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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-12-10 I"'t City of Meridian Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Meridian City Hall -City Council Chambers Thursday, December 10, 2009 @ 5:30 P.M. Item 1. Roll-call Attendance: X Walter Lindgren -Chair X Dr. Frank Thomason X Dr. Tom Hammond -Vice Chair X Carol Harms X Steve Turney X Jessica Proctor Others Present: Lila Hill, Bill Nary, Jacy Jones Item 2. Adoption of Agenda: Lindgren: Has everybody had a chance to review the agenda if so I would like to entertain comments or a motion to approve. Turney: Mr. Chair I would like to make a motion that we approve the agenda as presented. Dr. Hammond: I would like to add the finance report to the agenda. Lindgren: Do you have a suggestion about which line item you would like to throw that on? Dr. Hammond: I think we add that to item to number three. Lindgren: And that will be our third number three so that will be good. Dr. Hammond: 2A Lindgren: And I will make a motion that the first number three on the agenda become item 2B if that's okay. That's a motion, do I have a second? Dr. Thomason: Second. Lindgren: With all those corrections and modifications all those in favor of approval of the agenda as amended say aye. ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED. Nary: Mr. Chairman ~ ~ Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 2 of 13 Lindgren: Yes Mr. Nary Nary: Just so that you know you have a youth member now that is now part of your commission, this is Jessica Proctor. We amended the ordinance last month so that she is a regular member of the commission not just an ex-officio, just wanted you to know that you had a new member, which we also realized now changes your quorum requirements. Now you need four of you to be here to hold a meeting instead of three. Lindgren: What's Jessica's last name again Proctor: Proctor Lindgren: That's right, okay. Welcome Jessica Proctor: Thanks Lindgren: You bet. Item 2A. The Budget Report: Lindgren: So item 2A I think was to review, I guess not necessarily approve but just to review the financial statement Nary: Mr. Chairman Lindgren: Yes Mr. Nary Nary: Thank you Mr. Chairman, members of the Commission, I got this printout today from the finance department. I just wanted to make sure that you folks were caught up on what was spent in FY09 so you have a copy of the ledger from 2009 and obviously there have not been any expenditures yet in 2010. I have both of those for you and if you have questions I can certainly take those back for you to Finance but I wanted to make sure that you had those. Lindgren: That's great. Thank you Mr. Nary. So there is no real action here Nary: No its just information Lindgren: Thank you very much Item 2B. Approval of August 13, 2009 Meeting Minutes: ~"~ ~ Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 3 of 13 Lindgren: Item 2B is to approve the minutes from the August 13, 2009 meeting. Frankly I believe that Jaycee had forwarded them to me, at least the one copy. Dr. Thomason: I did receive via a-mail those minutes; they were altogether quite luminous but I did review them in that form so I hope everyone else received them also. Lindgren: Has everybody else had a chance to review the minutes? Hill: Mr. Chairman Lindgren: Yes Lila Hill: I have some corrections to the spelling of some names that are important but I will go with the office and not handle it right here. Lindgren: On the minutes you are saying Lila, Okay. I guess for items like that it can be done offline can it not? Nary: Yes Lindgren: Okay. With that being stated I would like to entertain a motion to approve August 13, 2009 meeting minutes. Dr. Hammond: So moved Turney: I'll second Lindgren: All those in favor of approval of the meeting minutes from August 13, 2009 say aye ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED. Item 3. Approval of October 8, 2009 Meeting Minutes: Lindgren: And the same for the October 8, 2009 meeting minutes. I will entertain a motion to approve. Dr. Thomason: I motion that we approve the minutes from the October 8, 2009 meeting Harms: I will second Lindgren: We have a second. Any other discussion? All those in favor of approval of the October 8, 2009 meeting minutes say aye. Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 4 of 13 Lindgren: Were there 5 ayes, Dr. Hammond? Dr. Hammond: Yes aye Lindgren: I'm sorry I just didn't here everyone Dr. Hammond: I was thinking aye Turney: Think louder Lindgren: Okay all ayes. ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED Item 4. Current City Applications (Review and Comment): Lindgren: Okay item 4 is current city application for review. Do we have anything currently in the hopper, do you know? Jones: Thank you Mr. Chair, at this time there are no pending applications. Lindgren: Perfect, thank you, thank you. Item 5. Monthly Report from Lila Hill (History Center): Lindgren: Okay lets see, then we will move onto Item 5 which is our monthly report from Lila Hill regarding the History Center and other goings on with the Historical Society. Hill: You are going to get a two months report because I did not want to combine them. Today I was lazy. Anyway there is not much new to report. We are still scanning pictures into the notebook. This was a month ago, for public use and the Historical Society has elected new officers. Robbie Robinson is the new President. I'm the Vice President. Carol Jetton is the Secretary and Gwen Alger is the Treasurer. Robbie the child of a former high school teacher who was a teacher at the high school when my husband's older brothers were is school so he moved here is a young child. He lived her in the early Thirties so he has kind of come home and has picked up the gauntlet here and is a very valuable person and a volunteer. Work is slowing continuing on the information on houses by address. We discussed getting records in to format for possible digital use and concluded that we really would really like to do a website of our own rather then be off of someone else's banner and I will get to some more on that in a minute. Like this, did you know that the Historic Preservations walking tour now appears on the Meridian Library website? It can be downloaded there from there and it on their site. It does give the r Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 5 of 13 Preservation Commission credit for it but perhaps the groups should be in discussion with the history groups at the Library perhaps about putting information on their site. It's not available on the City website so whatever you decide to do on that. I know that at one point the Library wanted to put everything that we had on their site. They had wanted to go through our files and do everything but our files are still a long ways from ready for that because they are full of little notes and remarks and clippings from papers that need to be collated but we are not ready for that at all but they I think were a little hurt because we did not just jump at the chance because they have the equipment and the people with the knowledge and so forth. So anyway that is something that you should just discuss perhaps amongst yourselves. We have received some of the final family reports and others will be forthcoming and we may need still some money for supplies, printer, ink, paper, and that sort of thing connected with the project and closing that up but I believe the society can fund this. We hope to purchase and upright display for taller objects when we have time to go and look. We will be receiving an old coat rack from the church next week and we did receive it and its in there and you need to go and look at it because its an old original oak one and it has the shelves for the men's hats with the ventilation holes on it underneath so that the hats did not just sit there is the warmth and get a little odiferous probably. This past month we have moved more stuff to the basement for a cleaner more uncluttered look and we are still looking for a top for the children's toy display; more on that later. We opened early on the business day and are still in need of more volunteers. We have a lead on one or two so if you know someone who says that they are bored tell them that you know exactly where there is a place for them. Walt and I met with Mayor de Weerd about the wooden informational display boards. Basically they will include information about this building site or the creamery, and probably some city history. It's all very much still in the gather and decide stage. The sign lumber is from the old fifty foot central ceiling beams from the 1938 additional creamery building used for butter and dried milk storage. At that time they were the larges beams ever brought in on the railroad to the Boise valley. They cut them up in pieces and made sign boards out of them and they are out there and one of them is already done with the City. Now onto this month's report. Again not much change. The PEOs were going to come in you know and have a quilting day but that didn't happen because Jackie came home with the flu. She didn't get the quilt in the frame so that will happen later in the spring. We did receive the coat rack and Brenton Alger brought in his tools and reattached the loose coat hooks on the side next to the office and the City has donated a large wreath that had metal antiques in it. There was a top amongst the items and it is now in the display case with the Children's toys. We continue to look for more members and volunteers. Hopefully we can make a connection in the schools by advising them that we will be open during the week between Christmas and New Year's and encouraging especially the teachers to drop in and see what we have. The American Legion information has been collated and entered into the