News
August 5, 2007
Painting RaffleThis extraordinary painting of the Coast guard houses on Manana was generously donated by Caleb Stone for raffle, to benefit MISCA. The painting is beautifully framed in a 6 inch gold frame. It is available for viewing at the Island Inn and then it will be at the Black Duck. Tickets may be purchased at The Black Duck, Island Inn, Carina and through Corlis Carroll at corliscarroll@yahoo.com. The winning ticket will be drawn at the last Jamboree, September 30th. Good Luck!
December 15, 2007
Annual LetterDear Friends of Monhegan,
Thank you for your help in sustaining a year-round community on Monhegan Island. As I write this, Matt Weber has begun the foundation of his house (a part of the MISCA program) and Chris Cash and Rich Shea have just bought the former Jacobson cottage from MISCA - and will convert it to a year-round house.
Over the past five years your encouragement, advice, and donations have been vital in securing the old-Monhegan-Store-building, the Alison Hill/Ted Tehansky house, the land on which Matt Weber is building, and the house that Chris Cash and Rich Shea will convert. You have contributed to the roughly $1,000,000 that was donated for the purchase of these properties (and - by the time the Weber house and Cash/Shea house are completed - the purchasers will have added another $700,000). The five MISCA housing units constitute about 14% of all the occupied year-round housing on the Island.
There is other good news: the first months of the new lobstering season have been successful and give promise that lobstering can return to being a stable part of the Monhegan economy. Cynthia Charles has come back to the Island and to her house on Horns Hill. MISCA had special help in purchasing the Jacobson house from Alan Pedersen and David Dixon who offered it to MISCA at a below-market price - and from Jamie and Phyllis Wyeth, Tom and Kate Chappell, and from another generous, but anonymous summer resident. The Island Institute and the Maine Community Foundation each gave $25,000.
With your help we have been able to do a great deal - but there is also much we haven't been able to do. We purchased the old-Monhegan-Store-building with an interest-only mortgage (that we later converted to a conventional mortgage). We promised to contribute $20,000 towards the installation of a new septic system and we are aware that a number of the windows still need replacement and that repairs to the other parts of the building await our attention. In short MISCA needs an estimated $150,000 to complete these repairs and pay off the mortgage on the building. With the mortgage discharged, MISCA will have about $2000 per month in revenue from the Post Office, Black Duck, and Laundry to help us finance new projects.
In addition, when we bought the Jacobson cottage, we emptied our Escrow Account for New Purchases. We need to rebuild it so MISCA can move quickly when a good opportunity arises.
Thank you for your past-present-and future support! I look forward to hearing from you and talking with you- and I hope you will visit www.misca.info for MISCA news and pictures.
Sincerely,
Richard Farrell, MISCA President
October 28, 2007
A MISCA meeting was held and motion passed approving the purchase and sales agreement on the Jacobson house. Because Alan Pedersen and David Dixon have offered the house to MISCA at a below-market-price and because of the recent generosity of people who have made pledges for "MISCA's next house" or who have made contributions we are holding in escrow, we are close to being able to move forward on this and soon add another year-round residence to the Monhegan community.Discussion ensued on repairs to the MISCA building. While several items on our repair list are completed, others remain. These include repairs to the front of the Black Duck, replacement of four windows, re-shingling the roof and rebuilding the Post Office ramp so that it is up to code on handicap accessibility. Non-earmarked funds are vital in helping us to maintain this building.
Clearing is well under way at the Weber property (pictured) and foundation work has begun. Stay tuned for photos as the project progresses.
