Meeting Summary for Decatur Island Alliance: April 19, 2025

Captured with Zoom AI, remediated by DIA

Quick recap

The meeting focused on the formation of the Decatur Island Alliance, a new nonprofit organization aimed at building community and providing a unified voice for island residents. Participants discussed the importance of collective action, gathering input from all residents, and establishing effective communication channels with external entities like the county council. The group emphasized the need for diverse representation, volunteer involvement, and collaboration between existing island organizations to address community issues and foster better decision-making processes.

Next steps

Angela to add an announcement function to the DIA website for community.

DIA to organize and define the survey content during the next meeting.

DIA to establish a committee structure at the next meeting.

Mark Wall to assist in collecting property owner contact information using parcel post and county resources.

DIA to set up a physical community bulletin board, potentially on school property.

DIA to investigate creating a newsletter similar to the Orcas Island Community Association.

DIA to share the link to the recorded meeting on the DIA website.

Angela to research survey tools to ensure data integrity.

Introduction email to be sent to existing Decatur organizations (pending receipt of contact information).

Summary

Decatur Island Alliance Formed for Community

Angela introduces the Decatur Island Alliance (DIA), a newly formed nonprofit organization aimed at building community and providing a unified voice for Decatur Island residents. She explains that the idea arose from a need for better communication and representation with the county and other external entities. Melody shares an example from Waldron Island, which has had a successful community meeting structure for 50 years. The DIA plans to conduct an all-island survey to understand residents' priorities and establish processes for gathering and sharing information on important issues. Angela emphasizes that the organization's direction and success will depend on community involvement and volunteer efforts.

Building a Unified Decatur Community Voice

The meeting focused on building a unified voice for the Decatur community to address issues with the county. Charlie shared his experience of presenting concerns to the county council, which led to the repeal of an ordinance without notice. He emphasized the importance of collective action and the potential for the Decatur Island Association (DIA) to serve as a voice for many. The group discussed the need for a unified approach to engage with the county and the potential for a community bulletin board or website to facilitate communication and information sharing. The conversation ended with a sense of optimism and a commitment to continue building the DIA organization.

Diverse Voices in Community Group

The meeting involved a discussion about the representation of different voices within a community group. Tacee expressed concerns about the single voice for Decatur Island, stating that the views of the new and old families on the island would be very different. Rosemary, another participant, agreed with Tacee's concerns and emphasized the need for diverse voices in the group. The conversation ended with Tacee stating that she would continue to be the voice of the old family, while Rosemary encouraged everyone to participate in the group.

Decatur Island Organization Formation

The meeting focused on the formation of an organization to represent the interests of Decatur Island residents. The group discussed the need for a more structured approach to gather input from all residents, including visitors, and to ensure their voices are heard in decision-making processes. They considered the idea of conducting surveys to gather data on residents' opinions and preferences. The group also discussed the potential for collaboration between various island organizations, such as HOAs and community associations, to foster better communication and decision-making. The conversation ended with the suggestion to reach out to smaller island organizations for representation in the new organization.

Community Voice and Inclusion Discussion

In the meeting, Angela discussed the importance of having a voice in the community, particularly for those who pay taxes. The group discussed the history of a previous organization, Friends of Decatur, which focused on garbage and recycling issues and ultimately fell apart due to divisiveness. The importance of communication and inclusion was emphasized. The idea of a survey was proposed to gather data and opinions from the community. Mark suggested collecting all email addresses to ensure everyone's voice is heard.

What Happens Next

The monthly DIA meetings will be held at the School, on the third Sunday of each month. Agenda items will be shared via the website. Each meeting will have a hybrid option available. For those wanting to volunteer, Angela encouraged people to consider what they would like to do as a volunteer, since it's important to have fun through this initiative. As part of the follow-up email, Angela will suggest a few key areas that need support.

MEETING PASSCODE TO ACCESS RECORDING: Le=.Hy18

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