Provincetown Historical Commission
March 7, 2008
Approved Minutes

Meeting called to order: 9:06 a.m.
Members present:  Taylor Polites, Polly Burnell, Steven Milkewicz, Eric Dray, Char Priolo, Stephen Borkowski,and Doug Johnstone.
Members absent: Steve Desroches (excused).

l.   Review and approval of Agenda
Polites so moved; Burnell seconded.
VOTE:  5-0-0.

2.  Review and approval of Minutes of February 29, 2008.
Borkowski so moved; Polites seconded.
VOTE:  5-0-0.

3.  Public Statements
There were none.

4.  History Summit Planning
Polites submitted the power-point presentation for review; discussion ensued:
The GOALS were formally approved. 
The DATE will be a ½-day session, some week day morning, in the first 2 weeks of June. 
SPEAKERS will be stakeholders in history and/or preservation; cultural carriers having acknowledgeably varying viewpoints. 
INVITEES were reviewed with a desire toward historic preservation; adding the business community to this initial Summit would vastly change a focus; hence, we chose to filter out business resources or institutions overburdened with their own needs, (PHS, EDC, PBG, CCC).  
DISCLUDED others were the Hawthorne School of Art, the COA, Preservation Massachusetts, Cemeteries’ Representatives, PHS--excepting a targeted  invite to David McGlothlin, as History rep., Church Ministers (only ), the Board of Selectmen, and the Pier Corporation.
INCLUDED others to the original list were Preservation Project Volunteers, the Nautilus Club, the Art Commission, and the Beachcombers Club.
Further sentiments involving the above review included:
 We could create a Provincetown list-serve op open up communication without compelling listees  to do a lot. (Dray)
 Though this is a throw-back to our December decision, defining our cause to network, we need to keep in mind that involving tourism based businesses would change our focus from the start; and a broader focus may dilute our vision.  We could instead bring our product to the Business community; could then share the information from this Summit with ongoing Business Summits. (Johnstone)
 We need to define our protocol so as not to create another splinter group; yet it our due diligence to cull this functional invitees list to a manageable size--although all will be invited to attend. (Borkowski)
A consensus was that those functional invitees would be held in balance via the skills of a good moderator.
FUNDING POSSIBILITIES were considered, including asking local food purveyors (Farland, Bradford St. Market, East End Market; looking into grant opportunities, creating a gift fund--whereby Johnstone advised, the BOS would have to establish a special gift fund--he’ll bring such info, next meeting.**  Additional ideas were to set up an ongoing fund, i.e.  the Central Park Conservancy (Dray); that someone/s as Friends of the HC or the Preservation Project could create a 501C3 leaving discretion of funds in  no one else’s hands (Borkowski).
Meanwhile since there exists a turn-around time of 2 months, we’ll rely on our existing $500 granted budget.
(see Section 6, below)
Polites will chat with Desrosches re: a moderator; and will approach Rex/Masonic Lodge re: the venue. **
Priolo will approach Michelle Di Marco re: being a moderator. **
Burnell will approach the Beachcombers re: invitee participation.**
Debbie DeJonker-Berry, Provincetown Librarian, entered the meeting.

5.  Acquisition Policy Review
A review of the goals eliminated #s  5, 6, 11, and 12, as repetitive, and editing #9--concluding that the conduit of artifacts stay with the Historic organizations, and the Town not be responsible for collections donated.
We must be clear on what we’ll take for collections; define the different collections, and who should take care of them. (DJ-Berry)
Polites requested conversation for clarity re: bracketed areas on Policies pages:  general procedural management will come under the Town Clerk’s purview -- and in questionable cases we can include the Town Clerk, with approval of the HC. (Dray).
Whatever our policy is, it should be stated and website posted -- that collections should be approved by the HC--avoiding undue burdens on the Town / BOS. (Borkowski)
A Johnstone/Polites collaboration will be forthcoming with an edited, condensed version of the Policy. **

6.  FY2009 Budget Update
As mentioned in section 4, above, we were continued our $500 budget from the Town.

7.  New Business
Dray spoke to Sarah Korjeff of the CCC, who is happy to give her power-point presentation on CC architecture, sometime late March, or early April.  To include the HDC, we’ll look at a Wednesday afternoon, prior to the HDC’s next meeting.

Johnstone reported the Fire Door to the Archive Room has been hung in the Library basement; and the building commissioner has signed off on it.  And the 2 donated Macs and scanners will be placed in their respective work stations.

Polites addressed the CPC grant to the Library of $50K, ½ of what the HC recommended, feeling that not much rational thought went into the granting of CPC funds.
DeJonker-Berry felt that follow-up one-on-one conversation among  commission chairs should occur, that she’ll move forward with the status quo, and that she would ask of HC that we not question the CPC on Town Meeting floor.  It was agreed.

Dray spoke with Paul McGinley of McGinley/Kalsow Architectural Firm re: the renovation of Town Hall, and feels comfortable with the Firm’s attitude toward rehabilitation as opposed to replacement.

Borkowski commended Doug Johnstone and Debra DeJonker-Berry on their hard work and their accomplishments in historic preservation in our community. 

Borkowski also noted the passing of Tony Vevers, and the enormous contribution he made to the history and  arts community of Provincetown.

8.  Date for next meeting
Friday, March 21, 2008.

Respectfully Submitted, Char Priolo with assistance from Taylor Polites