HomeMy Public PortalAboutHistorical Commission -- 2013-04-11 Minutes Date ap roved_> y'-/3 Page 1 of 2
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TOWN OF BREWSTER
BREWSTER HISTORICAL COMMISSION
2 April 11,2013
Meeting Minutes BREWSTER TOWN CLERK
The meeting began at 4:30 PM in Room A at Town Hall with members Joan Carstanjen;neff$m4 3:56PM
Boyd, Roy Robinson,Don Arthur, Pat Busch and Ellen St. Sure present.
1) Minutes of the March 14th meeting were approved unanimously.
2)Joan,Don and Ellen attended the CPC meeting on March 27 at which there was some
discussion of Joan's cemetery stone-restoration work and her need for an on-going funded-
budget or grant, rather than the annual applications she has been making for several years.
Don said that he had told the CPC that its 2-year limit on the spending of CPC grant monies
should not be applied to projects like cemetery stone repairs and Crosby Mansion maintenance.
It was suggested that Joan work with Don to develop such a continuous funding plan to present
to the CPC.
3) Ellen presented current material on the Old Red Top building in Dennis. She
distributed advance copies of an article detailing the history of this Methodist meeting house,
constructed in West Brewster in 1821 and later(1870) sold and moved to Pleasant St. in Dennis
where it is now decaying from deliberate neglect.
The current owner wants to demolish the building; all the historic groups in Dennis want to save
it.The chair of the Dennis Historical Commission has suggested that the Dennis CPC may be
willing to contribute as much as $300,000 to the removal of Old Red Top back to Brewster.
Ellen has spoken to Charlie Sumner about this offer and they tentatively agreed that the building
might,perhaps,be moved to Brewster's Drummer Boy Park.
Don,who had recently visited the Red Top building in Dennis, felt it was too far gone to be
worth moving. He added that he would be against the BHC getting involved in such a project
because he believed it would cost more than$1 million.
Ellen agreed that before the next BHC meeting she would contact the Dennis CPC and ask for
some statement in writing about their possible contribution to such project and would also ask
Charlie for his views on its longterm feasibility.
4) George informed the BHC of word that the white house by the grist mill may soon go
to auction as it has not sold, although the price has dropped from$399,999 to$299,000. Some
bank has a reverse mortgage on the house and may be demanding action.
5) Don and George met recently with representatives of the Brewster Historical Society
(Steve Jones, Sally Gunning and Paul Daley) to determine"how we might collaborate."
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They primarily discussed the so-called"Isaac Foster house"on Lower Road (just west of Brier
Lane) which the owner(s) had offered to give to the BHS if they would move it off the property.
We did not hear much about the content of this joint discussion, but we did agree that Don would
invite BHS representatives to attend our next meeting.
Next meeting of the BHC to be held on Thursday,May 9,at 4:30 at Town Hall downstairs.
Please note: 4:30(not 4:00)
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Minutes prepared by Ellen St. Sure,chair/clerk