Minutes
Gustavus Mental Health Lands Group
October 29, 1998
Next Meeting
There will be a Town Meeting on Mental Health Trust Lands sometime between mid-November and mid-December. Everyone interested in helping to organize the meeting please meet Tuesday, November 10, 1998, 7:00 p.m., Gustavus Library
Community and Mental Health Lands Map Update
Heidi Robichaud is completing a map of Gustavus showing the location of the Mental Health Trust parcels (see attached). Heidi asked that people provide her with comments on the map by November 20.
Gustavus Visitor Statistics
The Trust for Public Lands requested visitor statistics for Gustavus. Judy Brakel contacted the Park Service, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Gustavus Visitors Association and Goldbelt (Auk Nu) to determine the number of visitors to Gustavus. According to best estimates: 1) at least 14,000 tourists stay in or transit Gustavus per year; 2) the numbers are increasing steadily and 3) a larger proportion of tourists will be staying in Gustavus, as opposed to Bartlett Cove in the Park.
Affiliation with the Gustavus Community Association
The Mental Health Lands Group affirmed that it is a committee of the Gustavus Community Association. The group's recommendation to seek (or not seek, depending on the wishes of the community) conservation easements on Mental Health Trust lands will be voted on at a GCA general membership meeting. The group will make every effort to ensure that people in the community who are not members of GCA are included in the process to determine if the community wishes to obtain conservation easements on Mental Health Trust lands.
Privacy
It was agreed that Mental Health Lands Group meeting minutes on the GCA web site would not have hyperlinks to peoples' email addresses. The minutes would include attendees names only.
Community Survey
A survey to determine how residents use Mental Health Trust lands, and how they value those lands, is being prepared. The final editing of the survey will be completed the week of November 2nd. If the survey is too long to go into Gustavus Electric Company bills at Thanksgiving, then the group will ask for donations (about $100. will be needed) and mail it out earlier. Copies of the survey will also be available on the GCA web site, and at the Post Office, Gusto, and Beartrack Mercantile. The following text will be added to the survey: "If you would like additional surveys, they are available at the Post Office, Gusto, and Beartrack Mercantile."
Timeline
The group discussed a timeline and milestones for this project (see Attachment B). It was decided to add a town meeting during the time people are filling out the survey. The meeting will give people a chance to ask questions and provide additional input. The community will have three weeks to complete the survey. Depending on the response rate, the group may take additional steps to get more people to fill out the survey. If the survey results indicate that the community supports obtaining easements or title to Mental Health Trust lands, then the group will prepare a draft recommendation to GCA. There will be a comment period and public meeting on the draft recommendation. The Mental Health Lands Group will revise its recommendation as necessary and will then present its final recommendation to the membership of GCA. The process is expected to be completed by February or March.
Volunteers
Final survey editors and survey mail out: Eric Syrene, Tania Lewis, Seth Koch, Liz Falvey, Meadow Brook, Nate Borson, Larry Basch. Survey tabulators: Tania Lewis, Eric Syrene, Meadow Brook. Portfolio formatters: Judy Brakel, Meadow Brook. Public meeting organizers: Seth Koch will coordinate, Heidi Robichaud will provide maps
Attendance
Meadow Brook, Van Swanson, Kim Heacox, Seth Koch, Heidi Robichaud, Eric Syrene, Tania Lewis, Bruce Paige, Hovey Pederson, Ruth Pederson, Shelly Webb, Kim Ney, Judy Brakel
(Prepared by Tania Lewis and Meadow Brook, Gustavus Mental Health Lands )