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Home My WebLink About2024-08-14 Historical Commission MinutesFR b i l � r 9:IN(OPPOP' Board - Committee Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Commission - Council: Historical Commission Date: 2024-08-14 Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Attendees: Members - Present: t 1triT71I..W1119S Location: Conference Room Session: Open Session Version: Final .v13 5 Virginia Adams (VA), Jonathan Barnes (JEB), Sarah Brukilacchio (SB), Samantha Couture (SC), Pino D'Orazio (PD), Amelia Devin Freedman (ADF), and Christine Keller (CK) Members - Not Present: Others Present: Henry St. Hilaire, Construction Project Manager, Beth Israel Lahey Health Maddy Herrick John Parsons Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Keller Topics of Discussion: Before the meeting began, John Parsons delivered four, antique books to the Conference Room for the RHC to consider for accession: Wakefield Massachusetts Tercentenary (1644 - 1944); two copies of Wakefield. Reading and North Reading; and Memorial Volume of Ancient Redding Comprising Wakefield Reading and North Reading (250rh Anniversary!. CK will send a letter of acknowledgment for the donation. PD called the meeting to order at 6:3213M. He announced that Associate Member Pamela Adrian has resigned from the RHC. Sawtelle Family Hospice House (320 Haverhill Street) Henry St. Hilaire (HSH) provided specifications for a new, 4 -panel Fir Exterior Door for the Sawtelle Family Hospice House. The door knocker from the existing door will be installed on the new door, and the existing door and remaining hardware will be stored In the basement. The door color will remain the same, and the wood threshold will be replaced. SC made a motion to accept the proposed 4 -panel, exterior door from Simpson Door Company, along with the original presentation from HSH dated 7/15/24, while reusing the door knocker and storing the existing door and hardware in the basement; JEB seconded; Vote 5 - 0. Membership and officer positions JEB nominated PD as Chair; ADF as Vice Chair; CK as Secretary; and JEB as Treasurer; SC seconded; Vote 5 - 0. Discussion on demolition guidelines and bylaw language Bret Bennett will be invited to the September meeting. Page I 1 Town seal and land acknowledgement discussion Maddy Herrick (MH) reported that Governor Maura Healey has appointed a new commission to engage the community to create a state seal that is more representative of Massachusetts. It was suggested that a committee be formed in Reading to review the town seal, to include an RHC representative to support the effort. VA provided information from Hon. Lilley Eaton's Genealogical History of the Town of Reading. Massachusetts regarding the 1687 purchase of Reading land from Native Americans, which ADF will send to Linda Snow Dockser and the RHC. ADF suggested that AP history students at RMHS could perform research on symbols for the town seal. Pearl Street as a Scenic Road - this effort will be postponed VA noted we should remember that Pearl Street is an ancient road. 409 Grove Street update The homeowner advised that their project would commence early 2025 and that they will provide the RHC with before pictures of the property. School Committee's Athletic Facility Naming Advisory Committee The committee will meet for the first time the week of August 26. Fall Street Faire (September 8: 12 - 5PM) The RHC will have its own booth at this year's Street Faire. Our display will focus on the Demolition Delay Bylaw. VA will post a booth duty sign-up sheet. SC made a motion to spend up to $150 for the booth fee; JEB seconded; Vote 5 - 0. Arts Reading Festival (October 5: 1 - SPM) The RHC agreed to have a booth at Arts Reading Festival. VA will communicate this at the Arts Reading meeting on August 15. Catalog software Payment for the CatalogIt license renewal has been issued. Robin Merrow (RM) and SC will meet with representatives from CatalogIt by Zoom to determine how the Archive records can be economically uploaded. SC noted that our license provides sign -on access for eight users (currently RM, SC, and Town of Reading IT), and that CatalogIt has a mobile app. Update on research into Reading houses SB presented five Form Bs that she and VA had worked on for houses located at: 55 Hancock Street; 64 Berkeley Street; 129 Pleasant Street; 132 Summer Ave.; and 281 Summer Ave. The RHC will hold a Public Hearing on October 9 at 7:OOPM to add these properties to the Historical and Architectural Inventory. PD will manage all communications with Amanda Beatrice (AB). Demolition delay application process JEB worked with AB to rewrite the steps an applicant takes in the Demo Delay Bylaw Procedure. JEB presented the current version of the procedure and then a marked up, easier to follow procedure. ADF suggested reordering actions in the application submission and review step of the procedure for added clarity (Step 4). She also suggested inserting a sign - off pop up to ensure the applicant read and understood the documents listed in Step 3. Demolition delay extension discussion The RHC plans to write a warrant article to increase the demolition delay extension from six to 12 months. SC has prepared an outline for a presentation to the Select Board and is working with ADF to complete the PowerPoint presentation. IEB will talk with Andrew MacNichol about the steps and process to move this forward. Page 12 PD made a motion to move forward with placing an article on the Town Meeting warrant to increase the demolition delay from six to twelve months; JEB seconded; Vote 5 - 0. Future event disolays SC to work with Staples to get a new RHC banner made prior to the Street Faire. Community Preservation Act (CPA) SB represents RHC on a Select Board study committee for the CPA. She reported that the CPA will not be presented as a warrant to Town Meeting until 2026. Town Archive review and updates RM has suggested that a Northern Residents Association plaque be moved from the Archive and hung in a public space at Town Hall. SC will contact Matt Kraunelis to discuss. Finance/Treasurer's report The FY24 year-end reports were issued on August 6. No reports for July 2024 have been received to date. JEB confirmed that the RHC budget for FY25 is $1,500, and that $1,184 from FY24 was encumbered for archivist fees. JEB thanked SB for helping the RHC to receive another Cummings Community Giving donation of $1,000. Future agenda items • Vernon Chandler WWII presentation • Inquiry from Robert Price; PD to reply • Historic Preservation Easements and Checklists to be sent to William Finch • VA's 409 Grove Street files for accession to the Archive Review minutes from the July meeting PD made a motion to accept the minutes, JEB seconded, Vote 5 - 0. CK made a motion to adjourn at 9:18PM, PD seconded, Vote 5 - 0. Next Meeting: September 11, 2024, 6:30PM, Town Hall Conference Room P,' 13