The Palm Island Estates Board of Directors is made up of up to 11 dedicated island volunteers who help guide our community. Board members are elected annually at the January Membership Meeting. Learn more about board roles >
I’m your neighbor Amy McCully and I live in what is best described as Merkle’s house at 61 Kettle Harbor Dr. My husband Mic and I, along with my 16-year-old son, Hunter, moved to Palm Island in November 2021. We also have three pups, Milo, Matilda, and Mable. Although we love Florida and everything about the island, life still finds us heading back to Illinois occasionally, to visit with kids and grandkids. Mic and I are still working. I have owned and operated a hair salon in northern Illinois for 13+ years, and I opened a salon suite, Rumor Mill Salon, in Port Charlotte this year.
Born in a small town near Buffalo N.Y., I discovered the Island in 1974 and moved with my husband and two children into our almost finished, before the ferry, self-built house in 1979. My daughter Kelly was 10 and son Cory was 8. They both graduated from Lemon Bay High School.
Deb Knighten - Corresponding Secretary
Like so many others, we had no idea what to expect when we rented a house on Don Pedro Island 4 years ago. Within 5 minutes of exiting the ferry we knew this was what we had been looking for. We bought a house on Bocilla Drive 2 days later.
I joined the Palm Island Estates Board to help preserve the special sense of community that makes this place so unique. In particular, I’m looking forward to focusing on enhancing the PIE website as part of the Communication Committee. As the owner of a digital marketing agency and over 20 years of experience in web design, I feel I’m well suited to the task. My goal is to make the website work harder for us and become a hub that residents will want to visit regularly.
I moved to Palm Island as a child in the late 1970’s. Our family lived the old style “island life”, going back and forth by boat. We had only well water and no county services at the time. No fire services, road maintenance, mosquito control, garbage, or cable. I feel very lucky to have seen the beach before there was a single house on it. I have been fortunate to have seen how PIE has helped shape the Island community throughout the many years.
I became a board member of PIE in July of 2022. I am the Chair for “Info Central" where information regarding, taxes, roads, dredging Stump Pass, beach renourishment, Fire and Police protection, Panama Road parking and other concerns have been addressed over the years. When PIE members are concerned about an issue, we attempt to have the person in charge come speak to us and answer our questions. We arrange town hall-style meetings with our local representatives like our West County Commissioner, the Fire Chief or the Charlotte County Sheriff.
Bio Coming Soon.
Bio Coming Soon.
The PIE Board is supported by dedicated officers and committees that help guide and serve our island community. Our officers oversee essential board functions, while our committees focus on key areas such as communication, membership, social events, and community advocacy. Together, these volunteers work to keep PIE active, informed, and engaged. Here’s a breakdown of each officer’s role and the committees that support our mission.
President – Leads monthly board meetings, oversees committees, prepares the annual board letter, and presides over the Annual Membership Meeting.
Vice-President – Supports the President and chairs meetings in their absence.
Treasurer – Manages financial transactions, maintains records, provides monthly reports, works with a CPA for tax reporting, and prepares the annual budget.
Corresponding Secretary – Monitors and responds to emails, forwards inquiries to the appropriate board members, and handles estoppel requests.
Recording Secretary – Manages meeting agendas and notices, takes meeting minutes, circulates them for review, and sends finalized minutes to Communications for website updates.
Administration – Manages preparations for the Annual Membership Meeting, including registration, quorum establishment, corporate filings, and insurance review.
Communications – Keeps members informed through email bulletins, website updates, and Facebook posts.
Info Central – Organizes educational programs and invites expert speakers to discuss topics relevant to the island.
Island Kids Scholarship Fund – Reviews and processes scholarship applications to support island students pursuing higher education.
Island Watch – Monitors all matters that may impact the island, including roads, bridges, and fire district matters while liaising with local law enforcement and emergency services.
Membership– Tracks new property owners, welcomes them via mail outreach, and maintains the membership list and email communications.
Nominating – Identifies and evaluates potential board members, presenting candidates for board consideration.
Action – Represents the community on civic issues impacting the island, mobilizing when necessary (e.g., recent sewer concerns).
Social – Plans and hosts social events, manages event budgets, and collaborates with the Scholarship Committee for volunteer opportunities.
