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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-10-15 Celebration Trust Committee MinutesQ, O 1 1994 READING-MASSACHUSETTS 350th ANNIVERSARY Minutes of the 21st Meeting of Reading's 950th Anniversary Celebration Steering-Committee October 15, 1991, Tuesday 8:00 PM Berger Room Reading Town.Hall Committee Members Attending: Alan Foulds, Chairman; Everett -,Blodgett; Shirley Buzderewicz; Susan Horn; Nancy Smethurst; Paul Sweeney; Cathy Ouimby; and Susan Theophanis. (A replacement for Susan Wheltle has not been appointed by the School Committee.) Also in Attendance: Allan Eyden, Winchester Town Day's fireworks chairman Nancy Bertrand, Chairman of Wakefield's 350th I. CALL TO ORDER Alan Foulds called the meeting to order at 8:10 PM. II. ALLAN EYDEN PRESENTATION Allan Eyden has been in charge of the Fire Works for Winchester Town Day for the past 10 years. He told us the following considerations must be taken into account when planning fireworks: 1. LOCATION: the area to be used to fire the display from should be securable, able to be dug up, and within, legal guidelines of State Law. In Winchester they try to de- emphasize the spot by having no ground displays. You also want to find a spot where the display will be visible to the most number of people. 2. PERMISSION: In Winchester they have to get permission from the Fire Chief, the Police Chief, the Board of Selectmen (who provide a million dollar liability insurance which is required for damage), and the School Committee because they use school grounds to fire from. 3. PROPOSALS: Fireworks companies are very competitive.' You should go in with a budget. Winchester spends $3,500 for a 20-minute display of intensity, or a 30-35 minute more spread out display,(which gets boring). There should be no special fee for rain date. The company should take care of paperwork and permits, cleanup and insurance. Check references for dependability. Winchester uses Telstar out of Jaffrey, NH. Allan suggested to try the following companies: READING'S 350th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION STEERING COMMITTEE TOWN HALL 4 16 LOWELL STREET d READING MA 01967-2550 Page 2 350th Steering Committee October 15, 1991 Telstar Display Fireworks Emery Road Jaffrey, NH 03452 Attn: Tony Gentile 603-532-9323 Rockingham PO Box 277 Seabrook, NH 03874 Attn: Alien F. Obey 603-474-2017 Atlas Advanced Pyrotechnics PO Box 498 Jaffrey;.NH 03452 Attn: Michael Despres 1-800-321-5008 In Winchester they apply for a permit 30 days in advance. the Fire Chief handles this through the State Fire Marshall. At the beginning of June they have found 9:15 to be a good starting time. They secure the area.1 1/2 hours ahead of time to prep the firing site by digging and setting up the racks. The Town provides help from auxiliary police, a fire engine and spotlight apparatus, and a DPW truck. They have found that they can put mortars in drums provided the drums have 1/2 yard of sand. The DPW provides these and it helps with cleanup. Preliminary cleanup is done the night of the display with more thorough cleanup the following day...mostly cardboard and fuses. III. MINUTES OF PRNVhOUS.•MNSThNG - It was voted to-accept the minutes of the September 24, 1991 with the following correction: page 2 section VI.F. Wally Grover is the man to speak with about Fire TRUCKS, not Fire WORKS.' V. COMMUNICATIONS We have received a handsome collection of memorabilia from Reading, Michigan to add to our. Readings-0f-The-World file. V. COMMITTER AND LIAI-SON RRPORTB A. 350th. Inc. (Paul Sweeney, President) 1. Mug and Muffin Days at the Old Fire House `November 16, Saturday UNOTE changed to Nov. 231 Lighting of the Christmas Lights on the Common Page 3 350th Steering Committee October 15, 1991 2. Notepaper using Bob McCaffrey's sketches is being looked into. 3. October 10, 1992 we want to aim for a Pig Roast/Chili Cook Off/Kite Flying Day with perhaps a Blue Grass band. B. Writers' Committee (Everett Blodgett, liaison) Meeting October 30, 1991 at the Library 7:30 Currently the only workers are Ev, Alan Foulds and Jeff Cryan. Addison-Wesley has proved a limited source for help. One more attempt will be made be contacting a Mrs. Chapin who is in charge on community