HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-09-14 Historical Commission Minutesorx
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Historical Commission
Date: 2022-09-14 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session
Purpose: General Business Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Virginia Adams (VA); Jonathan Barnes (JEB); Sarah Brukilacchlo (SB);
Samantha Couture, Chair (SC) ; Amelia Devin Freedman, Secretary (ADF);
Christine Keller (CK); Sharlene Reynolds Santo, Treasurer (SRS)
Members - Not Present:
Pino D'Orazio
Others Present:
n/a
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Amelia Devin Freedman
SC called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM. She made VA a voting member for the evening.
186 Summer Avenue: JEB spoke to Fidel Maltez, the Town Manager, about the appraisals that both
the Town and Criterion conducted of the property; the two appraisals differed significantly. SC said
that Mr. Maltez will come to the October meeting to update the RHC about ongoing discussions. SC
suggested that the members of the Historic District Commission (HDC) also attend the meeting, and
that an executive session may be necessary.
RMHS Track Naming Committee: CK reported that there was no objection at the public hearing
in August; the initiative to rename track after former RMHS coach Hal Croft, therefore, passed. There
will be a public renaming ceremony at a home football game, probably in late September.
Fall Street Faire and Ane Reading: VA distributed the questions received at the Fall Street Faire
and asked RHC members to follow up.
SRS will arrange to reimburse Everett and Virginia Blodgett for the RHC's half of the Street Faire
registration fee, which comes to $55.
Arts Reading's "Discover the Arts" event will be held on October 15 from 10 AM -2 PM on the Town
Common. VA will produce the display. SC will distribute a signup sheet for work shifts.
25 Haven Street: No new information. JEB will follow up with Julie Mercier, Community
Development Director and the Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC).
JEB will also research the wording relative to continuing a hearing in the CPDC's Bylaw and its Rules
and Regulations. The CPDC is, apparently, able to continue some of its hearings for significantly
longer than the 30 days that RHC is permitted to continue in demolition delay hearings.
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581-591 Main Street: SC reported that the owners of 581-591 Main Street want to take down and
rebuild the concrete pamper of this Inventory property. It is unclear whether Bret Bennett, the
Building Commissioner, will require a demolition permit, which would trigger a RHC demolition delay
hearing. Mr. Bennett will come to the October meeting to discuss the property.
158 Salem Street and 115 Eaton Street (old number = 83 Eaton): SB has been researching the
deed history of these properties, whose owners would like the RHC to add them to the Inventory.
When SB has a draft of the Form B for each, she will consult with VA. VA pointed out that 115
Eaton Street may be eligible for a "Historic Homestead" designation from Mass Historical.
Archives: SC received an email from Robert Silverio, who offered to donate an 1836 deed marking
the sale of a Cambridge property to Eliab Parker, Jr., a Town resident.
Motion: to accept the donation of a deed from Robert and Judith Silverio and to add it to the
Town Archives
VA motion, JEB second; vote 5-0-0.
SC will send a thank you note to the donors
Finances: SC reported that the Commission's request of $13,500 of the Town's American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) funds has been approved. She will investigate how and when the funds will become
available to the Commission.
SC will contact Amy Lannon at the RPL to discuss the possibility of purchasing a common inventory
software system for all the historic repositories in Town.
New Business:
New Resident Open House: The open house will be held at the RPL (Reading Public Library) on
October 18, from 5:30-7:30 PM. JEB will bring copies of the new RHC pamphlet and a copy of the
Inventory. JEB and SB will work the event.
767 Main Street. 832 Main Street. and 27 Hillcrest Avenue: JEB will review the Fort B for each
property, to determine whether they can now be submitted to Mass I-listorical.
RHC Chair Position: SC will have been chair for 2 years in January, and she would like to hand off
the position at that time. She asked members to consider who should take over.
Minutes:
Modoa. to accept the minutes from 8.10.2022 as amended.
SRS motion, JEB second; vote 5-M.
Mod= to accept the minutes from 8.31.2022 as amended.
SRS motion, SC second; vote 5-0-0.
Next Meeting: October 12
Meetings for the test of the year. November 9 and December 14
Adjournment:
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Motion: to adjourn
SC motion, SRS second, vote 5-0-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.
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