Historic Preservation Committee

Meeting Minutes – March 12, 2015

A meeting of the Mountain Lakes Historic Preservation Committee (“HPC” or the “Committee”) was held on March 12, 2015, on the main floor of the Mountain Lakes Library. In attendance were Vice Chair Tom Dagger, Mike DeWitt, Lesley Karczewski, Katy Roberts, Alex Gotthelf and Borough Council Liaison Dan Happer. Absent were Chairman John Grossmann, Pat Rusak, Ginny Cassidy and Margaret DeWitt.

Guest Presentation

The meeting began with a presentation by Barton Ross, an architect and historic preservation consultant, on “HPC Best Practices in the State of New Jersey.” The presentation included an overview of the Legal Basis for an HPC in New Jersey, Running an Effective HPC Meeting, Project Funding and Economic Strategies, Historic Preservation Resources, and Identifying Mountain Lakes’ Keys to Success.

There was considerable discussion about possible sources of funding that the HPC might want to pursue in the future, including Morris County Heritage Commission, the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust, the Certified Local Government (CLG) program of the State Historic Preservation Office, and the Department of Transportation Safe Streets Program. Barton indicated there were relatively few municipalities in the state that had qualified for the CLG program and were sharing in the funding available to CLGs, and it should not be too difficult for Mountain Lakes to do so. He indicated that he might be able to facilitate our application if we wished to pursue it.

He also described detailed surveys of all NJ municipalities that were performed in the 1970s, which are archived at the State Historic Preservation Office in Trenton and might provide useful information for our archives.

Approval of Prior Meeting’s Minutes

The minutes of the February 12, 2015 meeting were approved in the form in which they were distributed to the Committee.

Treasurer’s Report

Tom Dagger presented the report prepared by Chris Sheasby:


Opening Balance as of 2/10/15: $29,895.39


Debits:

$168.04 Pat Rusak for the slide project

$101.94 Pat Rusak for historic photos, supplies for archives, pizza for 2/12 meeting

$269.98 Total Debits


Credits:

$300.00 Pictures of Mountain Lakes Club

$110.00 Two Centennial Books and shipping

$87.00 Three historic photos

$58.00 Two historic photos

$555.00 Total Debits


Closing Balance as of 3/9/15: $30,180.41


Archivist’s Report

Pat Rusak was unable to attend the meeting, but sent the following report by email in advance of the meeting:

  1. Completed and made three zip drives of updated year built list of Hapgoods. Will give one to John for Plaques. 

  2. Made photos for  St Peters Grant.

  3. In process of having photos made for Club through Leslie.

  4. Filled Library display with Hapgood workorders with coordinating house. Go see. 

  5. Looked for pictures for rush order for Margaret for ML Mag. I do not have any Village pictures. With more warning I may have been able to dig something else up.

  6. Sent banner choices, pick one.

  7. Put to left of Library door letter informing town of first Post office.

  8. slides done

  9. At Public meeting met Marty Kane and we will exchange info on Train Station. He is connected to Lake Hopatcong and believes it is same Architect. Looks it.

  10. My favorite thing, made photo for new homeowner.


Borough Liaison Report

Dan Happer reported that the Borough Council is focused on hiring a new Borough Manager, so there were no updates concerning matters of interest to the Committee.

Old Business

HPC Website Redesign Problems

No updates were available.

203 Boulevard--Notice of Intent to Demolish

Tom Dagger reported that a letter had been sent by the Committee to the homeowner, and he requested possible dates that could be proposed to the homeowner for the documentation of the home prior to demolition.

HPC Long Range Goals

The Committee decided to take this issue up at the next meeting, after the members had the opportunity to absorb the information shared by Barton Ross earlier in the evening.

New Business

None.

Date for Next Meeting

Thursday, April 2, 2015, at the downstairs meeting room in the Library at 7:30 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Tom Dagger.

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