computer along wit the WWII veterans listed in the Times. Also a year's farming diary from the Lund collection has been entered. It is interesting that not once as he listed his daily work did he mention the milking. This was just a standard daily event and not worth mentioning. %'~ /'~ Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 6 of 13 The photo collection notebook now includes and agricultural section and other sections will be added. I think that is basically where we are. We had 27 volunteer hours last month but remember Thanksgiving was on Thursday and Thursday is our biggest day with volunteers. We have 18 hours so far this month. Lindgren: Thank you Lila. Does anyone have any questions before we move on? Dr. Thomason: Lila you mentioned a need for more supplies. Did you have an idea... Hill: I think at this time we can supply anything that Nancy needs to complete that project. Dr. Thomason: Thank you Lindgren: Okay great. Thanks Lila. Item 6. Elections -Chair and Vice Chair: Lindgren: Okay moving right along. Item 6 is what I called elections. As I mentioned at our last meeting we were mentioning maybe changing of the guard. I guess Mr. Nary as a formality is there any particular format we need to follow or do we just have at it? I guess is there any kind of protocol that we must follow? Nary: The only protocol is that any member can nominate another member of the commission to be the chair or if someone wants to step forward. You still do it by voice vote. Lindgren: Okay. Then at this time I would like to entertain nominations for chair. As you know that I mentioned two months ago I am still very interested in being an active member of the commission but feel that it would really be better for the commission at this time that someone else take over the Chairpersonship and so I would like to open up nominations for that position and if no one speaks up I will speak up myself but I will defer to you guys. Is there any thoughts or discussion? Don't hesitate to nominate yourself either. Quiet. Harms: Mr. Chairman I would like to nominate Dr. Dr. Hammond to the position as Chairman. He has been Vice Chairman and conducted meetings in your absence and done an outstanding job, longtime member of the commission and I think he would do an outstanding job. Lindgren: Great, Thank you Carol, I'm sorry, Ms. Harms. Anybody else? Dr. Tom do you want to comment on that or would you accept the nomination... r~ ~ Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 7 of 13 Dr. Hammond: I will accept the nomination. We have talked about this before. It is time for me to step up... Lindgren: Well you have always stepped up. Dr. Hammond: ...Step it up a notch so yes I will accept the nomination. Lindgren: Is there anyone else that is interested. I do not want to leave anyone out. I want to make sure that everybody... Dr. Thomason: Mr. Chairman I would like to toss out this suggestion. I know that Steve is very busy with his profession but would Steve or Carol perhaps accept the nomination as Vice Chair? Harms: I would certainly support Steve as the Vice Chairman. Turney: I would be honored to serve as your Vice Chair. Lindgren: Great, Thank you. Dr. Thomason: Excellent. I so nominate, actually do we still have a nomination on the floor; I am not sure of protocol. Nary: If running unopposed then no one is going to have a problem Lindgren: Okay then let the record show that we do have a new Chair and Vice Chair is that correct? Very good, thank you and congratulations guys. Thank you for that. Having said that and done that I think I will turn the microphone over to Dr. Tom Dr. Hammond, but before I do it's a little unfair what I would like to do is start rolling into or focusing on as we get the New Year and our fiscal year certainly under way and as you can tell by the financial statement we have $6,200 plus or minus to really utilize and invest in this Commission and do some good things this year. I just did some quick searches on the Internet and I would continue to encourage us all to do this as the year moves on. Real quickly I handed out to you a Preservation Month activity list that I think could help us trigger some potential other things that we could be doing even beyond Preservation Month and we will go through that and Dr. Tom I will hand the microphone over to you in just a minute but a few other things that I wanted to bring up, rather one other thing that I wanted to bring up is about one of our line items on our budget which is sending a member to one of the conferences and I just made one copy but I have the download that show the Main Street Conference which is May 2"d through the 5th in Oklahoma City and this is well, a conference on Main Street, its tied to preservation and frankly, it's a good conference from what I understand but I have never attended one but that one may be an option. Abetter option may be the conference for