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Board - committee - commission - Council: 2023 Noy -9 AM 7: 38
Historical Commission
Date: 2023-10-11 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), Pam Adrian (PA), Sarah Brukilacchio (SB), Samantha
Couture (SC) Pino D'Orazio (PD), Amelia Devin Freedman (ADF), Christine
Keller (CK) and Jonathan Barnes (JEB) participated by phone per the Mullin
rule
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Keller
Topics of Discussion:
PD called the meeting to order at 7:OO13M.
25 Haven Street:
The RHC approved SC's proposed verbiage for a building plaque and added the adjective
"appliance" before showroom. The text will read as follows: "Designed by Reading architect
George H. Sidebottom, the Reading Municipal Light Department Building was constructed in
1939 to house offices and an appliance showroom. It is the only structure remaining in
Reading designed in the Art Deco style. The RMLD offices are now located at 230 Ash
Street."
MBTA Communities Law:
The RHC will ask if the town GIS staff could map out properties from the historic and
architectural inventory that are within the half -mile radius of the train station. CK will ask
Amanda Beatrice (AB) to facilitate this request.
New Resident Open House at RPL (October 3 2023)•
PA and CK represented RHC at this event. RHC shared a table with the Garden Club. There
were some inquiries about property histories and general curiosity about the Architectural
Inventory. PD will follow up on the inquiries.
Memorial Park olaoue and markers:
The RHC has an interest in being involved in any decisions about future changes to the wall
at Memorial Park. JEB will communicate our desire to be part of the decision-making process
to Select Board Chair Jackie McCarthy.
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Chronicle Buildina (531 Main Street):
SC visited the building and viewed the new condominium units. There are historic photos
throughout the halls of the building. There is a plaque on the Main Street side of the
building that provides history of the site. There will also be a brick at the front door landing
with more information about the building.
Cumminas Properties/Cummings Community Giving:
Cummings Properties has offered a $1,000 contribution to the RHC, which will be added to
the "Dont Hist Comm" account. JEB completed the application for the funds at the end of
August. SB will follow up with Cummings Properties on the status of the contribution.
Reading Arts Fundraiser (October 14 2023) 10.00AM - 2.00PM•
The RHC booth will have the same theme as the Street Faire: Preserving Reading History.
America250 committee: Nothing to report.
186 Summer Ave.
The property is on the market. The property has been promoted in the Chronicle, the
Reading Recap, and Facebook.
Archive software and archivist:
Robin Merrow and SC met in the Archive on October 10 to review the process of cataloging
and accessioning items, and then finding the appropriate storage location. Robin will work in
the Archive on Tuesdays. Her contract is for 170 hours, and RHC will be invoiced after 50
hours of work. Robin is set up as a vendor with the Town, and AB will manage the invoices.
Part of Robin's role will be to evaluate the space required to store the items in the Archive.
There are files to be added to the Archive from former RHC chairs that will need to be
reviewed. SC propose that we hold a special RHC meeting to review these documents as a
commission or as a designated sub -committee.
VA donated a history of Camp Rice Moody brochure, which will be archived along with the
recently donated painting of the original camp building.
VA also has files from Ruth Converse about the Reading Hose House. During the 1930s, the
Hose House was a very active social group for families in the northern part of Reading. This
will be discussed as a future agenda item.
House Marker Program:
The plan is to move to an electronic submission for House Markers, which AB will oversee.
RMHS collaborations:
SC and CK went to RMHS on October 11. Ms. Allison coordinated two groups of students to
transcribe documents from the Revolution era (9th grade) and Civil War era (10th grade). SC
has coordinated with Mr. D'Entremont to have Mr. Vernon Chandler present his WWII
research to students in Spring 2023.
Audio Tapes from Joan Feeney: Nothing to report.
Future agenda topics:
• New signage for display booth; PA to spearhead new signage and fonts.
• Reading Hose House documents
• SB seminar on how to help people to research the history of their house.
Finances/Treasurer's Report:
JEB reported that the RHC had encumbered funds from FY23 available to spend in FY24. The
$1,000 donation from Cummings Properties/Cummings Community Giving will go into the
"Donat Hist Comm". Budget reports from the Town were reviewed.
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Review of minutes:
• Minutes from 9/13/2023 as amended. PD made the motion to approve, SC seconded,
vote 5-0. Submitted to Town for posting on 10/11/2023.
• Executive Sessions minutes: Nothing to report.
8:30PM PD made the motion to adjourn, SC seconded, vote 5 - 0.
Next meeting: November 8, 2023, at 7:OOPM Town Hall
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