Annual Membership Picnic / Meeting
The BFIA Annual Membership Picnic / Meeting will be held on Sunday, July 9th at the beach. All members are welcome. Please bring a chair and your favorite dish to share with others. BFIA will supply hot dogs, hamburgers and grilled sausage as well as cold bottled water.
After the picnic, we will have the annual BFIA meeting and election for officers.
Annual Membership Meeting Minutes
The BFIA Annual Membership Picnic / Meeting will be held on Sunday, July 9th at the beach. Members will be asked to approve/ accept the minutes from last-year's meeting. To keep the meeting short we are including the minutes below so Jean does not have to read them.
Briggs Farm Improvement Association Annual Meeting - July 10, 2022
Call to Order
President Micky McPhillips called the 53rd Briggs Farm Improvement Association’s annual meeting to order at
2:00 PM and welcomed all attendees.
Secretary’s Report: Jean Nardone
· Provided proof of notice of annual meeting per bylaws of the Briggs Farm Improvement Association and
explained how the tradition had come about
· Reported 106 general members and 45 dock memberships currently for a total of 151 members
· Requested that a motion be made to accept the 2021 minutes. The motion to accept the minutes was
made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report: Joe Clark
· Reported that the 2022 checking account balance at Washington Trust Co. at $18,132.74
· Reported the 2022 dock repair reserve account of $26,146 in the form of a Certificate of Deposit at
Washington Trust Company which matures on July 8, 2027
· Reported Washington Trust Co. savings/pavilion reserve account of $16,000.00
· Reported the 2022 Capital Projects Reserve balance of $16,010.00 leaving $2,122.74 in available funds as
of July 10, 2122
· The motion to accept the treasurer’s report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Dock Report: Ray Morocco
· Reported the deteriorating condition of two rock walls and the process of obtaining permits for repairs
while explaining what has been done to slow down the rate of falling rocks in the meantime
· Explained the repairs that had been made over the past year and the need for continual maintenance
· Reported on the size of the dock (18) and kayak (52) waiting lists with 5 dock slips becoming available this
year along with 2 kayak spots
· Led the discussion of the deteriorating boat ramp and the lengthy process to repair/replace the ramp and
answered questions
· The motion to accept the dock report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Entrance Report: Paulette Pelletier
· Thanked the gardeners for all their hard work: Diane Maul, Barbara Jerrett, Janet Keene, Emily Pare,
Deb Favicchio, Deb Ryan, Paula Viau, Carol Kaimer, and Jean Nardone. Paulette gave a history of Sarah’s
Garden and also thanked the men who assist us: Dennis Pelletier, Steven Nardone, Joe Clark, Bill
Pouncey, and Jeff Maul.
· Welcomed Carolyn Bassi to the gardening crew and thanked Nancy Pierro for her years of gardening
expertise.
· Invited interested gardeners to join the group every other Tuesday at 8:00 AM. The next gardening
session will be on Tuesday, July 19 th .
· The motion to accept the entrance report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Yard Sale Report: Paulette Pelletier
· Reported that the yard sale is scheduled for Saturday, August 6 th with a rain date of Sunday, August 7th
The yard sale will run from 8 AM – 1 PM and will be advertised in the paper and on social media.
· The motion to accept the yard sale report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Web Site Report: Jeff Maul
· Highlighted the various categories of information on the Briggs Farm website and invited members to
share their photos and recipes along with any suggestions they may have
· The motion to accept the web site report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Beach Report: Jim Ryan
· Reported that a CRMC Maintenance Assent has been acquired to replenish beach sand lost by wind
erosion. Thirty-five tons of #40 damp sand have been approved and will be purchased and delivered from
Holliston Sand at a cost of $1992.55. Tentative delivery is early spring of 2023 and the method of
spreading the sand is to be determined at an additional cost. In addition, purchase and annual
installation of a sand fence is advisable to mitigate future wind erosion during off season months.
