Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05122022 Historic Preservation Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes May 12,2022 Volume 3,Page 347 CALL TO ORDER The May 12, 2022 regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order at 7:44 p.m.by Chair Cheryl Seese. OPENING CEREMONY The commission led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Cheryl Seese presiding and Sue Ward clit eit Dona Walker Art LeMaster comprising a quorum of the Commission; and Elayna Yanusz, Museum Curator Brenda Ballou, City Clerk Excused—Libbrecht Absent—Benoit Vacant—One CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING—None APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Ward/LeMaster) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Approve the April 14,2022 Regular Meeting Minutes. Approve the April 21,2022 Special Meeting Minutes. SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS City Administration Report—None City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes May 12, 2022 Volume 3,Page 348 Chair Report. Chair Seese stated she delivered the commission's first quarter report to council.She had attended the council meeting when they discussed the status of the Jesse Lee Home property;the commission was requested to provide input on ideas for the Jesse Lee Home Memorial, specifically there was a request for HP to provide a mock-up of a historic narrative sign.Seese stated that commissioners should attend at least one type of historic preservation training each year in order to stay in good standing with the State Historic Preservation Office(SHPO). She reported that the owner of the Train Wreck property may be interested in applying to have the property added to the Seward register of historic places; Seese requested the property owner gather the documentation about the history of the property. She reported that the city council was not interested in pursuing a new zoning district downtown as HP had hoped; instead, she suggested the commission might consider creating a subsection to the already-approved Downtown Historic District wherein there could be constraints placed upon the properties to preserve the historical integrity,like along Fourth Avenue between Adams Street and Washington Street. She stated that Commissioner Benoit was underway updating the historic property inventory list,which would have to be expanded to include properties built 1971 since that was 50 years ago. Seese said for the next CLG grant the commission received that led to Phase 2 of the walking tour signs,she wanted to see attention paid to the original peoples of Seward. Other Reports and Announcements Report on Historic Preservation Facebook Page. Seese referred the commission to the packet for Facebook activity information. Update on the Jesse Lee Home Memorial Park Project.Seese stated the city was dealing with the property remediation. Certified Local Government (CLG) Report. Seese said all the signs had been installed, council had approved the purchase and appropriated funds,and the only thing left to do was to order additional walking tour maps. Seese said she had receipts for flowers and supplies for Hoben Park that she wished to be reimbursed for. The commission scheduled a special meeting on Monday,May 12,2022 at 3:30 p.m. to consider a resolution for the commission to purchase additional walking tour maps, as well as to approve expenses for the Hoben Park flower urns. Seese said she would submit a draft resolution for the walking tour maps, as well as the agenda statement for reimbursement of Hoben Park supplies, to the city clerk by end of day tomorrow. UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None NEW BUSINESS Other New Business Items City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes May 12,2022 Volume 3,Page 349 Review the nominations for the 2022 Historic Preservation Award,discuss criteria for awards, and Vote on recipient(s).Nominees are: 1)Mary Tougas 2)Mary Ann Benoit 3)Doug Capra 4) Cheryl Seese,Tanguy Libbrecht, Sue Ward,Mary Ann Benoit. Clerk's Note: Two additional nominations were received before the deadline and were provided as laydowns. Nominations were for: 1)the Historic Preservation Commission, and 2) Gary&Cheryl Seese. Seese reminded the commission about the nomination submission for Mary Tougas which was carried forward from the last meeting. She said she nominated Tougas for her work preserving documents and photographs. Ward asked if each nomination could be reviewed. In response, Seese said that she didn't want to give awards to people who had already received one previously. Seese went to say that Doug Capra received an award in 2012, and Dot Bardarson had nominated him for this year.Ward said Capra had contributed greatly to the walking tour project by reviewing all the sign information. The next nomination was for Mary Ann Benoit, which was submitted by Elizabeth Dunn. Seese said she thought this nomination was in relation to the next nomination that was submitted by Doreen Lorenz and which was for herself, Commissioner Libbrecht, Vice Chair Ward, and Commissioner Benoit. She said, rather than having one commissioner recognized, she thought it should be all commissioners or no commissioners,in her opinion.Ward disagreed and said she was on the commission and had put in a lot of time, but felt that Commissioner Benoit had put in an extraordinary amount of time and should be recognized for that. Ward thought Benoit had gone above and beyond to pull off the walking tour project;Seese disagreed and said"we"pulled off that project. Seese didn't think the efforts of the commissioners should be quantified by the number of hours someone put into the project because it was a joint effort that accomplished this. Ward said she supported the nomination for Cheryl and Gary Seese that was submitted by Iris Darling,because Chair Seese had put in tons of hours outside of the meetings,and her husband was her support. Walker said Seese deserved it; Ward concurred. Seese said the last nomination was for the Seward Historic Preservation Commission of 2021-2022, submitted by Iris Darling. She said, while Commissioners LeMaster and Walker were very valuable,2022 was not even half over yet.Walker thought it should be the four commissioners who worked on the project. Ward had a hard time voting for herself. Seese said at the last meeting, the commissioners had declined the nominations because they had been submitted by fellow commissioners, but this time the nominations were submitted by members of the public. Seese thought that made the nominations acceptable. Motion (Seese/Walker) Award 2022 Historic Preservation Awards to: Doug Capra, Mary Tougas, HP City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes May 12, 2022 Volume 3,Page 350 Commissioners Cheryl Seese, Sue Ward, Tanguy Libbrecht, and Mary Ann Benoit, and Cheryl and Gary Seese. LeMaster wondered how many awards were customary to bestow.Seese said there was no set number. Motion Passed Unanimous HP Agenda and Discussion Rules. Seese directed the commission's attention to page 46 of the packet for a memo from the city manager which outlined the role of the commission and their administrative contact. Seese said she wanted the entire commission to have this information. Discuss and possibly vote regarding the Jesse Lee Memorial and possible CLG grant application. The commission did not discuss this item. Duties of the Chair. Seese said she included a write up in the packet of her notes about being the chair,in case the next chair found it useful. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS 2022 Historic Preservation Meeting& Work Session Schedule CITIZEN COMMENTS—None COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS & RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Ward said,with Seese leaving the commission, she did not want it to be assumed that she would be stepping into the role of chair, and so she intended to discontinue her role as vice chair going forward. She suggested the commission take a hiatus from June through August,and resume meeting in September. She also wished to take some time to recruit new members for the commission. Seese thought taking a hiatus was a great idea;it would provide everyone with a break to rest, and to recruit. LeMaster said taking a break made a lot of sense to him. He reminded everyone about the Board&Commission training on Saturday at the library. City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes May 12, 2022 Volume 3, Page 351 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:29 p.m. • 141-4-4— renda Ba lou, MC Cheryl See City Clerk tonun Chair otl (City S�'l�G® GoRP0 �'.9 EALIR A •es • • N fi .•• . F 1 1g1`L �OF Al_ (� • •. aj—���.