relations. C. Anniversary Ball (Susan Theophanis, liaison) They will not convene this fall or winter. they,are thinking about an informal fund raising event next year. F Maria Ferrari is still chairperson. D. Parade The best plan yet for a parade seems to be to coordinate with-Wakefield who is definitely going to have a parade and is far better equipped to organize one since they do it almost every year. Nancy Bertrand thought this might be a very workable idea. The parade would be the 4th of July as it traditionally is. E. Publicity We will need publicity for the Mug and Muffin Days. F. Wakefield 350th (Everett Blodgett, liaison) Nancy Bertrand, Chairman of the Wakefield 350, was present. She explained that they have adopted the June 11 incorporation date and will celebrate their 350th from the traditional Festival By The Lake until the Fourth of July, 1994. They also hope to have a New Years Bail. Events happening in both towns can be coordinating. VI. ON-GOING REVIEWS A. GANTT Chart review B. Celebration Period review it was suggested that we add Wakefield's events to our agenda for informational and coordination purposes. Nancy Smethurst has drawn up a very attractive layout to keep the events in front of us. VII.OLD BUSINESS A. Presentation to Clubs and Organizations Alan Foulds has firm dates to speak with several town organizations regarding their possible participation in the celebration and the plans we have made thus far. They are:' Page 4 354th Steering Committee October 15, 1991 Lions Club - Nov. 19 at 6:30 Rotary - Dec.9 12-1:30 (Shirley will go, too) Boy Scouts - Nov. 5 Camp Fire - Jan.7 (Sue Horn will go, too) To Be Announced: Craftsmen (Nancy will go, too) American Legion Reading Minutemen Garden Club (Linda Campbell) B. Budget will be discussed next time. C. Response to Ed Palmer It was voted to send the following letter to Ed with a copy to the Historical Commission. The vote passed by a ma3ority vote with two abstaining. Dear Ed: This is in response to your communication to the members of this committee dated September 15, 1991. It also addresses the communication addressed to Alan Foulds, Chairman of the 350th Steering Committee, dated August 31, 1991 which was copied by you to each member of the Committee. It is, further, a response to the comments made, by you to the Reading Historical Commission on August 6, 1991 regarding the 350th Anniversary Steering Committee and-the 350th, Inc. An audio tape of the 8/6/91 commentary was delivered by you to Alan Foulds to be shared with this Committee. A transcript of that tape is attached and has been distributed to each Committee member. Your criticism, as anyone's, of the work of the Steering Committee and of the 350th, Inc. is considered seriously as we review the progress we are making. Decisions of these organizations are made by a consensus of the membership and not but any one individual, and because of this we feel obligated to respond as a body to your commentary. Four areas you have cited are factually incorrect and we would like to set the record straight in the areas of l) Fund Raising 2) The Newsletter 3) The 1994 Plan-and 4) The Permanent Memorial. 1.) FUND RAISING At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the 350th, Inc. held on November 28, 1990, it was voted to accept as official policy of-the corporation, a Fund Raising Policy outlined as follows: Page 5 350th Steering Committee October 15, 1991 "It is our intention to ask the businesses of Reading to donate floor or counter space for the purpose of selling our memorabilia rather than soliciting cash donations. Monetary donations would always be welcomed, but we are approaching the business community with hopes of generating foot traffic into their places of business. Any business assisting us in our efforts will be mentioned periodically in our local newspapers as well as our own newsletter." It is unfortunate that, although you were in attendance at that meeting, you did not either understand or agree with the intent and the spirit in which this policy was adopted by a majority vote. 2.) NEWSLETTER At the May 15, 1990 meeting of the Steering Committee you did, in fact, present the Steering Committee with a model for a newsletter. The model was referred to the designated Publicity Director, Susan