HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-05-10 Historical Commission Minutesg�N orq� REG EIVED
Town of Reading TOWN CLERK
Meeting Minutes REAIPaG.
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2123 JUN 15 AN 7: 3!
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Historical Commission
Date: 2023-.05-10 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 Brukllacchio (SB),
Samantha Couture (SC), Amelia Devin Freedman (ADF), Christine Keller
(CK),
Members - Not Present:
Pino D'Orazio
Others Present:
Robin Merrow, Vernon Chandler
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Keller
Topics of Discussion:
Meeting called to order at 7:04PM. SC made VA a voting member for the meeting.
Guest: Robin Merrow. Archivist
Robin Merrow recently completed a Preservation/Conservation Internship at the
Massachusetts Historical Society. She visited the Town Archive with SC and VA and then
Introduced herself to the RHC as a candidate for our archive project.
Guest: Vernon Chandler. WWII Soldiers from Readina buried overseas
Vernon Chandler shared his experience of crossing Europe to visit six American Battle
Monuments Commission Cemeteries. He had a cousin who was killed in a tank battle in
WWII at Battle of the Bulge. Autumn Hendrickson helped him retrieve his cousin's (Kevin
Miller) file from the US Army. The US Army Action Report contained grid coordinates of the
battle, and he was able to visit the actual battle spot. He and his son traveled from
Normandy to the Eagle's Nest over five weeks, following the Band of Brothers trail. Mr.
Chandler and his son visited the grave sites of Reading soldiers buried at each of the
American Battle Monuments Cemeteries, and they placed a sign at each grave stating that
the Town of Reading remembers and celebrates their memories and service.
Mr. Chandler also researched WWII soldiers from Medford, MA and Hamilton, MA. He has
presented his findings to William Valliere, Reading's Veterans Services Officer, and he would
like to work with the RHC to present his findings to a broader audience in Reading.
ADF suggested presenting to the Reading Memorial High School (RMHS) WWII class, and SC
will coordinate that with Mr. D'Entremont at RMHS. The RHC hopes to sponsor Mr. Chandler
to speak at the Reading Public Library, and SB will coordinate.
Officers for July 2023 - discussion postponed until June 14 meeting.
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Inventory Form B submission to MHC for 115 Eaton St. and 158 Salem St - The Form Bs
are being updated by SB and JEB. The Form B for 767 Main St. has already been approved,
and SB is updating the current Form B as a Word document and PDF document. JEB will
submit these three Form Bs, along with the 27 Hillcrest Rd. and 832 Main St. Form Bs to
MHC.
186 Summer Avenue - nothing to report.
583 Main Street - nothing to report.
25 Haven Street - on agenda for June 12 CPDC meeting.
RHC Inventory/MHC Inventory reconciliation - JEB discussed the recent project he and CK
have been working on, identifying at least that portion of the MHC MACRIS list containing
those structures that per the Reading General Bylaw are supposed to be included on the
RHC Inventory but currently are not. Further discussion postponed to the June 14 meeting.
531 Main Street (Chronicle building plaque text) - JEB made a motion to authorize SC to
create language for the plaque; ADF second; Vote 4 - 0.
Postmark -Preservation Award Plaque - dedication scheduled for May 31 at 8:30AM
Plaque at the entrance to Memorial Park - RHC was notified that the plaque will be removed
for safe keeping while the stone wall is being rebuilt.
CatalooIt software demonstration - SC demonstrated searchable catalog software that costs
only $420 per year. SC will contact Town of Reading IT to approve the purchase of the
software.
Finances:
• Approve $2,200 payment to Franklin Marval, Cyanta Studio, for Utility Box wraps at
Memorial Park and Woburn Street/Summer Ave from the Historical Commission
Anonymous Grant Donation Account. Motion to approve by SC, second by VA, Vote 4-0.
• With the resignation of Sharlene Reynolds Santo, JEB will be acting Treasurer until
officers are voted on at the June meeting. The RHC wishes to acknowledge and thank
Sharlene for 24 years of dedicated service to the commission.
Future Agenda Topics
• 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 2023) and America250 (2026)
- discussion deferred.
• Table at Garden Club Plant Sale (May 20, 2023) - RHC will have a table at the event.
• Friends and Family Day (June 10, 2023) - VA reported that RHC brochures will be
available at the Arts Reading Table. RHC is a member of Arts Reading.
• RMHS transcription project with Ms. Caroline Allison's class in October; Civil War era
letters will be scanned by CK; SC and CK will work with the RMHS students.
Review minutes from 4/12/2023 meeting (Motion to approve as amended by JEB, second
SC, Vote 4 - 0); and 4/25/2023 meeting (Motion to approve as amended by SC, second
JEB, Vote 4 - 0).
Motion to adjourn at 9:37PM by SC, second by JEB, vote 4-0.
Next Meetino. June 14. 2023: Ben Cares, Economic Development Director, Guest
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