Historic Preservation Committee

Meeting Minutes – October 9, 2013

A meeting of the Mountain Lakes Historic Preservation Committee (“HPC” or the “Committee”) was held on October 9, 2013, at the Mountain Lakes Borough Hall.  In attendance were Co-Chairs Tom Dagger and John Grossmann, Ginny Cassidy, Mike DeWitt and Pat Rusak.  Absent were Margaret DeWitt, Roberta Matalon, Chris Smith, Brigid Walsh, and Borough Liaison Jason Bradlee.

Approval of Prior Meeting’s Minutes

The Committee approved the minutes of the September meeting in the form distributed to the Committee in advance of the meeting. 

Treasurer’s Report

John Grossmann presented the report prepared by Chris Sheasby:

 

Opening Balance as of 9/10/13:  $29,385.71

 

Debits:

$  50.00           Town Club for Craft Fair

$112.30           Pat Rusak for Historic Photos

$  67.00           Pat Rusak for Historic Photos

$229.30           Total Debits

 

Credits:

$310.00           Historic Photos

$310.00           Total Credits

 

Closing Balance as of 10/7/13:  $29,466.41

 

Archivist’s Report

Pat Rusak discussed the ongoing effort to organize and digitize Hapgood’s work papers.  She said the effort is nearing completion and that Brigid Walsh would be helping her with the work.

Old Business

Greenwood Cemetery Headstone Inventory Excursion

Pat reported on the September 16 trip with Tom Dagger and John Grossmann to identify headstones of prominent early Mountain Lakes residents.  Among those located:  Belle de Rivera and her son-in-law Maj. Henry Edward Loney; numerous members of the Ball family; Charles E. Banta and his family; Captain Gilbert H. Higgins and numerous members of his family; H. Vernon Lee, architect for many of the Belhall homes; Arthur Goodspeed and his wife; Gustav Hinrichsen, conductor and musician; surveyor Lewis Van Duyne; and Lawrence and Sally Luellen, first residents of the Borough, and two of their children Gerald and Harriet.

Historic Preservation Incentive Ordinance

Tom Dagger updated the Committee on the status of the demolition notice for 17 Condit.  He had been in touch with the applicant, who clarified his intent was not necessarily to demolish the home, but to sell the home at the highest price, which might require that he be able to meet a potential requirement from a prospective buyer that the lot be delivered with the home already demolished, thus avoiding a waiting period requirement after the sale is closed.  Tom indicated the applicant wants to cooperate fully with the Committee to provide access for documentation and is ready to schedule a date that works for everyone.  He is also willing to allow the Committee access to the home to salvage historically significant architectural materials prior to demolition, should that be necessary.

Tom indicated he would be circulating to the Committee members his proposed list of changes and improvements to the Ordinance after his meeting with the Zoning Board secretary, Zoning Officer and Construction Officer, scheduled for late October.

Midvale Stores Sidewalk Project

John Grossmann reported he had e-mailed Borough Manager Bob Tovo for an update and said that Tovo had replied that he had not heard back from Midvale Stores owner Bill Corvelli.  Grossmann left a phone message and e-mail message for Corvelli and had yet to hear back.

HPC Merchandise Webpage Displays

Mike DeWitt has imported the merchandise photos to a Flickr page similar to the one he fashioned for salvage trailer contents.  The next steps: have the Borough webmaster enable it with a link from the HPC website and then promote this page with the previously-agreed upon, new, lower prices with an announcement on the Borough homepage.

Remote Monitoring for Archives/ML Library

Mike DeWitt reported he had begun discussion with a representative from Engineered Security Systems, Inc. of Towaco, NJ, about remote monitoring equipment and requirements.  He will need to return to the Library with the representative and Jonathan Holasek from the Library board to continue to move this potential project further.

November Town Club Boutique

The Committee has reserved a table for the Boutique, which is scheduled for November 22.  Pat Rusak agreed to set up a table at this event, and Brigid Walsh and Ginny Cassidy have volunteered to assist Pat.

New Business

Committee Bank Account

Co-Chairs Grossmann and Dagger informed the Committee that they had recently been informed by Borough Manager Bob Tovo that the town wanted to bring the HPC’s independently run bank account under the auspices of the Borough, as it has previously done with all other Borough committees, and that they had met with Borough CFO Tim Roberts to discuss the mechanics of how deposits would be made to the account, and payments would be made from the account, under this system.  This announcement prompted concern from several Committee members.  Pat Rusak raised concerns about slow payment of invoices years ago when the HPC account was run through the Borough. She said that at one point, payment was so slow to plaque maker Erie Landmark that the company threatened to double its prices on house plaques.  Mike DeWitt mentioned frustrations the Sailing Program had with slow reimbursement from the town for expense outlays of members needed to run the program, as well as lack of controls to ensure any reimbursements were in fact duly approved by the governing officials of that program.  After much discussion, it was decided to invite Mr. Roberts to the next HPC meeting to air and address these concerns.  Following the meeting, in response to the Committee’s invitation to Mr. Roberts, Mr. Tovo indicated that, because this was properly a Borough Manager oversight function, he would be happy to meet with the Committee at its next meeting to address the Committee’s concerns.

Date for Next Meeting

Tuesday, November 5, at 5:00 pm at the Mountain Lakes Borough Hall.

Minutes prepared by John Grossmann and Tom Dagger.