Historic Preservation Committee

Meeting Minutes – February 12, 2015

A meeting of the Mountain Lakes Historic Preservation Committee ("HPC" or the "Committee") was held on February 12, 2015, in the basement meeting room at the Mountain Lakes Library. In attendance were Co-Chairs John Grossmann, and Tom Dagger, Pat Rusak, Mike DeWitt, Lesley Karczewski, Katy Roberts, Alex Gotthelf and Borough Council Liaison Dan Happer. Absent were Ginny Cassidy and Margaret DeWitt.

Approval of Prior Meeting’s Minutes

The minutes of the January 8, 2015 meeting were approved in the form in which they were distributed to the Committee.

Treasurer’s Report

John Grossmann presented the report prepared by Chris Sheasby:

Opening Balance as of 1/7/15: $29,629.59

Debits:

$201.20 Erie Landmark for one plaque

$15.00 Pat Rusak for historic photo

$216.20 Total Debits

Credits:

$243.00 Two Hapgood plaques, one historic photo

$239.00 Contribution from Mark Lore to cover costs of documenting 302 Blvd

$482.00 Total Debits

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

Archivist’s Report

Pat Rusak showed a sample design for a table banner, to be used by HPC at events, measuring 62" x 28" that would cost about $92. The Committee liked the size and price and requested a slight modification and the ability to see examples of fonts that would be more Arts and Crafts in style.

Pat displayed photos made from the previously unidentified slides in the archives, saying she was pleased to have some new views of the Station area in its early days, a great shot of Leonard’s Beach on Wildwood Lake, and vintage photos for two Hapgood houses that previously were not represented in the photo archives. She said she would contract those homeowners with the good news.

Prior to the start of the meeting, Rusak asked early-arriving members to count all the vintage house photos in the archive binders to determine the scope of the next round of archive digitization. At 45-cents per photo and more than 1,200 photos counted, the job will cost upwards of $500. The Committee approved the expense and decided it would be best to request the digital files on a USB drive.

Borough Liaison Report

New Borough Liaison Dan Happer reported that an interim Borough Manager had been put in place and a candidate search was well underway. Accordingly, he said discussion had lapsed on such topics as repairs to the bathroom windows of the Station (and a possible grant request to do so) and renovations to Hapgood’s dynamite shed for possible use by the HPC.

Old Business

HPC Website Redesign Problems

Mike DeWitt reported ongoing communication with Clive Knowles about the site management issues HPC has been having.

203 Boulevard--Notice of Intent to Demolish

Tom Dagger reported that the HPC had received notice from the Borough of a new request for a teardown on the Borough’s most heavily traveled thoroughfare—this time at 203 Boulevard, near St. Peter’s Church. This looms as the second impending demolition of a prominent Hapgood on the town’s "Main Street" since the passage of the Historic Preservation Incentives ordinance, which, of course, does not preclude demolition. The Committee noted that in both pending instances, it is not families moving from another community, but Mountain Lakes residents, moving within the Borough to bigger, more prominent lots, that have announced plans to tear down the historic Arts and Crafts houses rather than renovate from within—and with building incentives.

Tom said he would share with the Committee the draft of his letter to the homeowners at 203 Boulevard, explaining the 90-day delay period and the HPC’s need to document the home.

HPC Brochure

After last month’s meeting, when the desire for an HPC brochure was raised, John Grossmann tracked down the digital file of a version produced by the Committee years ago, and began discussion by thanking Mike DeWitt for the design work that he and an employee at his family business had done to provide a cleaner look. It was decided to use this version until a streamlined version with "fewer words" and more white space and photos could be produced.

HPC Long Range Goals/Retreat

Lesley Karczewski reminded the Committee that this agenda item, first raised briefly last month, arose because one of the reasons for the denial of our grant request from the Morris County Heritage Commission was an insufficiently detailed accounting of the HPC’s long-range goals. Not only would a better long range planning be essential for future grant requests, she stressed, but the Committee and the Borough would be better served by doing so. All agreed, and dismissed the idea of a day-long "retreat" on a weekend to get rolling, preferring, instead, an ongoing agenda item and, say, a dedicated 30-minutes per monthly meeting on this topic.

Lesley said that some online research had turned up mission statements from towns such as Redmond, WA; Hancock, NH; and Tolland, WA that might offer some help. Alex Gotthelf said he would check with Montclair. Lesley said she had reached out to Peg Schultz at the Morris County Heritage Commission but had yet to hear back.

New Business

HPC Open House

Pat Rusak said she would check her calendar and spring travel plans so she could identify possible dates for an HPC Open House, with archival materials on display, scheduled appointments for residents to research the history of their house, and merchandise displayed for sale.

Date for Next Meeting

Thursday, March 12, at the downstairs meeting room in the Library at 7:30 p.m.

Minutes prepared by John Grossmann and Tom Dagger.