NOTES ON ALVA, INC. GENERAL MEETING, FEB. 28, 2002

About 40 persons attended. Meeting began at 7:15 p.m.

Minutes of previous meeting were approved. Lynn Fensterer made the motion;

Tom Colvin seconded; passed.

Treasurer's Report: Balance as of 1/31: $5848.04

Disbursements: 458.64

Balance as of 2/28: $5389.40

Approved.

Sarah announced the annual Plant and Bake Sale will be held on March 23 at

Alva Museum by the Alva Garden Club. All proceeds go towards the maintenance

of the Museum. We use the Museum for our Board meetings, so please support

this effort.

Sarah reported on the meeting with the Commissioners on Feb. 26 for the

purpose of obtaining the balance of the $25,000 ($17,000). It turned out

that those opposed to our plan had lawyers and a representative of the

planning firm, Wilson-Miller, present to persuade the commissioners not to

give us the money. Albion made a long speech about getting our act together,

etc. and reluctantly gave his support; Judah and St. Cerney supported us; and

Coy was against us. We did get the money, but it was touch and go for

awhile. We still have all these landowners that are against being included

in the Alva district. They want only the downtown area of Alva to be the

designated district. We are going for the Alva fire district plan. If we

cannot make these people understand that we are not going to affect their

property rights, then it is possible to ask someone to mediate for us. Susan

Brookman checked out this possibility, and Camilo Azcarate was introduced at

the meeting. He is Director of the Institute for Conflict Resolution at

FGCU. They have been successful in helping people resolve conflicts and

disputes. It would be better to have this done when we are closer to having

our Plan completed. Camilo plans to attend the next Board meeting in order to

discuss the possibility of helping us. Paul O'Conner is going to give us a

map showing where the opposition is located in the Alva area. Lesson from

this is that whenever a meeting with the Commissioners is announced, we need

as many people who can come from Alva to be present-.

Planner Carol Cunningham is going to start from the last workshop and put

together more policies that we agree on. We should form focus groups on the

areas where there are different opinions. She will prepare more definite

guidelines for us to pursue. We hope to have our Plan ready by mid-June. A

sheet was passed around for people to sign up for the focus groups: Hwy. 78;

sidewalks, bike paths, etc.; rural preservation; riverwalk and river

community; and village character. Sarah stressed that everyone should become

more vocal about his own opinions so we can get everything out in the open

and be able to work on agreement. We should accept that we are not going to

get everything that we want as individuals, but should strive to develop

policies that represent the consensus of the community and what is best for

the community. Lynda Kendrick voiced a concern that someone in the group was

passing information on to those opposed to us. It was pointed out that

Wilson-Miller, a large planning corporation based in both Naples and Ft.

Myers, is opposing us. They have access to money, numerous maps, records and

resources, and can easily get information. They are a formidable opponent

because of their size and resources. We will try to set the boundaries after

we get a definite list of those opposed, have a chance to meet with them, and

have a more defined set of policies for the community plan.

Many of those opposed to our community plan at the public hearing would like

to four-lane Rt, 78 in the future. A vast majority of people attending the

meeting were opposed to four-laning 78 and would like it to be a scenic

highway. Andy Tilton (Johnson Engineering) felt that 78 should be widened to

4 lanes as a hurricane evacuation route. David Turkel pointed out that the

shoulders could be made wider for use by emergency vehicles, and the road

could be made one way going east in the case of an evacuation; therefore,

there is no need to destroy a scenic road and many of the century old oaks

along the way. Tilton was of the opinion that four-laning is a foregone

conclusion; however, others felt that Babcock may be the impetus for this and

should pay for it and not the Lee County taxpayers. SR80 is pending. It was

pointed out that SR80, when four-laned, could be changed into 3 lanes heading

east in the case of an evacuation. EMS has the authority to make these

changes in the case of an emergency.

Mary Reese from Lehigh Acres made an appeal for help in their redistricting.

Roxanne Gause reported on SR80. Charleston Park has made a request for

crossings at First Street and where the buses turn around. FDOT will give us

curbs from Hickey Creek to Joel. We still have to provide the landscaping.

Mr. Tilton suggested we contact FDOT about some of their grant programs for

municipalities in order to help pay for this. Having the connection from

Broadway around the park has been approved. They are still studying the

traffic light for Broadway and Joel. By the middle of May, they will decide

on the design team and also the construction team. The Wayside Park is still

deeded to Habitat for Humanity.

Susan Brookman asked for help for a resident home in Alva for developmentally

disabled men. They badly need a washing machine and dryer and to have their

roof repaired.

Lynda Kendrick announced that the steak dinner for the Fire Department did

not make a profit. They need $2500 for a special generator. Oak Park, in

appreciation for their work, is donating $2000 to the Alva Fire Department.

She wondered if we could help. Lynda made a motion that we donate $500 to

them; Jean Colvin seconded; passed.

Lynda also announced a special Alva Inc. Bazaar to be held on April 20 at the

old fire house/community center (where we go to vote). Everyone please clean

out his closets and donate stuff to be sold. We have a lot of special items

that are collectibles that will be sold at appropriate prices. We need to

advertise this. Call her at 728-3412 and she will pick up whatever you have.

It was suggested that we donate a percentage of the sale from this event to

the Alva Fire Dept. This will be further discussed at the Board meeting on

March 14.

Lynda announced that a Little League softball team has been formed in

Charleston Park. On March 2, they are holding a clean-up day to clean up the

ball field for them. We should support this effort.

Sarah closed the meeting by announcing that it is very easy for those who

have been working so hard for Alva Inc. to become discouraged. We need to be

supportive of each other during this time.

Everyone expressed appreciation for all the hard work that Sarah has done for

Alva Inc.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Notes taken by Jean W. Colvin, Acting Secretary