the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions and that's the one that I attended in Baltimore back in Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 8 of 13 2006. Every other year is when they hold these so 2010 is an on year. It is scheduled for July 29th through August 1st. You will find that a lot of people travel from Boise, Nampa, Eagle to Baltimore and they were all represented there. Idaho had a really good representation there. This year's in Grand Rapids Michigan and that one is specific to Preservation Commissions. What I have found is that a lot of other commissions certainly have more to deal with when it comes to historic districts, which we don't have and other things like design review guidelines so some of the subjects go beyond what Meridian even has under its area of influence but there are certainly a lot of classes and group meeting sessions that are applicable and could help so kick it around. I think it's worth it. The commission has money set aside for things like this. I think that if someone could go and come back energized and really kick start some activates I think its money well spent in my opinion. Dr. Hammond: What was the date on the Grand Rapids one? Lindgren: Grand Rapids July 29th to August 1st and they also say that not only is it one of the most entertaining conferences that you can attend it is one of the least expensive. Early registration for that is $140 and I am assuming that covers your whole weekend of conferences and sessions which is actually quite good when you think about it and on top of that is lodging and everything else. Anyways I am looking to you folks if you are interested. I have gone and I would certainly want for you guys to have the opportunity to do the same thing so and real quick one more thing on the Preservation month activities maybe we could go down these and then I will turn this over to Dr. Tom but one of things I thought of in addiction to this list is that we have a couple of buildings that I thought of one with respect to the Zamzows elevator here is possibly and I know Steve you probably have more information here then I do, is the Idaho Urban Research and Design Center... Turney: IURDC Yes Lindgren: ...Downtown with Sherry McKibben I am wondering if we can approach her and have them do a design, its not a competition but a design, basically you spend a quarter of have their folks do a design of its adaptive reuse as a subject of their folks to their design of their senior, its senior year for them, it's a fifth year project I guess, is that right? Turney: Yeah they have the fifth year and sixth year masters and yes I think that would be a great project. Matter of fact there are some going into their sixth year and they have to identify their thesis if they haven't done so they will be looking for ideas so that might be... Lindgren: I just know that she is always open to people having some unique ideas and I think it's really applicable. They did a big master plan study for downtown Eagle and they focused of four particular areas of Eagle and got into groups to do design shreds and had real interaction with the community if we could do something /'~ Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 9 of 13 like that and I certainly will approach Zamzows first but I think they would be, actually knowing what I know of, we have actually toured the facility with the Mayor and Shaun Wardle with MDC who is the administrator and you know Jim Zamzow who led the tour along with, I believe it was his father and son who were just looking at what we could do with this, what are some opportunities, what are some great ideas so I think they are really open. We can approach them again to make sure we are not being presumptuous but I think that would be a neat way to get the students involved and also get some interaction from the community. Just an idea on top of all of these others. Turney: It's a great idea. Would you like me to approach IRUDC about that I would be happy to Lindgren: If you would, yes please do. You know even if its next fall that's fine or really timing isn't so much the issue it could be as long as the building is still there. With that Chairman Dr. Dr. Hammond the microphone is yours. Dr. Hammond: Well thank you everybody for your confidence in me. My first action would be to thank Walter Lindgren for all his work in the past, what is it five years? It's been a while. What a great job and we have made great strides in the last five years and it's in large part because of you and we appreciate all that you have done. Lindgren: You bet, thank you. Item 7. Review a. b. c. d. e. end Discuss Upcoming Projects/Seminars for 2010: Preservation Month (May) Upcoming Conferences Public Outreach Potential RFPs Others Dr. Hammond: So do we need to take up where we left off under Item 7 Preservation Month it will be here before we know it in May. In the past we have