PRELIMINARY until voted on at March 11, 2008 meeting

Minutes of the Stratham Heritage Commission
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
EOC room, Municipal Building

 

OPENING BUSINESS
Members present: Becky Mitchell, chair; member and secretary/treasurer, Nancy Hansen, respectfully submitting these minutes; alternates Sara L. Kellner and Flossy Wiggin; Selectman’s rep, MJ Werner.

Meeting:  The meeting was opened at 5:40 and was adjourned at 6:50pm.

Minutes:  Minutes of the 15 January meeting, written by the secretary, Nancy Hansen, were accepted as written.

Treasury Report and Budget Meeting:  The treasurer, Nancy Hansen, gave a year-end summary for both the HC town budget and the Heritage Fund.  As of 12/31/07, the HC had spent 67% of the allocated budget.  Expenses in December included those supporting the historical survey, printing new Veterans’ forms, and purchase of supplies.  The chair met with the Budget Committee in January concerning next year’s budget:  the requested amount for 2008 is 22% lower than the that requested in 2007, or, $4912. 

The Heritage Fund balance ended December 31, 2007 was $2448.58.  Fund expenses in December were $146 (Historical Survey expense).  ATTACHED, recipients will find the budget summaries for these two accounts.

Next meeting:  Tuesday, 11 March, 5:30pm, Election night.  Since the EOC will be in use, we will meet in the Municipal Center’s Hearing room. 

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

Master Plan:  The vote, scheduled for 1/31/08, concerning our section of the Master Plan was postponed until 3/5/08, following lengthy discussion concerning references on a map of Stratham.  Additionally, the chair asked members to look over our section of the master plan, especially the goals and recommendations, and be prepared to discuss at the next HC meeting which goals/issues each of us feels should be given highest priority.  Relative to that end, the chair recently asked member Pete Wiggin to begin working on the archaeological goals and recommendations and to invite the state archaeologist, Richard Boisvert, to visit one of our future meetings.

Planning Board:  MJ Werner reported that PB members have consented to have their names entered for re-election in March.  Also, that Colleen Lake’s proposal was returned to the ZBA for reconsideration of the subdivision decision at their next meeting.  Finally, the head of the Orton Foundation is to speak to the Planning Board on 3/5 re helping towns with planning and community involvement issues.

Historical Resources Survey:  Data base manager, Deb Long, is working on redesigning and aligning forms, checking for compatibility, and will report as this part of the project comes to a close.  The chair reported there still is no new coordinator of the DHR.  Further, the chair proposed to members that the HC pursue having a display at town elections and town meetings.  She envisions it including a large poster/map with the possibility of distributing cards to residents; these might include what the HC is and does, and how residents might assist in the survey process.  The cards are to be developed by the chair and Nancy Hansen.  The chair will seek map enlargement assistance from the Town Planner.

OLD BUSINESS (continued):

Stratham Annual Report.  The Chair submitted our section of the Annual Report for 2007 to the Town and requested it be attached.  See second ATTACHMENT. 

NEW BUSINESS

NH Preservation Alliance Spring Conference:  Topic—“Preserving Community Character.”  Date for HC to attend—Friday, 11 April.  Time--??.  Location—Heritage Commons at Plymouth State. Please telephone for info—224-2281.  Email:  admin@ nhpreservation.org.  Reservations are required.  Speak to the chair if you are interested in attending.
NH OEP Conference:  Topic—“Demolition Review.”  Date—Saturday, 26 April.  Loca-tion—Office of Energy and Planning, Concord, NH.  The Stratham HC chair, Rebecca Mitchell, will speak as a representative for a town that has a demolition review ordinance in place.
NH OEP Housing and Conservation Planning Program Grant:  This grant is aimed at helping “municipalities plan for local workforce housing while conserving natural resources and preserving historic structures.”  The grant for which towns may apply is divided into four stages.  The first, appropriate to us, is entitled “Research, mapping and data analysis.”  It is thought that our application for such a grant would greatly enhance the historic survey process.  Grants are given up to $20,000.  The chair suggests that we begin working on the application soon as the deadline is 11 April 2008.
Meeting in March:  The next meeting will take place in Hearing room on the second Tuesday of the month (11 March) at 5:30pm.

