HomeMy WebLinkAbout08182010 Historic Preservation Minutes City of Seward, Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
August 18, 2010 Volume 2, Page 204
Ilr. Call to Order
The August 18, 2010 regular meeting of the Seward Historic Preservation Commission was
called to order at 6:35 p.m. by Chair Linda Lasota.
Opening Ceremony
Commissioner Hamner led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call
There were present: Chair Linda Lasota presiding, and
Vice -Chair John French Dave Hamner
Catherine Richardson
Absent Commissioners were Monica Hinders (excused), Tim Sczawinski, Ryan Reynolds.
Comprising a quorum of the Commission, and
Patricia Linville, Library Director
Amy Carney, Library/Museum. staff
Special Reports & City Administration Report — Patricia Linville
Linville briefed the Commissioners about her meeting with Jesse Lee Home folks on July 23,
2010. She reported that they were interested in the time table of the Library Museum project. They
discussed possibilities of creating a Leadership School program, and how that would fit into the local
school community. Her impression was that they are persistent to work on their project and getting
organized.
Concerning City business, Linville informed the Commission that Seward City Council has
and AdHoc Land Committee that has been meeting regularly on Tuesdays. Their next meeting is
August 31 beginning at 8 am. They will be discussing city land disposal properties and procedures
and options for utility expansion. Councilman Shafer indicated at these meetings that the City of
Seward is interested in releasing some of their properties back into the hands of private ownership,
along with ideas of using that revenue within the City.
Next, Linville reported that the architects for the Library /Museum are preparing for the
Design Documents Kickoff on August 26, 2010. The project executive committee will be 9 am —12
pm to discuss details that will move the Library/Museum project forward, putting the design to 65%
completion. This last phase will involve creating construction documents that will be ready by the
beginning of next year.
Linville then reported about the recent activity of the Museum planning team. First, they will
present a plan to the City Council in late September to transfer ownership of the Seward Museum
from Resurrection Bay Historical Society to the City of Seward One of the items that the City will
need to consider is replacing the Museum Director Lee Poleske, who will be retiring sometime in
City of Seward, Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
August 18, 2010 Volume 2, Page 205
2011. Secondly, the Museum Planning Team is working on a visioning process with consultant ..
Sarah Barton, who works with Rise Alaska and helped develop ideas for the Anchorage Museum.
This visioning is to help bring detailed ideas to the architects of the Library/Museum project to help
develop the best physical layout for the Museum part of the project. Ideally, they would like to focus
on the idea that the Museum is a local history museum with a lot of flexible space. Barton will be
working with the Museum Planning Team the evening of August 25, 2010 and the day of August 26,
2010.
Lastly, Linville informed the Commission about the ongoing communication with Jo
Antonson concerning the Historic Preservation Commission's jurisdiction. Antonson confirmed that
technically HPC's jurisdiction is just within the Seward City limits.
Chair Lasota suggested Shannon Kovac be contacted to learn about details of the original
Historical Site Inventory project and how it pertains to the inside and outside of the City of Seward.
Linville replied that she would make that contact.
Other Reports, Announcements & Presentations
None
Friends of the Jesse Lee Home Update
Chair Lasota pointed out that in the last HPC meeting on July 21, 2010, the Commission
discussed assigning a commissioner to represent HPC in the Jesse Lee Home project to replace Tom
Swann's previous task of reporting these updates. Commissioners French and Richardson had both
volunteered to take on this task in that meeting. Richardson volunteered again, stating that she just
needed more information, but was more than willing to become that representative. Chair Lasota
confirmed that Richardson would be the one to report about the Jesse Lee Home updates from now
on.
Website Updates & Historical Site Inventory — Chair Lasota & Commissioner Reynolds
Lasota stated that she had not been able to establish communication with Reynolds, who is
responsible for website updates. She also informed the Commission that the Historical Site
Inventory information is the same as the last HPC meeting, which took place on July 21, 2010.
Photos for CLG Grant 2008 — Chair Lasota
Lasota is collaborating with Commissioner Richardson, and promised to bring the inventory
list and photos to the library for Richardson to pick up. There are no updates to report this month.
Citizens' Comments on Any Subject, Except Those Items Scheduled For Public Hearing
None
City of Seward, Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
August 18, 2010 Volume 2, Page 206
�.. Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion (French/Hamner) Approve the Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous Consent
* The following items were approved under the Consent Agenda: Meeting Minutes for the July 21,
2010 Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission.
Public Hearing
None
Unfinished Business
A. Historic Preservation Award Nomination
Lasota read aloud the list of nominations for the commissioners to review before voting on a
secret ballot. Nominations were as follows:
Tom Swann, for restoring Odd Fellows Hall, submitted by Commissioner Reynolds
Seward Rotary, for added work to the cemetery, submitted by Commissioner Hinders
Carol Griswold, for adding Seward Light and Power Company Intake Building to Register of
Historic Places, submitted by Commissioner Reynolds
Shannon Kovac, for Hoben Park, submitted by Commissioner French
Carney collected ballots and read each result. A tie occurred between Shannon Kovac and the
Seward Rotary (two votes each). Another vote was cast. The same result repeated itself. After much
discussion, and Chair Lasota reading the Historic Preservation Award rules and recipients, the
commissioners decided to revise the rules to allow two entities to be awarded, one individual and
one group.
