MINUTES
PROVINCETOWN HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MAY 16, 2008

 

Meeting called to order at 9:04 a.m.
Members present:  Taylor Polites, Steve Milkewicz, Eric Dray, Stephen Borkkowski, and Char Priolo.
Members absent:  Stephen Desroches (excused) and Polly Burnell (unexcused).
Also present:  Doug Johnstone and Michelle DeMarco

 

1.  Review and Approve Agenda
Polites so moved; Priolo seconded. 
Approved:  4-0-1.

 

2.  Review and Approve Minutes
Amended by Johnstone; moved to approve as amended by Borkkowski; seconded by Polites.
Approved:  4-0-1.

 

3.  Public Statements
None

 

4.  History Summit Planning
DeMarco, summit facilitator, inquired re: our vision.  Discussion included:
         our using verbs, i.e. promote and preserve to educate the Town as to what we’re doing 
         our focus that History is the primary engine running
Provincetown 
         what our goals are 
         revealing how layers of Town history are found in its architecture 
         asking invitees to speak to how they use History in their mission.

 

Burnell entered the meeting.

 

DeMarco asked re: how many invitation responses we’ve received thus far; five was the answer.
Burnell will follow-up with Zimmerman of PMPM. **
Priolo will follow up with Bakker of PMPM. **

 

DeMarco commented that what we want to establish is the accord of invitees’ appreciation of Town’s architecture, the honoring of its history, and basic love of the Town. Her basic surmised blueprint of our presentation to invitees was:  
         Personal  --  define History
         Reality    --   identify your use of History in supporting your Mission
         Vision     --   identify how you’d like to see History used in accomplishing your Goals

 

And apparent Goals to come from the day’s event were:
          Interconnectedness of invitees’ organizations vis a vis History
          Identification of common Goals, perhaps a shared Wish List
         Collaboratively achieving Goals
         Visioning where we go from here

 

Her own structural Goals for the day will be:
         Establishing a Time-Line within which to work
         Break-out Groups
         Keeping the day’s event light , not heady

 

5.  Other Business
Discussion of Town-Wide Goals
Dray distributed copies of the FY2008 Town-Wide Goals previously prepared by the HC.  After discussion, Polites agreed to prepare and distribute, via Johnstone, a new set of Goals for discussion at the HC’s May 30th  meeting.  The deadline for the Goals to be presented to the Town Manager is also May 30.

 

Library
Dray updated the CH regarding the status of the Library Renovation Project.  He noted that Tom Boland
was now on the Board of Trustees and That Lynn Spencer had been hired as a Preservation Consultant by
Coastal Engineering, the Firm contracted by the Library.  Dray explained that the Library currently has approximately $220K on hand to pursue the refurbishment of the lantern and upper façade; and stated that his presence as a liaison to its Board would ensure the HC’s notification about last-minute changes to the building’s historic aspect.

 

Firehouse #2
Dray updated the HC re: the renovation of Firehouse #2, saying that plans had been completed and progress was being made.

 

6.  Oral History Project Update
Since the Oral History Project will be under the auspices of the Library, and its Oral History Program, there will be no update until after the Library’s celebration of Heritage Day.

 

7.  New Business
Dray updated the HC re: his meeting with David Dunlap, who works for the New York Times, and is planning  a street-by-street photographic summary of Provincetown’s notable and historic buildings.  Dray
provided the Commission with Dunlap’s email address in case we wanted to provide him with any information or offer assistance.

 

Dray had a discussion with Bill Rann (sp?) re: support to the Historic District Commission.  Rann asked if there was a citizen’s support group for the HDC.  A discussion ensued.

 

8.  Set Agenda and Date for next Meeting
Friday, May 30, 2008, 9a.m.

 

An HC member moved to adjourn; another seconded.
Approved:  5-0-0.

 

Respectfully Submitted, Priolo and Polites.

 

(**  indicates an  Action Item.)