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Leverett
Massachusetts
Town of Leverett
9 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
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Assessor: (413) 548-4945
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Historical Commission Meeting

Monday, July 13, 2020, 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4753797345
A meeting of the Historical Commission

Meeting of Historical Commission

Members: (Quorum)

  • Absent: Anne Schuyler
  • Present: Ann Tweedy, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Sara Robinson, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Susan Mareneck, Chair, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Edie Field, Honorary, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Susan Lynton, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Eva Gibavic, at 7:00 PM

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:06 PM

Meeting closed: 8:31 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Access to Historical Commission monthly meeting - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82213077033

    • SM contact - leveretthistoryinfo@gmail.com Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82213077033 Meeting ID: 822 1307 7033

      General Discussion...
      Discussed whether to resume in-person meetings or continue on zoom. Most members would like to continue on zoom for now.

  3. History-related Cultural Events

    • Leverett 250 - Planning for "semiquincentennial" (or, "quartermillenial", or "sestercenternnial") in Leverett.

      General Discussion...
      A group led by Pat Piero is forming to research a "social history" of Leverett for the 250th. Fireworks were added to the list of suggestions for the 250th celebration at town meeting. The Planning Team (Don & Sara Robinson, convenors, Eva Gibavic, Jim Allen, Ann Tweedy, Silas Ball, Maureen Ippolito, Isaiah Robison, Katie Seamon and Tom Hankinson) plan to meet mid-August to share research on what neighboring town's have done for their respective anniversaries and draft a calendar. There will be a town-wide meeting in September to present ideas for a 2024 calendar and hear about/from townspeople who are engaged in or want to propose special 250th special projects.

      A goal of restoring the School House and/or Field Family Museum (Field Library) for 250th has been suggested. Importance of highlighting folks that grew up in Leverett. Maybe original staged reading? skits? some kind of performance? Eva wonders about the origin of the image on the commemorative plate at the Post Office. It looks like a generic "mill", not one we are familiar with in town.

      1. 250th_ACTIVITIES_potential_7-6-20.docx

    • Schooling in Leverett - "One-Room School House" Oral History Project. "Go Local..." MBLC grant update.

      General Discussion...
      Ann Tweedy and Sara Robinson report that 5 transcripts have been delivered by the two UMASS grad students, Helen and Devon, who are being paid through the MBLC grant that the One Room School House Project received through the Library and the Historical Commission. They will be printed for interviewees to review, edit and approve for publication. Karin Gravina, who was technology director at LES in 2017 is willing to put together a short video from the interviews. SM gave her the DVD's to work from. She will be away most of the summer, but will let us know what she comes up with asap. Sara has written a to all interviewees asking them to approve their transcript and picture. Once transcripts are approved SM and AT will begin to lay out the contents of a book to be published by Leveller's Press in Amherst. Design assistance may be needed but the LHC hopes to do as much preliminary layout as possible to keep expense within the grant budget. Ann T. has also made a short promotional viseo about the project and will reach out to Mik Mueller, who designed the town's website to see if we can put a viseo on the LHC page.

  4. Strategic Planning for Historical Assets

    • Historical Assets - HAS - - Next steps -- Strategies for reporting findings, educating and engaging community. Planning for historical assets future adaptation for sustainability and reuse.

      General Discussion...
      The warrant article approving CPC grant applications was put off at town meeting until a potential special fall meeting. That could put a barrier to the next virtual "Walk & Talk" to the Maynard mill on Brushy Mtn. Eva has done the video, but whether Pleun will want to work as a consultant on the research before funding is approved is a question. We believe that the town meeting is going to be held in late October. Susan L. looked at other funding sources and most seem to be on hold during this economic downturn, not knowing what funding will be available. There will be a reprise of the June 19 "Zooming the Field Mill" on August 7. At will send press release to Gazette (Recorder, Bulletin), Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. Natalie Blais. SM will contact Montague Reporter and Leverettconnects.

      Should we apply for a SHRAB grant to inventory the Leverett Historical Society collections in the former library and school house museums? CPA funds?

    • MAHumanities Discussion Grant for community engagement - "A Sense of Where You Are: Conversations about Leverett's historic industrial landscape and community." Spring 2020 Walk & Talk on Friday August 7, 7pm. "Finding and Interpreting Mill Sites in the Landscape: Zooming the Field Mill". .

    • Slarrow Sawmill - Sale of historic property by current owners. Report on Open House for neighbors to meet & greet Amy Boyce.

      General Discussion...
      Amy is in the process of researching all aspects of owning a dam and running her business out the historic sawmill.

      1. FINAL_Letter_II_to_Sawmill_Neighbors_with_Character_References.pdf

    • Zoning Bylaws - PB Zoning Bylaw Revisions - approval at Town Meeting on 20 June 2020. 9am, outdoors at Leverett Elementary School..

      1. 2020Draft_changes.pdf

  5. Cemeteries

    • Cemetery Conservation

    • Individual Cemetery Issues - Leverett Cemetery Association; Town website corrections; 2017 Form E submissions - MHC approval of National Register applications for North and Hillsboro/Long Plain.

    • Veterans Recognition Project - Bill Rathbun - Signage design.

  6. MHC - Archaeology requirements

    • Requirements - Next Steps

  7. LHC - Schedules/ Meetings/ Duties

    • CPA Monitoring - Protocols for Historic Preservation Restrictions TBD - HPR for Moore's Corner School House to Select Board

    • LHC Membership - LHC Vacancy

    • Town website - Update history section on Town website -"Leverett History" on town website

  8. CPA - Reconnaissance

    • Reporting - Template for monitoring CPA funded properties

  9. New Business

    • LHC Budget

    • Opportunities

      General Discussion...
      Sara and Ann T. attended a zoom webinar on preserving stone walls in Massachusetts. Does the town highway department oversee stone walls in town currently? Do they know which ones have been impacted by recent building, storms, etc? Eva is mapping stone walls all over town by Lidar. An idea about involving LES to help with a "Map It Leverett" initiative came up.

    • Reports

  11. Meeting Wrap-up

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes prepared by SM

Minutes approved on Wednesday, Sep 9, 2020