Our July Board Meeting on July 9, 2008 was attended by a moderate crowd.

Our financial situation continues to look better. Income is up in several areas, including increased gas royalties and golf play, as well as annual membership payments. Jeff Collier, our Operations Manager/Golf Pro, announced that our golf play has increased 27-32% in regular play and memberships over the last year or so. Our course, beach, and pool have been open seven days a week to take advantage of the large crowds visiting the island. It apparently has paid off. Thanks to all for their effort in making this happen.

At the suggestion of Vernon Fly, our one-man landscaping crew, we will make several of the parking spaces closest to the shop and grill handicapped spaces.

Other than a letter from Mel Lucas, affirming the Dauphin Island Foundation is still interested in a Community Center for Dauphin, we have not yet received anything in the way of a specific request or concrete proposal. In the past, we have indicated our interested in assisting in this project, but until we are presented with a formal request, the Board can only speculate about the Foundation’s intentions and requirements.

The Town of Dauphin Island, the DIPOA, and the Dauphin Island Park & Beach Board, have been working together for over a year with the Town's lobbyist in Washington to seek funding for beach restoration work on the East End. It was announced at the last Town Council meeting that $750,000 has been put into a Commerce, Justice, and State Dept budget appropriation for year 2008-09 for an engineering study of East End. We expect that once the study is done and a recommendation of cost is obtained, a request for that funding will be made for budget year 2009/10. We owe thanks to Senators Shelby and Sessions for their support in this matter crucial to the Island’s future.

Property tax notices are going out soon, below is an article from the Mobile Press Register. Note that the time limit for filing an appeal has been extended to 30 days from 10 days. Remember these property value valuations are for the period Oct. 2006 - Sept. 2007, a time-period covering drastically depressed real estate values here on the island. You should be seeing decreases or at a minimum the same as last year.

President, DIPOA

There will be a public meeting of the DIPOA Board this coming Thursday evening, July 10, at 7pm at the Isle-Dauphine Club.

The Corps' contracting officer has been in touch with Dr. Byrnes regarding the presentation of his findings at a public forum on Dauphin Island in accordance with paragraph h. of Exhibit A to the Litigation Settlement Agreement. The presentation will occur on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 from 3:00 to 6:40 PM on Dauphin Island at the Isle-Dauphine Clubhouse. The format of the presentation will follow that utilized in similar presentations in the federal government and the professional community, as follows:

1. Welcome, introduction of participants, explanation of agenda and
   format for the presentation by Dr. Susan Rees, USACE contracting officer, who will act as moderator. 10 minutes Dr. Byrnes will present his findings, including how he responded
   to the comments of the Independent Technical Review Team ("ITRT") members in his Final Report. 1.5 hours
2. Although not required by paragraph h., we are inviting the ITRT members (each party to bear its own expenses), to participate in a 30 minute panel discussion during which each ITRT member will have the opportunity to make a five minute statement, followed by a 15 minute general panel discussion among the ITRT members.
3. A 15 minute break during which we would ask the public attendees
   to submit written questions.
4. A one hour period for questions from the public. The written
   questions would be addressed first, in order of their submission. The floor would then be opened for oral questions. Participation would be limited to questions, not statements. Questions could be directed to Dr. Byrnes or any member or members of the ITRT panel.
5. A 15 minute concluding statement by Dr. Byrnes.

Yours,

Bill Harper