Historical Commission Meeting

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Monday, March 10, 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556
A meeting of the Historical Commission

Meeting of Historical Commission

Members: (Quorum)

• Absent: Edie Field, Honorary
• Absent: Carole Desanti
• Absent: Susan Lynton
• Absent: Ann Tweedy
• Present: Sara Robinson, at 7:00 PM
• Present: Susan Mareneck, Chair, 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 Draft Minutes * * *

Meeting opened: 7:08 PM

Meeting closed: 8:37 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Approve Minutes: Mon, Feb 10 - Historical Commission Meeting

1. Embodied History - Timber Industry Program

   • Embodied History - Saturday, March 29, 2025, 'Timber Industry in Leverett - Historical Context' 1-2:30pm, Community Room, Library.; Refreshments. Include contemporary timber industry work in Leverett? (Woodsmith? Dylan Field? Woodworkers like Rocky Adriance, etc..? Bruce Spencer talking about the woodlot he is offering to the town as a town forest?)

     General Discussion...
     Content of the March 29 Timber Industry program at the library was discussed with Pleun Bouricius. The program will be based on excerpts from the 3-hour video that LHC made of the conversation with people familiar with the timber industry in February 2024. It will consist of information about the history of the timber industry in Leverett, families and people who participated, forestry and ecology. into the present People who might be there and encouraged to speak are Bruce Spencer, Barry Black, Janet Puffer. There will be a 30-minute cut of the conversation as a short film. The Town Forest Committee may want to use some of the film for their presentation prior to town meeting this spring. We will make an invitation to advertise the program online through the library and through cards mailed and posted around town. Pleun's design color adjusted.. The program will start at 12:30 so we can try to end at 2:30pm. Susan M. will provide refreshments.

2. Conditions Assessment of Leverett Cemeteries

   • Update - Meeting to assess and collate info from walk-through North, Moore's Corner and Chestnut Hill cemeteries with Leverett Cemetery Association fall 2024 Put together an RFP for using funds from last year's town meeting allocation to estimate costs associated with doing the needed repair work in three of Leverett's historic cemeteries.

     General Discussion...
     Since there has not yet been a compilation of observations collected in the LHC/LCA fall visits to the three cemeteries, an RFP has not be issued. Work will continue on the next step which is making a checklist for each cemetery of issues to be addressed, then an RFP will be created and sent to potential professional resources for a professional evaluation of the specific issues identified in each of the three cemeteries. There will not be a report to this year's town meeting.

3. Historical Signage

   • Industrial History Markers - Update - Signage for Cave Hill, Federal Mill and Roaring Brook Mill

     General Discussion...
     No update at this time.

5. Oversight of Historical Assets

   • HPR - Update - HPR for stone features

     General Discussion...
     No update at this time.

   • 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...
     The Bradford M. Field Library and Museum Ad Hoc Committee has been reconfigured with new leadership. Since the new organization they have had two meetings. They have funds on hand to do a professional conditions assessment and are in the process of deciding next steps. They are planning to present various options to the town in a forum as it is the mission of the AH Committee to provide options for the future. There is a complicated history of oversight shared between the town and the Leverett Historical Society which has been paying heat and electric costs in recent years. One of the holdings of the library/museum are the town weights and measures. An application to CPA to fund moving and installing them at town hall is on this year's warrant for town meeting. The move could provide a good representation of the value of preserving Leverett's history in a more visible location.
     
     Logging has been taking place at the Field Tavern property adjacent to the tavern lot. Heavy equipment is creating deep ruts and disturbance near the building which is deteriorating quickly with a hole in the roof. One shed has collapsed. Town says they need current BOH violations to qualify for the MA Attorney General's Neighborhood Renewal Program. Could someone reach out to the AGO to see specifically what kind of violations would qualify in an uninhabited building? Susan M. will contact the representative who presented the program to Leverett town boards last June to ask.
     
     Graves' Ironworks survey/mapping project will send out an RFP if CPA funding is approved by town meeting. Could we ask the LiDAR scannning proposal to submit a bid in two phases in order to have the scanning accomplished this spring before leaves come out using the grant received from the NTHP? Eva will contact them.

6. Leverett's 250th Anniversary

   • Events - Update - 'Reveal' of 250th Anniversary Crazy Quilt with coffee and cake for Leverett's 251st, 5:30-7:30pm, Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

     General Discussion...
     Speaking about preserving the time capsule from 250, it is suggested that we use ground-penetrating radar to search for the 200th time capsule around the Soldiers' Monument, flag pole and bush planted in 1974 at LES.

7. Reports from Other Town Committees

   • Historical Commission rep on CPC - Discussion of role of Historical Commission representative on the Community Preservation Committee.

     General Discussion...
     Presentations at the monthly CPC meeting, no discussion about town meeting. Votes on which projects to advance to town meeting will be held at a CPC meeting on 3/19/25. Six proposals out of nine originally submitted remain viable. Eva thinks all will probably go to town meeting.

   • 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.

7. CPA Letters of Support

   • LOS - FONLS request 2024 - CD draft needs to be finalized.

8. New Business

   • Public input - Historical Commission Annual Report - due March 15, 2025. Inclusions?

     General Discussion...
     Susan M. will draft and send to committee for corrections and additions.

9. Meeting Wrap-up

   • Next Meetings:
     1. Mon, Apr 14, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556
     2. Mon, May 12, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556
     3. Mon, Jun 9, at 7:00 PM "Historical Commission Meeting" -- Online only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86125147556

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