PRELIMINARY until voted on at January 20, 2009, meeting

Minutes of the Stratham Heritage Commission
December 9, 2008
Hearing Room, Municipal Building

OPENING:

Members present: Becky Mitchell, chair, Nancy Hansen, treasurer; secretary pro tem/alternate member, Beverly Connolly; Selectmen’s Rep, Dave Canada; Planning Board Rep, M.J. Werner.

Meeting: Opened at 5:40 and adjourned at 7:30 pm.

Minutes: November 11, 2008, meeting minutes, recorded by Beverly Connolly, were accepted.

Guest speaker: Edna Feighner, review and compliance coordinator for the New Hampshire Department of Historical Resources (NHDHR), led an informative discussion on protecting state and local archaeological resources. She suggested that Stratham become a Certified Local Government in order to be eligible for survey funds, and that “moose plate” grants also may be available for surveying. The DHR reviews all permits for state’s projects (sites) over one acre in size and wetland areas. It also is a compliance agency, working with the Army Corps of Engineers and/or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). All permits should be signed off on by the DHR. She mentioned RSA-227C:9, which states that all state agencies cooperate in standing or archaeological sites: developments cannot change the fabric of a community. DHR and the National Preservation Institute consider 1,000 feet on either side waterways as “sensitive” for historical/archaeological concerns.

BUSINESS:

2009 Budget: Becky and Nancy discussed the proposed 2009 Heritage Commission budget. The total request is $3,750 divided into four categories: administrative expenses, $400; veterans, $600; survey project, $2,500; training and/or conferences, $250. A vote to accept the proposed budget was taken and passed. There was a brief discussion on monies for the upcoming postcard project. This will be done in the spring and expenses will be taken from the revolving fund.

Veteran's Registry: Bev has a located a computer program, which will interface with Access. She and Nancy will complete the listings of Stratham’s veterans over the winter.

Planning Board: Becky reported on attending a board meeting where a Webster Retirement Center presentation was given. This project may bring increased attention to the abutting properties fronting on Portsmouth Ave. It was the sense of the meeting that the historic properties and structure should remain intact and, as far as possible, retain what remains of their surrounding context.

Survey of Historical Resources: There was a brief discussion of the Dec. 2 training session with Lynne Monroe, attended by four members and a volunteer. It is clear that we will have to develop our own instructional handbook for volunteers, independent of the DHR manual.

January Meeting Date Change: Conflicts on the regularly scheduled January meeting date resulted in a need for a change. (Note date listed below.)

NEXT MEETING: Municipal Center on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 5:30 pm