PRELIMINARY until voted on at October 9, 2007 meeting

Minutes of the Stratham Heritage Commission
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
EOC room,
Municipal Building

 

 

OPENING BUSINESS
Members present: Becky Mitchell, chair; members Peter Wiggin and Nancy Hansen; alternates Bev Connolly and Flossy Wiggin; selectmen’s rep MJ Werner.

Meeting:  The meeting was opened at 6:40 and was adjourned at 8:20 pm

Minutes:  Minutes of the 10 July meeting, taken by Bev Connolly in Hansen’s absence, were approved as written.

Treasury:  There were no expenditures in either account since the last mtg.

Future meetings:  Those present decided to keep the meeting on the second Tuesday of each month (except in the summer) but to change the start time.

Next meeting:  Tuesday, 09 Oct., 5:30pm EOC room, Municipal Center

Please note new time

 

OLD BUSINESS:
Historical Resources Survey:  Resident Deborah Long is to be the consulting database designer.  She is to be paid from our town budget in one lump sum, including costs for supplies in the month of December 2007.  It was suggested that Deb Long, Becky Mitchell, Lynne Monroe (Preservation Company) and Chuck Grassie (Town Planner) meet to plan the database, so it can be used for a town planning tool in synch with the needs of the Preservation Company (potential provider of a Townwide Area Survey) and the Town’s current practices, if possible.  The chair will invite all; she will also offer to pay a consulting fee to Ms Monroe from the Heritage Fund.  It was suggested by Bev Connolly that the National Historic Register be used as a resource for software programs, which are all free.
          Town Assessor, Andrea Lewy, produced and delivered a printout of the assessment cards of all properties in Stratham 50 years old and older for use in the survey process; Pat Thiesen will be asked by the chair if she would be interested in working on the assessment files. 
          The chair reported that the Historical Society, in view of the past director’s (Barbara Mann) departure, will honor the commitment to store historical survey file cabinets in their building, as previously arranged.
Master Plan:  The group discussed the latest draft of the HC’s portion of the Master Plan.  Before the next meeting the chair is to write the preservation section; Pete Wiggin and Bev Connolly are to consult and work on rewriting the historical overview section (6.3).  All are to read the historic section and email Bev with comments for changes/additions/deletions. 
Planning Board:  MJ Werner reported on the study of the
Great Bay estuary, a mock up of the new town center, and that the Voc Tech is not yet sold.
Gateway Commercial District Committee:  Becky Mitchell reported that this committee is looking at the area from the
Exeter line to the new Stratham police station and said that residents should expect some changes in zoning that will be beneficial to all.  She asked Bev Connolly and Pete Wiggin to read for review and attend a meeting of the committee’s draft report.

 

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

In Appreciation:  The Heritage Commission wishes to extend its appreciation to Barbara Mann for her many years of service in Stratham and acknowledges her dedication and helpfulness as she prepares to leave Stratham to be closer to her son and his children. 
          It was recommended that the Town Report be dedicated to Barbara this year.

 

A:2007MINUTES091107