Minutes of the Princeton Historical Commission
May 16, 2013
Town Hall Annex, 7 PM
Attendees: Joyce Anderson, Sheila Dubman, Alex Fiandaca, Joe Lee, Matt Lindberg and Mickey Splaine.
Members approved minutes from April 18, 2013
Meetinghouse Cemetery
Alex has contacted Ta Mara Conde to request and invoice (or partial invoice) by June 30. This will enable the Commission to use the remaining $500 in the budget toward cemetery restoration, as discussed previously.
Alex reported that the Cemetery Commission is very concerned about unfinished (in-process) gravestones and has requested that they be completed prior to Memorial Day. Alex has contacted Ta Mara who assured she will finish the repairs before the holiday. Members suggested sending a reminder to Ta Mara which Alex will do, and to think about meeting with the Cemetery Commission in the near future.
Redemption Rock Road Marker
Mickey has contacted Worcester Technical High School and is awaiting an update on the marker. It is possible that the school will also be available to paint the pole. Joyce indicated that she has left-over paint from the National Register Marker poles installed in 2009. The paint for the Redemption Rock marker has been donated by Nal’s Paint of Worcester. Mickey suggested that once the marker is installed, the base of the pole be encircled with granite blocks and mulch.
Town Line Sign Overlays
Mickey suggested May 24th as a possible date to affix the overlays. The overlays will make all signs consistent with the Town’s date of establishment of 1759.
Four Corners
Joyce reported that Mass Historic is in the process of reviewing the Four Corners nomination.
Route 140
Mickey reported that funding has been approved by Town Meeting for phase II of the Route 140 design process. The engineering firm, GPI, will finish the preliminary design over the summer and will submit it to MassDot in the fall. Like phase I, phase II will rely on community participation and will likely involve two committees: one for plantings and one for lighting, benches, etc.
Members briefly discussed underground utilities in the village which Mickey explained has not been ruled out but is considered a betterment and therefore is not eligible for state funding.
Minutes of the Princeton Historical Commission
May 16, 2013
Town Hall Annex, 7 PM
Page 2
Mechanics Hall
On May 4th the Historical Society presented a tour of East Princeton beginning with a slide show at Mechanics Hall. The tour included a walk to the mill sites and to Sawyer Field. About 30 people participated and many remained after the tour to learn more about Mechanics Hall.
Mickey has contacted the Highway Department about improving the parking lot at Mechanics Hall. The pavement is in extremely poor condition and the concrete pillars are in disrepair.
East Princeton Village
Alex reported that Karen Rossow informed her of a recent meeting for the Princeton Open Space and Rec Plan Update, in which participants were very interested in making a trail out of the dirt road leading from the mill sites on Gleason Road to Main Street and connecting it to Sawyer Field with a cross walk. Members briefly discussed the possibility of interpretive signage at the mill sites in conjunction with possible improvements to the dirt road (such as steps, as suggested at the Open Space meeting).
GPI, the engineering firm hired to redesign Route 140, has visited the site where the old road connects to Main Street and seemed confident that a crosswalk to Sawyer Field could be incorporated into the Route 140 design.
Members also discussed Sawyer Field and the importance of ensuring that future upgrades/play equipment complement the historic character of the village.
Next Meeting: Will be held in July, date to be determined.
Respectfully submitted, Alex Fiandaca
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