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| 1. | Meeting called to order at 7:30 a.m. by Chairman Fischer.
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| 2. | Members present: xxxxxx
Robert
“Bud” Fischer, Pat McCallister (by conference call), Lola McElwee, Mike
Titus, Charles “Chuck” White, Jackie Wilen, and Richard Wise. Ad hoc member
present: Kit Morice.
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| 3. | Minutes of 8-16-05 meeting approved
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| 4. | Old Business
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| b. Historic Districts
xxxxxx Fischer reported that the state, through the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, has grants available to do surveys for historic district applications, but in order to be eligible to apply for grants, the city must be a Certified Local Government or be in the process of being approved. Starting designations for historic districts for Sixth and Seventh streets and Monroe and Jackson avenues will be delayed until the Certified Local Government process is completed. |
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| c. Certified Local Government
xxxxxxxx Fischer has discussed applying for this designation with City Manager Scott Smith, who Fischer described as “upbeat” about it. Historic Preservation Commission members need to fill out resumés as part of the application process, which includes a section on members’ “expertise, knowledge or demonstrated interest” in historic preservation. Fischer will meet with Smith to get the application completed. Commission members should send the resumé form to Fischer electronically to make the application process easier. |
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| d. Community Events
xxxxxxxxx Morice and McElwee passed around the rough draft of a flier which could be distributed in an area to announce an educational event. Design of a logo was discussed as well as what should be included on the flier. The idea is to keep the flier simple but include a reference to the historic preservation Web site. |
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| e. Web Site Update
xxxxxxxxx Members are to look over the Web site to check the links and see if anything is missing. The opening page will include sections on Charleston’s historic architecture, the definition of historic preservation and the mission of the Historic Preservation Commission with links to other pages of in-depth information. The ordinance, applications and FAQ’s are already finished. Wise and Fischer have been looking at other historic preservation sites for ideas. Once all the information is gathered, it will be turned over to the city to include on the city’s Web site. |
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| xxxx | 5. | New Business
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| xxxx | a. Budget Issues
Fischer spoke with City Manager Smith, who told him that no money
is built into this year’s city budget for the historic preservation commission.
This year, the city will help with costs associated with the commission’s
activities. In the meantime, Smith asked that commission members start
thinking of financial needs so a budget request can be made during the
next budget planning process. The commission will be included as a line
item within the money budgeted for boards and commissions.
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| xxxx | b. Charleston’s 175th birthday celebration.
Cal Smith contacted McCallister. He and Nancy Easter Shick
are working on planning the celebration and inquired as to whether the
commission could participate in that. The 175th celebration is in June
2006. Discussion followed that our work could be piggybacked onto the celebration
for publicity of the group and of the importance of historic preservation.
Commission members are to think of what role the commission could play,
if any, in the celebration.
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| xxxx | c. Other Items
Fischer asked that commission members look over a “flow chart” outlining the process for application for landmark status to make sure that the timing is right, that we have enough time built into the process to complete it within the ordinance’s requirements. Doug McDermand could not attend the September meeting. The October meeting will be scheduled to allow him to attend. McCallister raised the question of the status of brick streets and sidewalks in Charleston. Discussion ensued about whether to include such things as streets, sidewalks and curbs in historic district applications. The commission also discussed the city’s sidewalk replacement program. Fischer will check with City Manager Smith to see what is happening with the city’s brick sidewalks as sidewalks are replaced. Wilen noted that when an application to the National Register of Historic Places was completed for 15th Street in Mattoon, the national historic preservation agency recommended that brick streets and sidewalks be included in the application. Morice said sidewalks and streets should definitely be included in historic district applications so they will be protected. The commission will begin meeting upstairs in the council chamber
with the next meeting as long as a phone line for conference calls has
been installed by then. The next meeting will be at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday,
Oct. 19, 2005.
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| xxxx | 6. | By concensus the meeting adjourned
Respectfully submitted, Lola McElwee |
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