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Home My WebLink About10/01/2007 - Regular Minutes - Historic Preservation Committee Minutes Historic Preservation Committee Retreat Monday, October 1, 2007 9 am 115 Lee Avenue College Station, Texas 77840 Attendance: Marguerite Anthony, Hillary Jessup, Colleen Risinger, Anne Triche- Steen, Meredith Waller, Lou Hodges, Ernie Wright and Jane Hughey Approved Absence: Neal Nutall, Anne Boykin Staff Attendance: Peggy Calliham; Community Relations Manager Visitors Present: None Agenda Item #1: Call to Order Meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. Agenda Item #2: Absence Request Neal Nutall was excused for medical reasons Agenda Item #3: Approval of the minutes Jane made a correction to the minutes about Lou Hodges and her own presence and Emie`s absence. A correction was also made to the name of the speaker, Al Meyer on November 14 Calendar item. Motion was made, seconded and approved as corrected. Agenda Item #4: Team building and get acquainted exercise was conducted prior to calling the meeting to order. Participants were encouraged to ask each other any question they wanted answered so they could become better acquainted. Agenda Item #5: Committee Reports Exploring History Lunch Lectures It was noted that the 2008 Lunch Lecture series would have some changes that need to be noted at the next meeting and on future postcards. There will be a $5 charge for the meal and there is a limit of 150 spaces. Additionally, the new schedule will allow for only six lectures: one during the months of January, February, April, September, October and November. Ernie reported that the next speaker will be Jim Boone on the topic of Ghosts Trains of the Brazos Valley on October 17, and A Veterans Story, by Al Meyer, not Al Jones, on November 14. Peggy reminded the group that the lunch lectures are taped and run for a month on Channel 19 the month following the presentation usually around noon. Need to publicize where to find past lectures. A question was asked about whether we can offer cd's for those who want them. Peggy says it is a possibility but not sure we want to promote them. If asked we probably can do it. Historic Markers A marker application for the Lewis home at 1205 Winding Road was submitted to the committee for approval and will be presented to the families at the October 11 City Council Meeting at 7 p.m. Peggy and Jane have a prior commitment but Hillary and Marguerite indicated that they will be in attendance and hopefully Anne can be there to take photos. Roans Chapel has received their appropriate building marker in place of the home marker, but would like to have a formal presentation in December. Peggy will notify the committee when a date is set. Hillary stated that Karen Chavis at 118 Pershing was interested in an historic marker also. Peggy said she had recommended that Carol Lewis help with others wanted to get markers since she was retired and very good at the process. We need to follow up with Carol on this. Meredith is going to follow up with the Averyts and another home on her street. Lou asked if we are recording the history of homes in Project Hold that do not have markers but have some history such as his, which is made from old bricks from the Madisonville Courthouse. No one on the committee knew if this is being done. Hillary also suggested that houses might have some history as to who the architect was and a list of all those craftsmen who worked on a home that people might like to have. Sort of like an architectural guarantee or certification. Oral History Project Anne reported at the last meeting that Mary Hamlin will be having surgery and will be out for a few months. She will pick up where she left off with the oral history interviews. Project HOLD Peggy gave an explanation of Anne's new full -time benefited position. It is pretty much a carry over of how she has been splitting her time but now she is a full -time employee. She will maintain staff assistant duties for the Public Communications Office while continuing to manage the Project Hold office and volunteers. Peggy indicated that finding good, long term or at least semester long interns was critical to keeping things moving along smoothly in the Project Hold office. Suggestion of contacting Henry Detloff to get help in placing interns or a professor Anthony Strange, whose students may need to earn credits. Hillary is going to contact the Faculty Wives Club for volunteers since they do service projects. Agenda Item #6 - Discussion of participating in a joint project with Parks Department on interpretive signs at Veterans Park Lou and Jane agreed to co -chair this project. Peggy recommended they get in contact with Steve Beachy or Ric Ploeger at the Parks Dept. to begin to lay out a plan and refine a timeline and responsibilities and bring something back to the HPC as a whole. It was also recommended that Jerry Cooper, Scott Schafer, Gene Barrow, and Tom Taylor may have some interest on working on this and might be contacted once we have a plan. It would also be great to get Steve Beachy on the committee since he is retiring. Agenda Item # 7: Discussion of most effective methods for historic education Marguerite brought this issue before the committee. The group brainstormed various ideas for this. Need to think these through and think carefully about the biggest "bang for the buck." Not so labor intensive that it burns out the group. Need to group and prioritize these and narrow the list. KIDS ✓ Seek ideas from elementary and middle school teachers as to what their needs are with regard to historic education. ✓ Try and find an old slide show from College Hills Elementary that was very good. ✓ An historic coloring book like the city government one. Would probably need to find a financial sponsor for the cost or could create it and put on the web for downloading and avoid print costs. ✓ Treasure hunt for history through BV Museum. ✓ Parents are always looking for events for their kids during the summer, maybe a historic preservation camp experience. Could be a fund raiser. Presented as hands on history. ✓ Kids Klub outings /June school enrichment program ADULTS ✓ KAMU Moments in History/Fran Lamb -seems mostly Bryan and the county. ✓ Better awareness of the American Mile as a teaching tool. Needs a brochure ✓ Host a summer event before school for teachers at Veterans Park ✓ Period costume event with American Mile ✓ Cemetery tour with skits of famous people buried there like Jane Hughey recently experienced in Chickasha, Ok. ✓ Geo -cache suggested by Lou. Basically it's a gps treasure hunt with boxes holding information, tickets, log and camera ✓ Partner up with another group for a fun run to benefit a charity ✓ April seems to be a better month than May to do an Historic Preservation Awareness event. ✓ It was suggested that cd's could be made and placed in the College Station Library for check out. ✓ Develop a group of local story tellers who could tell local stories in schools ✓ In all projects( lunches, Project Hold, , etc give voice to the educational goal. Have a catchy one -liner to use. Agenda Item #8- Discussion of Accomplishment of 2007 and Goals for 2008 Refer to the 2007 Goals document This was a very busy year and a lot was accomplished. ✓ Oral History- Still need to edit old oral histories and Lou and Anne Steen will both take some of these and work on. ✓ Historic District responsibility has been handed off to Planning and Development Recommendations for 2008 Goals ✓ May want to consider a year long theme for all projects: such as famous personalities or something that would not limit us but could be carried throughout the year ✓ If there are specific ideas for displays, special events, etc, they need to be brought to the committee for discussion and approval. ✓ Lunch Lectures • May be time to survey the participants again for topics ✓ Markers • Get some help for people wanting to apply (Carol Lewis ?) ✓ Oral histories • Get early ones edited • Collect veteran histories- Turbiville interviews ✓ Project Hold • Seek some long term interns to help Anne • History of Business and industry in CS ✓ Educational Outreach • Bring more attention into the schools about historic preservation ✓ Grants • Check into potential grants for various projects than need funding Agenda Item # 9: Committee Assignments Lunch Lecture: Ernie, Jane and Hillary Markers: Meredith and Hillary Oral Histories: Lou and Anne Steen Project Hold: Lou, Colleen, and Anne Steen Educational Outreach: Lou, Ernie, Marguerite, and Jane Parks Program: Jane and Lou Agenda Item #10: Letter of recommendation to City Council Hillary has expressed some concern about the process for appointing citizens to the Historic Preservation Committee. Peggy spoke with Connie Hooks, and she said that if the committee has recommendations about the process and applicants they would welcome our suggestions. Peggy agreed to draft a letter prior to the next meeting for committee review including the following items: • HPC is a working committee and needs applicants willing to work on subcommittees