Flannery. Susan's resignation from this Committee delayed action on the project. Alan Foulds' assumed the position as Acting Publicity Director and did use a different format. As he developed the newsletter it was presented for approval step by step. The final newsletter was approved by a consensus of the entire Committee. As far as your charge that the list of donors was incomplete: the official list, kept by Shirley Buzderewicz, does not include Peter Hechenbleikner's name. There is a $35 cash donation that is unidentified. This may have been given by Mr. Heckenbleikner, but we do not have his name in our records. Latham & Latham did not, in fact, give a donation. Rather they directed funds from an estate they were handling to the 350th celebration. It was a sensitive issue as to whether this donation be identified publicly. It was in deference to the sensitivity of the matter that that donation was intentionally omitted from the list. 3.) THE 1994 PLAN Contrary to your impression, this Committee has actually had three formats for the 1994 activities in place since the inception of the Committee. The first format was adopted November 16, 1989 at the 6th meeting of the Steering Committee which you attended. The Plan encompassed an 8-day celebration from May 21-29, 1994. This schedule was included in the 111989 Annual Report of Reading's 350th Anniversary Celebration Steering Committee" made to the Town of Reading which you signed. Page 6 350th Steering Committee October 15, 1991 The second format was adopted June 19, 1990, at the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee which you attended. This format included activities beginning in Fall, 1993 and culminating in a grand finale week or weekend in May, 1994. This schedule was included in the "1990 Annual Report of Reading's 350th Anniversary Celebration Steering Committee" made to the Town of Reading. The third, and current, format was adopted June 17, 1991 at the 19th meeting of the Steering Committee. You had resigned by that time. This format was outlined for the public in the following newspaper articles: The Daily Times Chronicle, July 18, 1991 Article entitled "Town's 350th Anniversary. Planning Continues; Ed Palmer To Host Telephone Pioneers". Suburban News, July 20, 1991 Article entitled "Plans For Reading's 350th Continue". A copy of the plan, as amended to date, is attached for your information. 4.) PERMANENT MEMORIAL Discussion has been entertained on numerous occasions regarding a permanent memorial over the past two years. The secretary has listed at least 12 different ideas for a permanent memorial that have been put forward by various committee members. These include a time capsule, musical score, history book, a new park, arose garden, an anniversary memorial monument, a piece of permanent commissioned artwork, putting plaques on historic houses, an enhancement for Parker Tavern, a small band shell in Memorial Park, covering Grant.Memorial Swimming Pool, as well as the suggestion of a gazebo on the Common. No decision to pursue a permanent memorial has ever been made. Nor has mention EVER been made of: 1. a separate fund for a 350th permanent memorial 2. a library archives/museum wing Page 7 350th Steering Committee October 15, 1991 The Steering Committee and the 350th, Inc. feel that their progress has been steady and timely. Respectfully, THE 350TH ANNIVERSARY STEERING COMMITTEE THE 350TH, INC. In Attendance: Alan Foulds, Chairman of the Steering Committee Paul Sweeney, President of the 350th, Inc. Everett Blodgett Shirley Buzderewicz Susan A. Horn Cathy Quimby (abstaining) Nancy Smethurst (abstaining) Susan Theophanis Signed, Susan A. Horn Secretary ATTACHED: "Transcript of Comments Made By Ed Palmer to Reading Historical Commission, 8/6/91" "Current 1994 Calendar Format (as of October 15, 1991)" CC: Reading Historical Commission IX. NEW BUSINESS PERMANENT MEMORIAL SUGGESTION Cathy Quimby suggested we might consider having some very old historic volumes in possession of the Town Clerk's Office rebound. X. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be: Tuesday, November 19, 1991 8:00 PM Berger Room Reading Town Hall X. ADJOURNMENT Alan Foulds adiourned the meeting at 10:25 PM. Respectfully submitted, Lac Susan A. Horn Secretary