   A13:HCMIN02122008

 

ATTACHMENTS

1.  Budget and Plan Summaries (next page)

2.  HC portion of Stratham Annual Report (page 4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT 1

 

Heritage Commission budget summary for 2007

(as of 12/31/07)

 

 

Item

Amount bugeted

 

Amount spent

Percent spent of total

Supplies

$500

$196.16

39%

Postage

$75

$0.66

.01%

Vets & Engraving

$2000

$515

66%

Historical survey

$3500

$3500

100%

 

 

 

 

Overall

$6325

$4211.83

67%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heritage Commission budget comparison

2007 vs 2008 request

 

 

Item

Amount budgeted 2007

Amount

Requested

2008

% change

Supplies

$500

$500

0%

Postage

$75

$75

0%

Vets/engraving

$2000

$870

$57%

Historical survey

$3500

$3197

$9%

Train/confer

$250

$270

#8%

 

 

 

 

Total: 

$6325

$4912

$22%

 

 

 

Heritage Fund as of 12/31/07

 

Balance:  $2448.58             Interest for the year:  $97.53

 

Expenses in December:       Filing cabinet = ($146)

 

Income in JANUARY 2008:   One Stratham flag = +$60

 

Item

Amount bugeted

 

Amount spent

Percent spent of total

Supplies

$500

$196.16

39%

Postage

$75

$0.66

.01%

Vets & Engraving

$2000

$515

66%

Historical survey

$3500

$3500

100%

Training/conf

$250

$0

0%

 

 

Item

Amount bugeted

 

Amount spent

Percent spent of total

 

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT 2

 

HERITAGE COMMISSION

 

The Heritage Commission was established by the town to be responsible for “the proper recognition, use and protection of resources, tangible or intangible, primarily man-made, that are valued for their historic, cultural, aesthetic, or community significance within their natural, built, or cultural contexts and to exercise such authority as authorized under RSA 674:44-b.”  The Commission is comprised of a member of the Board of Selectmen, a member of the Planning Board, three members and three alternate members appointed by the Selectmen.

 

SURVEY OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES:  Following advice from the N.H. Division of Historical Resources as well as the recommendation of the 1997 Master Plan, the Heritage Commission began the process of conducting a survey of Stratham’s historical resources.  While there are state standards for surveys, every town that has undertaken a survey has proceeded differently.  In the course of developing our procedures it became apparent that the historical resources survey must be integrated with the evolving town database.  Working toward that end we have been greatly helped by the Town Planner, Chuck Grassie, and we have hired a database designer who is nearing completion of her work. The Survey of Historical Resources is an ambitious project, but one with enormous potential for providing the town and its residents with valuable planning and preservation information.

 

HISTORICAL RESOURCES MASTER PLAN:  At the request of the Planning Board, the Heritage Commission wrote an extensive new Master Plan chapter that includes a brief town history, a summary of historic preservation activity to date, a map and table of historical resources, as well as goals and recommendations. The latter propose a variety of measures, both voluntary and regulatory, that would serve to protect those resources important to the history or community character of Stratham. This Master Plan chapter was reviewed at a public hearing and the Planning Board will vote on it in February 2008.

 

DEMOLITION REVIEW:  In 2007 the Heritage Commission supported the Planning Board’s proposal of a Historic Demolition Review article that was passed by town vote in March.  The purpose of the ordinance is to allow a brief review period to consider the structure’s significance in preserving our community’s historical character.  As directed by the ordinance, a review committee has been established.

 

VETERANS’ GARDEN:  The Garden continues to be acknowledged as the Town’s permanent location for recognizing its veterans.  In 2007 ten names were added in honor of our veterans.

 

PROCEDURAL RULES:  In order to ensure the ethical and efficient conduct of the Heritage Commission, we wrote and adopted a set of procedural rules in 2007.

 

HOW TO FIND US AND JOIN US:  The Heritage Commission meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 PM, usually in the EOC Room.  Meeting minutes are available on the Wiggin Memorial Library website.  We welcome guests and volunteers.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Rebecca Mitchell, Chair   (778-7979) 

[End of minutes of the HC, 02/12/2008]