sort of linked up with the Business After Hours whoever sponsors that, do we want to do that again this year? It's been pretty successful the last three or four years we have done it. I would like to incorporate some of these ideas, and talk more about some of these Preservation Month activities that you have handed out so... Lindgren: Mr. Chair, I hate to volunteer people but would Mrs. Harms be interested in heading up our Preservation Month activities again? Harms: We could do that again yes but I am going to suggest that with the current economic conditions if we stayed with the Business After Hours primarily this year; we can look at some of these other options but I know there are expenses involved with them and I think with these trips we are going to find that airfare and lodging Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 10 of 13 may take up a little bit more of the money so maybe this year we just stay with the Business After Hours again and talk about 2011 maybe to do some of these things because they are going to talk a lot of time to plan. I have looked at that list before and there are some great ideas out there from other states and they are going to take a year to plan. I will certainly work with Dr. Dr. Hammond on that but I would like to stay with the Business After Hours. Dr. Hammond: Anything else about Preservation Month? Proctor: I am unfamiliar with the Business After Hours Program. Will someone please explain that to me? Dr. Hammond: It's a Meridian Chamber of Commerce activity the third Thursday of every month. The Meridian Chamber links up with one of their members and its sort of a networking kind of thing and anybody who is a member of the Chamber can show up and promote your business and network with the other businesses that show up. There is probably between 20-40 people who show up at every one of them. Dr. Thomason: Its 5:30 to 7:00 Dr. Hammond: Its 5:30 to 7:00 the third Thursday of every month except December. Proctor: Thank you Dr. Hammond: Anything Else? We have already touched on upcoming conferences, so onto public outreach or is that already in tune with this handout? Lindgren: Mr. Chair I think with public outreach, and actually its timing that Jessica is joining us. I don't know if, I recall, five or so years ago that we had a teacher as one of our commissioners and it was for a short time, and frankly I don't remember his name but one of the ideas that we had thrown around was getting more involvement in the schools and how we could get more about historic preservation into the schools in front of high school students and that sort of thing. I don't think we really have to get into the meat of this today but Jessica something you might want to kick around is how we can get the younger folks involved in some of this stuff. Just to bring you up to speed but when I first got into preservation, and even today you wonder what is it that we are really trying to do here and I hope we can define that for you a bit better but just as a thought I think it will be interesting if we can bring more of the younger folks into the mix. Dr. Hammond: The other thing that we may want to look into is that there are several service clubs in the area that are very active and we have some sort of a speakers bureau and maybe a power point we could go out and sort of make r1 ~. Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 11 of 13 presentations to the service clubs; Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Optimists, Chamber of Commerce those kinds of things. That might be helpful too. Lindgren: Mr. Chair one more thing too. We've got owners of these, what is it six registered structures, no seven now with the Valley Times. You know I wonder as we talk about public outreach is there some way we could get involved with these folks and talk about and I don't want to be presumptuous but maybe the Valley Times could help also generate some interest with focus on one of the structures; like the Neal house. Who resides at the Neal house, do you know Lila? Hill: I can't remember (in audible) Lindgren: And that's one we haven't approached yet for a sign but I know that some are a bit more reluctant then others but to talk a bit about the house and share some information that they know, maybe share a personal anecdote and that type of thing. You know we had folks when we were getting these signs together initially that were really excited and you just start to see the excitement and I just don't know if we have tapped into that or have really taken advantage of that as much as we ought to have, you follow, because there are others. I know there are others, what it is Foleys... Dr. Thomason: Foleys were really excited Lindgren: ...but we just leave it there and don't really work with it. I am not sure how to but perhaps it could be a feature article, I don't know but we have interest there obviously. Dr. Hammond: