Town of Lyme
Board of Selectmen
Minutes Public Hearing and Site Visits 30 April 2003
1. At 1:30 PM the Lyme Board of Selectmen convened a public hearing on the six applications received for “discretionary preservation easements for preserving historic agricultural structures.” The following attended the entire hearing: Pete Bleyler, Dick Jones, Allan Newton, Carole Bont (Administrative Assistant), Carl Schmidt (Chair, NH Historic Agricultural Structures Advisory Committee), Mary Murray (Connecticut Valley Spectator), Dorf Sears, Cynthia Bognolo, Janine Weins and Barbara Roby.
2. After a short introduction, each of the applicants present was given an opportunity to address their barn and answer questions from the public.
a. Dorf discussed her barn at 11 North Thetford Road. She explained the grant she had received to aid in its preservation and work done to stabilize the barn. Public comments included “that’s gorgeous”, “always kept up” and support for bringing back historic barns.
b. Janine discussed her barn on Franklin Hill Road. She described the ongoing work to restore the barn over the last few years and the significant repairs made to date. She also mentioned that it was highly visible from the Grant Brook Trail and its lower level manure pit was considered an advanced design feature at the time of the barn’s construction. A turn of the century photo of the barn was found in the Town’s collection and approximately dated by the known date of birth of the youth in the photograph.
c. Cynthia discussed her barn at 25 Market Street. She said it was once owned by Sydney Converse (who donated the funds to build the library for the Town). She described work done in the late 70’s/early 80’s to remove the attached 3-car garage, stabilize the barn and install a new floor.
3. Following the hearing, the public was invited to join the Board on its site visits to the three barns. Only Mary chose to accompany the Board. At each of the three sites, photographs were taken and the Board inspected the barns and evaluated their scenic value, condition and state of restoration.
4. At 4:15 PM the Board returned to the Town Offices to continue its regular meeting.
R. G. Jones
Recorder
| 