Motion (Hamner /Lasota) Approval to present two candidates to City Council
Motion Passed Unanimous Consent
Carney called role for a unanimous vote to send forth two nominations, a community
organization and individual, to the City Council for the 2010 Historic Preservation Commission
Award. A revisal of the resolution will be placed on the agenda for the October 20, 2010 HPC
meeting.
Motion (Hamner /Richardson) Approval to revise HPC Award Resolution
Motion Passed Unanimous Consent
Linville clarified that the HPC needs to bring forth a proclamation to the City Council to
allow two recipients to be awarded the 2010 Historic Preservation Commission Award. Lasota
City of Seward, Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
August 18, 2010 Volume 2, Page 207
confirmed that clarification, and added that the nomination forms with stated reason for voting
needed to be included with that proclamation.
New Business
A. First Friday Fireside Historical Lecture Series
Linville gave a brief synopsis on the history of the Fireside Chat. She reiterated the fact that
the commission is not to be involved in money exchange with that program. She also suggested that
the commission discuss this matter at a scheduled work session. Chair Lasota concurred, and added
that some research and review of past Fireside Chats should be performed before that work session.
Lasota suggested past themes be compiled alongside ideas of new themes for the upcoming Chat.
French requested that a work session be scheduled on another day, rather than the upcoming
scheduled meeting on September 15, 2010. Lasota changed September meeting to October 20, 2010
in order to have a work session on September 14, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. instead. Meeting will take place
in the Council Chambers or the Library basement, dependent on availability.
*B. July 21, 2010 Regular Meeting Minutes
Informational Items
mot
A. Grant Updates — Linville
1. CLG Grant: Hoben Park Restoration, PH III Planters
Linville submitted a report to SHPO and they accepted it. She was emailed pictures of
five planter models which the company will decide the best four out of those models. Linville
reported that she will attend a Hoben Park site visit with Mark Harmon on Monday, August 23,
2010 at 1 p.m. to judge the best spots for placement of these planters. She received information
from Darryl Schafermeyer that the HPC needed permission to be Alaska SeaLife Center land.
But she hoped that the planters would be placed on City land. She promised to report on this in
the October 20, 2010 meeting. Lasota asked Linville if the commissioners could attend. Linville
responded that it was possible if a notice for the public was sent to the City Clerk's office.
Linville said that she will send a public notice.
2. CLG Grant: Iditarod Trail Centennial Memorial Monument
Linville apologized that Dan Seavey could not attend, as previously hoped. However, she
gave Seavey credit for bringing more press to the Iditarod Monument. Seavey has secured another
$10,000 from KBA. Now he is investigating resources for the bronze for the monument. He
welcomes anybody's help, if any commissioner is interested. Linville commented that the rock by the
SeaLife Center is very nice, and recommends everyone view it, if they have not already.
City of Seward, Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
August 18, 2010
Volume 2, Page 208
L ..
3. CLG Grant: Providing Access to Seward Cemetery Information
Carney presented cataloging options for the cemetery information to the commissioners. She
reported that through her contact with Loretta Matson of the Kenai Totem Tracers Carney learned
that there are two public websites that hold some text -only information about parts of Seward's
cemeteries, which were gathered by the Totem Tracers. Also, she reported that she had investigated
the museum's database PastPerfect, and found the people biographies could be entered, including
photos. In turn, those biographies would automatically link to any items related to that person that
the museum held in its possession.
Lasota suggested collaborating with Jolund Luther and Kerry Martin to access other cemetery
information and headstone pictures. Lasota also proposed that discussion and review of the Cemetery
Grant be added to the September 14, 2010 work session. Linville agreed her and Carney would
gather more information for that work session.
Commission and Administration Comments
Lasota proposed that the Future Grants list be reviewed at that same work session so that the
list with additions, corrections, and prioritization will be ready for the October 20, 2010 meeting.
Hamner said thank you and proclaimed it a beautiful day.
Lasota brought attention to the "Bits of History" video on Seward City News website. She
commented that the video about three historical trees in downtown Seward should be added to the
ism historical plants and trees registry, and recommended that all the commissioners watch this video.
Linville added that Poleske and Carney have been doing an excellent job on "Bits of History."
Carney recommended that the commissioners check out other videos on YouTube.
At the end, Lasota recommended that Linville and the Commission put together a letter for
City Council which would support the Library /Museum project.
Citizens' Comments
None
Commissions and Administration Response to Citizens' Comments
None
The meeting was adjourned at 7:48 p.m.
6 _ c)/n 4
Amy C y Linda Lasota, Chair
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