· Reported two reservations for use of the beach on Sunday, July 17 th and Saturday, July 23 rd pending
approval. The beach may be reserved by reviewing Beach Rules and Regulations, completing a Beach
Area Application available on the BFIA website, and signing the Liability Waiver. A $50.00 refundable
deposit is required.
· Noted that cleanliness of the beach and marina area has improved considerably of the past few years.
Association Members appear to be much more conscious of the surrounding environment, and carrying
out their own trash. The removal of trash receptacles seems to be the determining factor.
· Emphasized the following beach and marina rules:
President’s Report: Micky McPhillips
· Announced the newest BFIA member, Calvin Audette born to Phil and Taylor Audette of Daytona Avenue
· Introduced current board members Christina DiComes, Bob Favicchio, Jeff Maul, Steven Nardone, Deb
Ryan, and Dave Spinella.
· Commended Jackie Fleming and her committee for putting on another successful 4 th of July parade
· Reviewed the history of the board’s attempts to maintain the neighborhood as a desirable place to live and
gave an overview of the events that have transpired over the years that have led the board to make the
rules and regulation that govern the beach and marina, specifically the hang tag system.
· Explained specifically what led to the use of security this year and opened up the floor to members’
questions and comments. A lively discussion ensued with members expressing their concerns about
immediate family members using the beach when the member is not present. Micky explained that the
system is a work in progress and that the board would be addressing the members’ concerns.
· Explained the current status of Kenyon Farm, now Cedar Point, and the possible use of Palm Beach
Avenue as an entrance and assured the membership of the board’s diligence in tracking the development.
Micky is in touch with the building inspector who reports no current requests for permits.
· The motion to accept the president’s report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
New Business
§ Micky conducted elections for new Briggs Farm Improvement Association board of directors. He
commended the outgoing board members Bob Favicchio, Jeff Maul, and explained that his term was also
ending. He presented the board’s slate of candidates: Phil Audette, Diane Maul, and Bob Peretti. He
made a motion to close the nominations which was seconded and passed unanimously, effectively electing
the proposed slate of candidates.
§ John Nottell asked if any member would switch his kayak spot with a lower one. John also asked that the
board support his appeal to the town for stop signs on Daytona Avenue.
§ Janet Robidoux explained the trash that is accumulating in her yard after blowing in from Sarasota
Avenue. She was advised to contact the community housing officer David Green.
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 3:13 PM was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted by Jean Nardone, Briggs Farm Improvement Association Secretary
🌟 Beach, Marine, Boat-Ramp -- The BFIA owns the beach and marina and, therefore, we have established rules and regulations that govern those areas. only vehicles displaying a valid hang-tags registered to that vehicle may park in the area, and only members and their immediate family with positive ID may use the beach and marina facilities. Obviously the member may bring guests but parties over 10 must make a reservation (we must all share).
The Association pays for liability insurance, water, portajohn, landscaping services, electricity, security cameras, dock maintenance, boat ramp maintenance, etc. for the beach and community entrance. And our insurance carrier requires that we make every effort possible to exclude non-members.
THE SEASON HAS BEGUN - The Docks are in, the Beach and Marina are OPEN for the SEASON. Please remember, if you want to use the Boat Ramp, you must register first to get the combination. For more information, click here to be directed to The Boat Ramp page. Dock Slip Holders are automatically registered.
💥 Incident Reports - To improve communications and make it easier for Members to say something when the see something, we've setup a system for Members to submit Incident Reports. If you or another Member see someone doing something you think is not right - vandalism, abuse of the BFIA facilities, any behavior that may endanger others, or any incident involving non-compliance with the Beach and Marine Rules; please complete an Incident Report and submit it to the BFIA Board.
Incident Reports may be completed online by clicking here. Or, you may download and print out a blank form and complete it in pen. The completed form can be scanned (or take a clear a picture of the form) and email it to incident@briggsfarm.org. Or, you can give the completed form to any BFIA Board Member (click-here for a list of Board members).