I want to follow-up on that too. You know some of these people have a lot of very good speakers and they might be part of our speaker's bureau like Howard Foley but that is something to look into for sure. Anything else on public outreach? Lila. Hill: The City is still looking for pictures I think and no where is there a display of the Historic Properties Register. We had them at one time but now find ourselves almost embarrassed for wall space at the moment so that might be something that you want to bring up with Planning and Zoning or one of the other departments. Also I think the people from TAG, both of those girls come out and do programs occasionally and they have been very involved in historic preservation, both of them, .they are sisters and people that I have known for years and years but maybe you could get one of them to do a presentation. If you wanted you could invite maybe one of the high schools or the teachers or something like that. I think those girls would be amenable. It would have to fit their schedule probably but... Lindgren: Mr. Chair, Lila this triggers another thing. Do they offer workshops specifically just for the Commission here ~ ,~ Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 12 of 13 Hill: I don't think they do that, they might. We are certainly in a different situation then like the City of Boise with its districts, or Nampa with districts, or even Eagle with its district. When we first started looking, and Dr. Tom or Frank can bail me out on this, that we decided we did not have enough in one area to have a district and it had all pretty well been chopped up by the time we reached that point so it might be even worth discussing with someone other then Ann or Mr. Watts for guidance and procedures that go with anon-district group which might be something that if you go to a seminar you might be able to get some tips on. I am not sure if the bank will be on the list anymore because its outside has been significantly altered. I am not sure if it will last the winter because the back has been removed. I don't know if it's still considered on the register now or not and that might bear some looking into. Lindgren: Mr. Chair, Lila which bank are you referring to? Are you talking about the... Hill: Exchange Bank. See those were put on when Blista was working with Arthur Hart. He came out and they picked out two or three places and they got stuff together and got those on. The State did those original nominations themselves so nobody locally was working on those. They were done before we ever organized. Dr. Thomason: Mr. Chairman, Lila brings up an excellent point. The bank is still on the register but it might be delisted if in fact the facade change is extensive enough so that is something to keep in mind. It would be great to retain what we have left if we possibly could. See that would be on Broadway and east 2"d on the Northwest corner. Dr. Hammond: Anything else? Onto the potential RFPs. Any discussion, suggestions. Dr. Thomason: Mr. Chairman could you or maybe Walt refresh my memory? Were we talking about specific projects at one point or... Lindgren: You know, Mr. Chair, the potential RFPs, we have contemplated locating other potential viable properties that might be registered, you know I am not sure if I can think of one off hand frankly but keep in mind that as time goes on some of these structures that are built in the 50's are now eligible and so what we might think of as historic or not as historic nature may be; a ranch style home perhaps. I don't know if there is other survey work or reconnaissance work that can be done, I think we have already had some done but I don't want to do it just knowing that its not going to produce anything, I think that there needs to be a purpose certainly. Dr. Hammond: Any other discussion on projects for 2010? ~ r. Meridian Historic Preservation Commission December 10, 2009 Page 13 of 13 Proctor: Are there any ongoing projects happening over December that are actually having activities going on? Dr. Hammond: From us, no, not that I know of. We are looking forward to 2010. Anything else? Item 9. Old Business: Dr. Hammond: Any old business? Nothing. Item 10. Next Meeting: Thursday, January 8, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Hammond: Then I would accept a motion to adjourn. Harms: Mr. Chairman I motion that this meeting be adjourned. Dr. Hammond: Do we have a second? Turney: I'll second Dr. Hammond: Then this meeting is adjourned until January 8th 2010 at 5:30. We will see you next year. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:08 P.M. (AUDIO ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) AP ROVED: ~ ~~-~ ~ ~ J D MDR. HAMMOND -CHAIRMAN DATE APPROVED ~t' •. 4, 0 r ~~ ~~ V G~kPOy4T ~~ t,. ~~ .w ~~ Y S EA ~ o ~:~t * . ~ .~ ~ ~ .,.. ~ ~ ~ SST lst~ O ^~ 9r°~arv , ~°" ATTEST: J C L. 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