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TOWN OF BREWSTER
BREWSTER HISTORICAL COMMISSION
July 8, 2008
Meeting Minutes
The meeting began at 4:10 PM in Room A at Town Hall with members Pat
Busch, Roy Robinson, Ellen St. Sure; Nancy Cannon and $ill Wibel in attendance.
1) Minutes of the June 10th meeting were unanimously approved.
2) We agreed that Ellen would continue as chair pro tem through this grant-
proposal period. Since all of us are very busy and reluctant to take on more
responsibilities, we may decide to take turns as chair pro tem, rotating the job every
three or six months.
3) Ellen asked who would replace her as clerk while she is chair but no one
volunteered. She agreed to continue, for the moment at least, but said that the
other BHC members would have to take responsibility for various BHC projects.
4) All members received copies of an Information Packet to give the new
members some necessary background information on the function and activities of
the BHC since it was reactivated in 2006. This packet included the following:
1-Members of the Brewster Historical Commission as of June 10, 2008
2- Local Historical Commissions in Massachusetts: A Summary Sheet
3- Description of the Brewster Historical Commission
4- BHC criteria for determination of "historical significance"
5- Community Preservation Act grant request process
6- Information on Brewster's Community Preservation Act Committee
7- Demolition Delay By-Law (May 13, 2008 draft)
5) We agreed that we would all read the latest draft of the Demolition Delay
By-Law and decide on a final version at our next meeting, after which the draft will
go to Charlie Sumner for further processing--and eventually to town meeting.
6) Pat Busch, whose two-year BHC term expired on June 30, 2008, has
arranged her re-appointment.
7) Bill Wibel was to find out from Lisa Souve how much CPA money was
currently available (both earmarked and general fund) for Historic Preservation
projects. He didn't. Perhaps he will get the figure for our August meeting?
8) Although there is presently no Demolition Delay By-law which would
allow the BHC to delay the issuance of a demolition permit for an historic building,
we learned from Roy that the Brewster Historic District Committee has already
approved allowing Jason Ives Merriman and Nicole D. Van Weel to demolish their
house at 692 Tubman Road: this much-expanded cottage, reputedly built in 1734,
was determined by the BHDC to be irreparable.
Hearing Roy's description of the BHDC proceedings in this matter, we were
persuaded that the decision was reasonable and necessary, but decided that it would
be useful to develop a collection of photographic records on lost buildings.
Bill Wibel agreed that he, with Pat Busch, would contact the Tubman owners
and get whatever information they had on the history of the house, see what the
BHS had on it and arrange for Ellen to photograph the house, inside and out, before
it is demolished.
The BHC should consider developing a collection of photographs and historic
information on other now-lost buildings; perhaps just a binder of Lost Houses which
could be kept at the Library or the BHS museum.
9) Nancy Cannon agreed to work with (BHS volunteer Janet Hicks) to
develop a history of the Moses Hopkins blacksmith shop which will probably be
moved from the defunct Fire Museum on 6A to a new permanent site near the
Brewster Historical Society Museum.
10) Roy distributed copies of the BHS request for $210,000 from the CPA
for Reconfiguring and Restoration of BHS Museum (which would include the
moving and restoration of the blacksmith shop mentioned above).
We will read the application and discuss it at our August meeting.
11) No other grant proposals have so far been received, although the CPA
had expected one from the Latham House and one from the First Pansh Church--
and the July 1 deadline has passed.
12) Meeting adjourned at 5:20. Next regular meeting is scheduled for
Tuesday, August 12 at 4 PM in Room A at Town Hall.
Mini
Ellen St. Sure, clerk
cc: Town Clerk
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BHC minutes
7/08/08
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