💥 Neighborhood Disturbances - Unlike a condo HOA, BFIA has no authority over the individual properties. We do NOT handle individual neighborhood complaints. If a neighbor is not acting neighborly, we ask that individuals contact the appropriate authorities.
The police have been very responsive so if you are disturbed by noise, parking, illegal behavior or for any other issue, we urge you to call the police department at 401-789-1091. Officers will investigate and handle potential disturbances in a professional manner. If you don't want to be identified, simply tell the officer you wish to remain anonymous. They do not want residents to "handle" any incident themselves; they would prefer to be called. For issues involving trash call David Green, the Community Housing Officer. He can be reached at 401-207-1944.
💥 Website -- our webmaster Jeff Maul works tirelessly to keep this website www.briggsfarm.org updated. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the kinds of information readily available. BTW, if you're on the waitlist for a dock slip or a kayak rack, this is where you can check your position.
New Members - Briggs Farm (past year)
Please join me in welcoming these folks.
Guards at the Beach / Marina
The BFIA Beach, Marina and Boat Ramp are very attractive amenities as they are so convenient and private. There are approximately 150 member-families sharing this gem but it can only accommodate a portion of the membership at any time. If we were to give non-members and outsiders access it would certainly be at the exclusion of BFIA members. And to protect the facility from overcrowding, unnecessary wear-and-tear, mischief, vandalism, and liability; it's increasingly apparent that we must be vigilant to keep outsiders and non-members out.
For this reason the BFIA Board has contracted with a professional Security Firm to guard the Beach, Marina and Boat Ramp on certain days (peak and/or random). The guard will be stopping everyone attempting to enter and checking vehicles, trailered boats and individuals walking; to verify that they are members.
Please be prepared before venturing down to the Marina/Beach, and please be patient with the guard as, believe it or not, he's there for you're benefit.
Thank you for your cooperation
💥 BOCCE -- Bocce will start on Friday, July 7th with a Meet & Greet event at the beach. Anyone interested should bring a chair, a dish to share and whatever they want to drink. We invite all residents to join up. No experience is needed. This is a great way to meet your neighbors and participate in a fun activity. If interested in playing, please contact Bill Pierro (in the spring) - Bocce Director - at 508-543-8825.📣
💥 Gardening -- Come spring, anyone who wants to help maintain the entrance and beach plantings is invited to join the gardening crew.. We will be gardening every other Tuesday morning. Besides being in charge of the annual neighborhood yard sale, Paulette Pelletier also serves as our gardening chair. See her contact info above.
HangTags -- Please do not drive down to the beach without your hang tag. Security personnel will be checking that your hang tag and vehicle license plate has been registered with the association. Parking is limited and There are 149 member households and parking for about 30. If you are walking down to the beach, please be ready to show a picture ID. If you are shuttling beach gear or people that won't fit in one vehicle, please drop it off (think Narragansett Town Beach).
⦁ Hang Tag may only be used on the vehicles specified on the Member's Application (license plate numbers).
⦁ Misuse / violations may jeopardize membership and right to use the property, and/or the vehicle towed.
⦁ Help us protect this beautiful amenity. Report issues of misuse. Snap a picture and email it to PropertyUse@briggsfarm.org
Fireworks - fireworks (or open fires) in the BFIA Beach and Marina area are absolutely forbidden. Violators will be arrested and lose their 'member in good standing' status and their membership in The Association.
Boat Ramp - Our Boat Ramp is for the exclusive use of BFIA members to launch a water-craft for their own use. We have encountered situations where a member attempts to do a friend a favor, telling them they can use our boat ramps anytime instead of waiting in line at one of the public boat ramps. Doing so is a violation that can cost the member his rights and his friend will likely be chased away.
Dogs - No dogs are allowed on the beach or picnic area. They may be walked on the road on a leash and the walker must pickup after them and properly dispose of the waste off-site.
