Monson Community Preservation Commission
December 9, 2008
Members present: Bill Skillman, Dennis Swierad, Steve Slozak, Leslie Duthie, Karen King
Members absent: Robert Presho
Others in attendance: Mary Swierad, Mark Ziolkowski, Valerie Beaudoin, Hope Bodwell
7:05
BillS is pleased with the Committee and our ability to go through our first town meeting and pass 4 projects for Monson. He will write letters of congratulation to each group and contact Debbie Mahar to see if there is anything more that the Committee needs to do to allow the money to be dispersed. DS reminds everyone we need to finalize the Grant Restriction and Deed Restriction language for the Church and Fuller House projects.
BillS – we need plans for implementation.
Also the Committee needs to update the state database, the state needs to be informed as to how the Monson CPC is expending funds. Bill has the password and would like someone to do that.
LD – asks if anyone has been to Sturbridge lately. There are signs up throughout the town, hung on utility poles, that might be appropriate for us to use for CPC projects. She knows who has installed the signs and will ask where they came from, what company made them. Suggests the committee check them out the next time they drive through Sturbridge.
2009 Objectives
BillS – What objectives do we have
LD – Memorial Hall, Library come to mind
KK– Senior Housing funds
DS - designated fund for handicap or elderly supports
KK – Housing funds can be used to purchase homes for rental to seniors, keep housing costs affordable for those on fixed incomes.
DS –recreation, we talked about that project at Rogers Field. He also saw where old recreation sites, now in disuse could be restored. We need to examine our recreation priorities now that the court has rejected the recreation project in Newton. CPA states that it has to be new recreation. Will our project to install fencing and build a new little league field comply with the regulations. LD and BillS agree – Bill says we need to look at the Act and decide how to proceed on that.
LD brought press release announcing that the Committee is accepting applications for next fall and that the Committee is seeking another “at large” member. These are ok. We discussed an ad for the administrative position. Leslie will look into placing an ad in the paper for this job. Needs to talk to Debi Mahar about funds for placing the ad.
LD – can we set meeting dates. We need to pick a date and stick with it. It is difficult to schedule meetings all over the place. KK has a conflict on the second Tuesday of each month, Committee agrees to meet the first Tuesday of each month. LD will be sure that it is posted.
Mark Ziolkowski has come to the meeting because he is concerned with the gravel excavation on Hovey Hill Road. Although this is no business of the Monson CPC, LD takes the time to give a brief explanation of what is going on there. This matter is under the guidance of the Building Inspector, the Conservation Commission, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Mark states that the Selectmen were supposed to meet on this but he missed the meeting. LD suggests that the Selectmen are meeting at the same time as the Monson CPC and if he wishes to ask them questions he could go to that meeting, but the Monson CPC has no reason to address this issue.
BillS says we are involved with housing, recreation, open space and historic preservation. Mark suggests we buy the land for senior housing. LD says we can only buy land that is being offered for sale, it is not our position to take land and change its use.
Valerie Beaudoin is interested in getting information on applying for CPC grants. Her husband, David, is on the Memorial Hall committee and they are interested in looking for funds in as many places as possible. She doesn’t know much, but came to find out what she could.
BillS says our application is on line and if the committee needs help filling it out, the Monson CPC would be glad to help.
LD asks if she has met or knows of Michelle Barker? She is our local historic preservation circuit rider.
DS says he met with her and she had suggestions for someone to come and look at the building. Dennis says he thought the new committee was just involved in capital projects like furnaces, etc. The building is on the Historic Register and any restoration will have to be approved by the State Historic Commission.
LD says she passed on the grant information that the State Historic Commission sent out – they are providing 50% of the costs involved in Historic renovation projects.
DS says that depends on whether they have any money.
Valerie wants to know where the grant money comes from.
BillS talks about Monson CPC money – DS talks about funding from the state.
LD suggests that the Monson Historic Commission and the Memorial Hall committee get together and discuss what each is interested in doing. Leslie thinks the Monson CPC would like to see a grant for preservation of Memorial Hall, it is one of the big ticket items that we were interested in when we brought CPA to Monson and would like to designate some money for this project.
The Committee hopes that we will continue to work with both groups on a grant to help restore Memorial Hall.
Hope came to the Committee because she was curious about moving forward with grant requests. The Monson Free Library has two projects one smaller and one major project. DS stated that he felt the major project should be addressed, that it is the best way for the Monson CPC to help the library. LD agrees, that the Committee felt that giving a small grant this year, when we were aware that major repairs needed to be done seemed moot.
Hope ways the smaller project is the roof. The slate around the chimney needs to be repaired and repointed to stop a leak that is damaging the ceiling in the DeSantis room. DS asks if the rest of the roof is ok, or did more slate need to be repaired. Hope says it is in good shape, there was some problem at the chimney, otherwise the roof is in good shape.
SS asks who looked at the work?
Hope – Titan roofing.
The bigger project involves the structure with lots of granite crumbling. According to Hope, Monoko came in and looked at it, told her the whole building needed to be repointed at a cost of about $118,000.00. The High Street/Main Street side is the worst, but if only half of the building is done it only reduced the estimate by $25,000.00. It seemed most prudent to do the whole thing.
DS Will the contractor fix the crumbling and falling stones? Hope says yes, that he is talking about VT Granite. DS says that is what is happening at the Civil War Monument too. The Committee asked if the Civil War Monument contractor could look at the Library as well?
Hope – sure, her contractor is out of Southbridge.
KK asked if the library could secure other grants to help pay for the repairs. Hope said that they often pursue grants. She would look into it.
BillS – should we have our decisions posted prior to town meeting? Perhaps we need something on the web site?
BillS – logo discussion. Committee received a bill for the work, after understanding it was to be a donation.
8:40 Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted:
Leslie A. Duthie
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