Provincetown Historical Commission
February 22, 2008
Approved Minutes

 

Meeting called to order 9:02 a.m.
Members present: Taylor Polites, Steven Milkewicz, Eric Dray, Char Priolo, Stephen Borkowski, and Doug Johnstone.
Members absent:  Steve Desroches  (excused), Polly Burnell  (unexcused).

 

1.  Review and approval of Agenda
Polites moved so.  Borkowski seconded. 
Vote: 5-0-0.
 
2.  Review and approval of Minutes of February 8, 2008
Polites amended the time of Priolo’s arrival.  Milkewicz moved to approve.  Priolo seconded.
Vote: 4-0-0.  (Borkowski absent said meeting, hence non-voting).

 

3.  Public Statements
There were none.

 

4.  History Summit Planning
Johnstone asked re: the projected date.
Polites mentioned June, generally, avoiding the Library’s Heritage Day celebration.
Dray said we should review structure & content at the next (regular) meeting.
Polites will send the latest update of the presentation before then. **

 

5.  Murchison Property update
Dray is awaiting a reply from Rose Kennedy re: consent of the Trustees for a NR (Nat’l. Register) nomination on the property.  And has also had a discussion with Sarah Korjeff of  the Cape Cod Commission  re: the current Hopper Land review:  That is more environmentally / landscape based; while the Murchison property discussion is architecturally based.  Not exactly comparable.
Dray will invite Sarah to a joint meeting of the HC and the HDC, to share her powerpoint presentation of 
Cape Cod architecture. **

 

6.  Historical Archives:  Acquisition Procedure/Policy
Polites, having  distilled such a policy for the HC from that of PMPM, asked us if we’d reviewed same distillation; and  requested that we do so.
Johnstone pointed out that if our accepted  policy/procedure document, when presented to the Board of Selectmen, bound  them to adopt it, or contained particular legalese, then we’d have to take it before, and would need a review of Town Counsel.
Polites will take it to Town Manager, Sharon Lynn for referral.  **
Johnstone met with Tim McCarthy, new Chair of the New Provincetown Players (formerly
PTC) regarding acceptance of PTC archival material and memorabilia.  Some was accepted.  Tim also donated a new scanner to the Provincetown History Project.

 

7.  CPC Update
Milkewicz, HC representative to the CPC, reported 3 budgetary requests from their last meeting:
FAWC--(former) lumber yard renovations
Library--facade
PMPM--renovation of (former) caretaker’s cottage ($40,000)

 

Discussion ensued including the following concerns:
It’s 3 weeks since all
CPC applications were due, the CPC will be looking for our referrals by March 7th, their deadline, and we (HC) haven’t heard from PMPM at all.  
E.D.s and Board members of both other organizations have come before HC with their proposals as they regard restoration and preservation.

 

That via our representative to CPC, we make a motion thereto that all organizations coming before them be notified to also include coming before the HC with their project; so as not to set a precedent toward any requesting organization excluding information to the HC, thereby excluding our referrals and/or support. **

 

That PMPM is the only Town organization whose come back a second time for CPC funding.   That the funding they seek is a large percentage of the total cost estimate,  ($40k, of $70k).  That the amount being requested is for a somewhat exclusionary use (bathroom upgrade), and can easily be raised via in-house means.  (UUMH cited).

 

Johnstone mentioned the CPC Public Hearing date’s been posted.  And that he’d invite Jim Bakker, E.D. of PMPM to attend a special HC meeting, next Friday, February 29th to present the project.  Johnstone will also request from Town Bookkeeper, Alix Heilala, a list of past monies allotted to the different Town  organizations for our review.  This info will be left in our HC mailbox. **

 

Polites said there should already exist a process that when CPC receives requests, we be CC’d.
Johnstone will ask Elaine Anderson,
CPC Chair to do so.  **

 

8.  New Business
Dray wrote a letter of support  for the Library to the MHC.
Dray is pleased and excited re: the preservationist nature of McGirley/Kalsow, the architectural team currently engaged in the study for the renovation and repair of Town Hall.

 

Johnstone is thrilled about the completed archive build-out shelving in the Library basement.  We’re just awaiting the hanging of the fire-door; at which time we’ll move the History Project from the Freeman St. building.

 

The History Project’s Website has been launched, including the Art Collection.  We are waiting to build 2 work centers; in the Library, and here at Town Hall, to include the newly donated scanner.  Johnstone will send a letter of thanks to Tim McCarthy for the scanner and for PTC memorabilia donations. **

 

Priolo made a motion to include our (HC’s) thanks for McCarthy’s  generosity in Johnstone’s letter.
Milkewicz seconded.  Vote:  5-0-0.
Johnstone will so include.  **

 

In their most recent meeting, the FinCom did not get to our $500 budget inclusion. (To generate a product to educate the public re: Town History).

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:04 am.

 

9.  Set Agenda and Date for next meeting
Special meeting with Jim Bakker to hear project of PMPM, Friday, February 29, 2008, 9am.
Next regular meeting,
Friday, March 7, 2008, 9am.

 

Respectfully Submitted,  Char Priolo