October 6th but had to be postponed. The Tourism Board was able to give a 6 month extension to the grant. The 1st MI community Tree Lighting event was held there on December 9th.
• South Courtenay improvement from SR 520 to Cone Road. The changes are improvements to the flood prevention infrastructure & updating the right of way landscaping.
• Brownfield Grants (an EPA funded program) are still available. They can help pay for assessments of your property & other grants can help fund cleanup of brown fields assessed. The Goal is to have abandoned and underutilized properties back in productive use by our community. The EPA has agreed to help with planning funds as well. So far property owners have used these grants to improve their properties & have discovered an unknown storage tank & an unknown lift.
UPCOMING: Watch for a request from MIRA to gather input & information from our community on ideas & knowledge about the SR 520 business areas.
CONTACT: MIRA Board meetings are open to the public. The Agendas are posted online. County Commission Agendas & Meetings are also online & you can fast-forward to the agenda items that you’d like to review. Beware of misinformation & go to the origin of the information before posting rumors. MIRA welcomes phone calls from our community.
For information on MIRA, the Board & their projects go to: www.mymerrittislandfl.com
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15.
Respectfully submitted, Aili Melton