Historical Commission Meeting

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Monday, December 9, 2024, 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
A meeting of the Historical Commission

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84806069184?pwd=IV1P3b3M5g9qYcb7ftZdSweh8Ss26q.1

Meeting of Historical Commission

Members: (Quorum)

• Absent: Edie Field, Honorary
• Absent: Ann Tweedy
• Present: Sara Robinson, at 7:00 PM
• Present: Susan Mareneck, Chair, at 7:00 PM
• Present: Carole Desanti, at 7:00 PM
• Present: Susan Lynton, at 7:00 PM
• Present: Anne Schuyler, at 7:00 PM
• Present: Eva Gibavic, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

• Pleun Bouricius

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:15 PM

Meeting closed: 8:25 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Mon, Nov 18 - Historical Commission Meeting

1. New Business

2. CPA Letters of Support

   • LOS - FONLS request 2024

     General Discussion...
     Friends of the North Leverett Sawmill BOD have not approved the schematic for the rehabilitation project. When they do, they will present and ask for LHC's support. It will probably be in January 2025.

   • LOS - LHS Request - CPA Moore's Corner Schoolhouse

     General Discussion...
     The draft Letter of Support from the Historical Commission to the CPC in favor of the LHS's application for funding the rehabilitation of the Moore's Corner Schoolhouse was edited and then approved.

     MOTION, moved by Eva Gibavic, seconded by Carole Desanti: Eva Gibavic moved and Carole DeSanti seconded the motion to approve the LOS for the Historical Society's CPA funding application for the rehabilitation of the Moore's Corner Schoolhouse. .

     Pass: Aye: Anne Schuyler, Carole Desanti, Eva Gibavic. Abstain: Sara Robinson, Susan Lynton, Susan Mareneck. Not Present: Edie Field, Ann Tweedy.

     Anne Schuyler voted in favor as other LHC members were recused.

3. Conditions Assessment of Leverett Cemeteries

   • Update - Walk-through North, Moore's Corner and Chestnut Hill cemeteries with Leverett Cemetery Association

     General Discussion...
     No report.

4. Historical Signage

   • Industrial History Markers - Update - Signage for Chestnut Hill Mill

     General Discussion...
     Issues raised by the installation of a historical marker for the Chestnut Hill Mill (our first experiment with installing permanent local industrial history markers for the public) were discussed. It was decided to contact the Federal Mill (Cowles/SM), the Roaring Brook Tannery (Kaplan/PB) and the Marvell Mill (Cave Hill/Baaker/EG) to see if similar of other issues arise before adding or subtracting from the experiment on Chestnut Hil East. At the January 13 meeting we will go over the text for these three additional mill sites.

5. Oversight of Historical Assets

   • HPR - Update - HPR for stone features

     General Discussion...
     (No update.)

   • Properties - Update on - Slarrow Sawmill (FONLS); Moore's Corner Schoolhouse (LHS); 'Heritage Park & Nature Trail'(FONLS/Town of Leverett); Field Tavern (private); Graves' Ironworks (Town of Leverett managed by FONLS as part of 'Heritage Park' conservation area); Field Library/Museum (Town of Leverett in partnership with LHS)

     General Discussion...
     Update on fundraising for doing a survey to create a basemap at the Graves' Ironworks site in the new Heritage Park.
     
     SM will contact the SB to get an update on the process of evaluating derelict properties for possible referral to the MA AGO's Neighborhood Renewal process.

6. Leverett's 250th Anniversary

   • Events - Update - Crazy Quilt Community Project 2024 - 2025

     General Discussion...
     Ongoing.

7. Reports from Other Town Committees

   • Monthly Updates - Community Preservation Committee/ Selectboard/ Planning Board/ Affordable Housing/ Board of Health/ Recreation Committee/ Council on Aging/ Cultural Council/ Zoning Board of Appeals/ Conservation Commission.

     General Discussion...
     Report from the CPC by Eva. She thinks it is important to help the CPC understand which historic properties are deemed 'significant' by the LHC as it is part of their checklist in the process of approving an application for CPA funding.

     MOTION, moved by Eva Gibavic, seconded by Carole Desanti: Move that the LHC certifies that the Moore's Corner Schoolhouse is a historic building.

     Pass: Aye: Anne Schuyler, Sara Robinson, Susan Lynton, Carole Desanti, Eva Gibavic, Susan Mareneck. Not Present: Edie Field, Ann Tweedy.

8. Embodied History - Timber Industry Video from February 2024 viewing to be announced

   • Embodied History - Timber Industry viewing for participants; schedule spring public viewing

     General Discussion...
     Agreed that LHC will present the Timber Industry Conversation video to participants in January 2025 followed by a program on the historic significance of the timber industry to Leverett's economic and social evolution in March. We hope that this will give context to this significance heritage before the town's vote at Town Meeting 2025 on whether the town should accept the gift of a 'town forest' from Bruce Spencer.

9. Meeting Wrap-up

   • Next Meetings:
     1. Mon, Jan 13, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
     2. Mon, Feb 10, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
     3. Mon, Mar 10, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
     4. Mon, Apr 14, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
     5. Mon, May 12, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618
     6. Mon, Jun 9, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online and in-person at Town Hall Topic: Historical Commission Meeting - Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 848 0606 91; Passcode: 254618

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes prepared by sm

Minutes approved on Thursday, Feb 6, 2025