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Home My WebLink About2022-01-12 Historical Commission Minutes,sx racy RECEIVED Town of Reading TOWN CLERK Meeting Minutes READING, MA. &6- 2022 FEB 17 PH 4: 29 Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Historical Commission Date: 2022-01-12 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Location: Zoom Address: Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Draft Attendees: Members - Present: Virginia Adams (VA); Jonathan Barnes (JEB); Samantha Couture, Chair (SC); Pino D'Orazio (PD); Amelia Devin Freedman, Secretary (ADF); Christine Keller (CK); Daniel Moresco (DM); Sharlene Reynolds Santo, Treasurer (SRS) Members - Not Present: n/a Others Present: n/a Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Amelia Devin Freedman Topics of Discussion: SC called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM. She read the protocols for the Zoom meeting and advised attendees that RCTV may be airing the meeting or recording it to air later. Lafayette Market:VA continues to assist Peter Maguire in his attempt to document the site of the Marquis de Lafayette's 1825 visit to Reading, which would entitle the town to a "Lafayette's Tour' historical marker sponsored by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. She is trying to establish the location of Skinners Tavern, where Lafayette is known to have stopped. Mr. Maguire has asked Latham and Latham whether they have records indicating that the tavern was located on their property; the 1830 town map indicates there was a tavern on the site but does not name its owner. JEB asked Karen Gately Herrick, the chair of the Select Board (SB), to investigate how to get town approval for the marker. SC suggested involving the RHC's SB liaison, Carlo Bacci. JEB repotted that Ms. Herrick had said she would involve Mr. Bard. Signage at the Postmark: SC told Andrew MacNichol, Staff Planner, that the Commission thinks that the planned restaurant sign is too large; he said the Zoning Board of Appeals Commission had come to the same conclusion. SC will follow up. 40 Grove Street: SC emailed the owner, detailing RHC feedback on the latest designs and asking him to attend this meeting; she received no response. She will follow up. 24 Gould Street: SC sent the proposed text of the interior historical wall plaque to the owner. She will follow up. Page 1 1 or xxt�ao \. Town of Reading Meeting Minutes 25 Haven Street: SC has sent the owners numerous reminders that they are obligated to work with the Commission during the demolition delay period but has received no response. VA asked when the demolition delay would expire in this case. SC said it would expire on February 28. She also reported that the owners have not met with the CPDC recently either. DM asked what would happen when the demolition delay expires. SC said that the owners would be entitled to demolish the building. JEB said he had found the following binding provision in the CPDC's Design Guidelines: "Existing building facades with architectural significance are to be incorporated into new construction whenever feasible. Protected buildings can be changed only with the approval of the RHC." SC said she would include this provision in the letter she writes to Bret Bennett, the Building Commissioner, when she advises him that the demolition delay period has expired. 531 Main Street: SC has heard nothing from the owners about their progress on the historical display. She will follow up. Merit Plaques: SC said that she has yet to pack up the plaques so the recipients can pick them up at Town Hall, and that the ceremonies would take place later. JEB said that, in the past, the ceremonies took place when the Commission handed the plaques over to the recipients. SC said she would propose that course of action to the recipients instead. VA asked whether the Commission would request that the recipients install their plaques in a public place. SC said she would suggest that. JEB reported he had been in touch with the Chronicle about press coverage for the ceremonies; he said he would also contact the Part and the Patch. VA said that it would be better for the RHC to write its own articles and then send them to the papers. Funding Requests for RHC Projects: SC received an email from Ms. Herrick, soliciting proposals for funding from the new federal grant the Town has received. SC sent a list of three projects, as follows: (1) the digitization and reproduction of twenty historic photographs and maps; (2) 250 hours of pay for a temporary archivist; and (3) new collection management software. SC asked members to let her know if they have ideas to add to the list. SRS said the Commission has approximately $52,000 in its trust fund that could be used for the software update. JEB said the RHC should seek grants for its projects before spending its own funds. JEB suggested adding to the list the possible acquisition of the historic structures at 186-190 Summer Avenue, which could be used as a new Senior Center; VA and CK agreed. JEB asked how much money the SB will distribute and when it might be available. SB said she did not know the answer to either of these questions; she will follow up. Historic House Markets: SC reported that Kurt Habei, the owner of 832 Main Street, ordered a historical market. Given that the exact date of the house is still in doubt, she asked what date the Commission should use. JEB said to use the date on the Form B. VA agreed and advised adding "circa" to the date. Page 12 a Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Archives: SC and CK are taking break from organizing the Archives because of the recent surge of the Omicron variant. SC reported there has been no recurrence of the problem with the heat in the Archives. Demolition Delay Rules and Regulations: SC suggested the Commission discuss the changes to the Demolition Delay Rules and Regulations that JEB proposed in his 10.7.2021 email. JEB reiterated that his suggested changes are intended to define what information the RHC requires from an applicant before a demolition delay hearing can be held. He also thinks the Commission should work to change the Demolition Delay Bylaw as follows: (1) to require applicants to make initial contact with any other relevant town entities before submitting a demolition delay application to the RHC; and (2) to extend the time the Commission is authorized to continue a demolition delay heating. SC said the RHC should focus on changing the Rules and Regulations as soon as possible and then tum to the bylaw later. She asked members to review JEB's October 7 draft for next month's meeting. PD said that the HDC recently changed its Rules and Regulations, and that Amanda Beatrice, Senior Administrative Assistant, and Julie Mercier, Community Development Director, had helped him navigate the process successfully. Finances: SRS reported that, in addition to the $52,000 in the trust fund, the Commission has about $1400 in its general fund and about $3100 in its donations fund. New Business: Reading_ Memorial High School (RMHS) History Award: ADF met with the chair of the RMHS History Department, John Fiore, to discuss terms of the RHC history award. Mr. Fiorewill seek approval for the award from school administrators for the award and then ADF will bring the terms to the RHC for freetuning. Historical Materials from DuPage County (Illinois) Historical Museum: PD asked SC what developments there had been about the group of Reading documents that the museum has offered the RHC. SC said that she had accepted the offer. Once the documents have arrived, she suggested the Commission votes on whether to add them to the Archives. Minutes: Motioa to accept the minutes from the following dates, as amended: 10.6.2021;10.13.2021; 12.15.2021 SRS motion, SC second; vote 5-0-0. Next Meeting: Wednesday, 2.9.2022 at 7:00 PM Adjourn: Modon: To adjourn. SC motion, JEB second; vote 5-0-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:37 PM. Page 1 3