NHIA Membership Meeting Minutes 9/16/26

Financial report was briefly reviewed.

Old business:

Building transfer to NHFD is (still) under active discussion.

Building maintenance – will need a new well which will cost about $15,000. We have shared the cost of such expenses with the NHFD in the past.

NHFD has also offered us a generator for emergency backup use. There are associated costs for this which NHIA would need to fund. 

New business:

Election for NHIA officers and Board will be held at our Dec 2 meeting. Current officers and Board members are willing to continue for 2027. No new nominations (or volunteers) were given by those present but can still be made on-line at nhiarental@gmail.com.

Current officers are Walter Fowler (Pres), Sue Andresen (Vice Pres), Ed Tostanoski (Treasurer). Secretary is currently vacant. Current at large Board members are Shannon Tostanoski, Steve Herman, Amelia Drake, Deana Nelkin, Isabel Reddy.

Events. We have had an active year so far and hope to continue the pace. Our next event is the Whitfield Road Cleanup on Sat Sept 26. Meet at 8:30 am at the NHIA building. We’ll have supplies and water.

The December Membership meeting and election is scheduled for Weds Dec 2 at 6:30 PM. Tom Driscoll (New Hope Audubon) will give a talk at 7pm.  The topic – “Close Encounters of the Avian Kind.”

Midsummer Update

Our meeting on June 3 included an update for the DOT work at the intersection of I-40/NC 86/Whitfield Rd (see map below) as well as the bridge work on Sunrise Rd and Erwin Rd.  Also included was the Birding 101 presentation by Tom Driscoll of the New Hope Bird Alliance and there were about 30 attendees (see photo below).  Our next event is the Ice Cream Social/New Hope Fire Dept Open House from 1-3 on Sat August 22 which is by definition kid friendly – adults are also welcome.  A membership meeting at 7 pm on Wednesday September 16 will include a presentation by Orange County Emergency Services – we are just past the 1 year anniversary of Tropical Storm Chantal and we want to be ready in the future.  There will also be a Whitfield Rd cleanup sweep on the morning of Sat September 26.  Please come help out.  Hope to see you at all these events!

BIRDS 101 (AKA WHY BIRDS?)

Tom Driscoll of New Hope Bird Alliance will speak on these topics at 7 pm on Wednesday June 3 at the New Hope Improvement Association meeting.  The emphasis will be on how to see and enjoy birds in this part of North Carolina.  We will also have a brief update from the NCDOT on work being done at the I-40/NC-86/Whitfield Rd intersection.  Please join us.