Phone: 908-204-3001; Fax: 908-204-3015; Website: www.bernards.org
Resolution #2010-0112
Acceptance of the Friends of the Kennedy Martin-Stelle Farmstead
2009 Annual Report
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinance #1775 adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Bernards on March 29, 2005, authorizing a lease agreement with the Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead, Inc. for a 4.397 acre tract known as Block 185, Lot 20.03, King George Road, Basking Ridge; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to said lease, and N.J.S.A. 40A:12-14(c) the Friends of the Kennedy Martin-Steele Farmstead, Inc., must submit an annual report to the Township setting out in detail the progress of the buildings preservation, restoration, renovations or operations and the progress of all fund-raising activities and grant applications, the proposed use for the buildings upon commencement of operation, the occupancy and utilization of the buildings during the preceding year, the activities of the Tenant undertaken in furtherance of the public purpose for which the leasehold was granted, the approximate value of cost, if any, of such activities in furtherance of such purpose and an affirmation of the continued tax exempt status of the Tenant pursuant to both State and federal law.
WHEREAS, the 2009 annual report has been submitted as required.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Township Committee of the Township of Bernards that the 2009 Annual Report of the Friends of the Kennedy Martin-Steele Farmstead be accepted as submitted.
Agenda and Date Voted: 02/23/2010
CERTIFICATIONI hereby certify this is a true and exact copy of a resolution adopted by the Bernards Township Committee on 02/23/2010.
Denise Szabo, Municipal Clerk
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Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead
Annual Report For 2009
Planned Use for the Buildings Upon Commencement of Operation
The Friends envision use of the Farmstead as an educational resource and a center for arts, which may include flexible performance space for music, theater and dance, classes and workshops, studios for painters, potters and sculptors, and exhibit space for art shows. Other uses may include space for public and organizational meetings, parties, etc. We look forward to crossover activities that will involve people predominantly interested in artistic pursuits to activities in the Township’s contiguous 32 acre Farmstead Park, and that will attract users of the park to explore the artistic potential of the Farmstead’s historic atmosphere.
Art Center Partnering Plans
Two well established arts organizations -- want to begin using the Farm House as soon as possible, and the English Barn when it becomes available. The Eastern Conservatory of Music and Art wants to expand its operations from its current location in Lamington, N. J. The non-profit Conservatory engages highly qualified instructors from Julliard and Peabody to provide lessons for individual musicians and chamber music ensembles. It also presents concerts and performances by professional musicians for the education of students and the enjoyment of the general public. The Raritan Valley Arts Association (established in 1939) which currently serves about 100 members/artists in the Somerset County area, is eager to make the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead its permanent home. This association strives to encourage beginning fine artists as well as established and senior artists to continue their creative pursuits by providing exhibits and demonstrations by well known artists from all of the artistic pursuits. We are continuing to interact with other area arts organizations to expand the use of the Farmstead.
Cross pollination with users of Farmstead Park -- In 2008 the Township Committee accepted the Recreation, Parks & Pathways Committee’s concept plan for the KMS Farmstead and Farmstead Park for seamlessly integrating active recreation on the multipurpose field and related passive recreation on the river and wooded and undeveloped land of the park, with fine and performing arts activities on the historic KMS Farmstead. The plan envisions the KMS Farmstead as a focal point for fine and performing arts in a campus-like atmosphere that encourages a step back in time.
Building Preservation and Use Preparation in 2009
Farm House
Use of 2007 ($63,000) and 2008 ($124,768) County Grant funds
· Installed a French drain system and dehumidifier in the basement of the Farm House.
· Remediated mold throughout the entire Farm House, including dry ice blasting for ceilings of the basement, Kitchen and Dining Room. The Friends obtained State Historic Preservation Office approval to use dry ice blasting technology for the first time on an historic structure in NJ.
· Precision Building & Construction under the administrative supervision of Michael Calafati is performing plaster repair and painting of the entire interior, replacing of the corner post in the Kitchen, and reconditioning storm windows and screens. This work will be completed by March, 2010.
Volunteer and Community Service Projects
- A crew of Friends volunteers demolished the north extension of the Farm House 1960’s porch
- Community Service removed the hay loader from the English Barn
Use of 2009 ($121.837) County Grant funds
· Michael Calafati is now preparing specifications for bids for the project which will finish work on the Farm House by September, 2010. Work will include:
Removing the foundation of the north extension of the porch
Installing an ADA access ramp to the door of the porch
Repairing the foundation of the Dining Room fire place
Repairing / reinforcing and refinishing of all the floors
Reinforcing stairs from the first to the second floor
Refurbishing and equipping the first and second floor bath rooms
Installing a new galley kitchen
Installing exterior lighting from the parking lot to the Farm House.
The Eastern Conservatory of Music and Arts, and the Raritan Valley Art Association want to begin using the Farm House as soon as it is ready for occupancy.
English Barn -- The English Barn can now be preserved indefinitely with normal maintenance. We plan to apply for a Somerset County grant in April of 2010 to install a floor, weather tight doors in the opening of the sliding door in the north wall, and an ADA access ramp.
Wagon House – The Friends envision use of the Wagon House for active crafts such as small scale sculpting, pottery making and wood carving. At present so little original sound fabric remains for re-use that preservation using in-kind materials and construction techniques would be prohibitively costly. We want to use modern materials and techniques to replicate the Wagon House’s external appearance as it existed during the Farmstead’s period of historic significance. If this approach is approved by Somerset County and the state preservation office, we will seek corporate and foundation donations to fund this modern reconstruction. Historically significant pieces of the original fabric would salvaged and re-employed in the reconstructed structure to demonstrate original construction materials and techniques. The Friends will monitor the structure’s condition regularly to assure that temporary shoring and protection remain sound and in place as a means of minimizing further deterioration.
Cow Shed -- The Friends plan to use the Cow Shed for housing and display of interpretive agricultural artifacts – a particularly appropriate use because this property has been continuously farmed from 1750 until 1999. We plan to seek future grant funding to hire a professional to develop a preservation plan for the Cow Shed, and subsequently to preserve the Cow Shed through replacement of deteriorated fabric in-kind using original construction techniques. In the mean time we will continue to monitor the structure’s condition regularly to assure that temporary shoring and protection remain sound and in place to minimize deterioration.
Driveway rebuilding needed – When the Township installed the sewer line to a pumping station near the Farm House as part of Phase I for providing a comfort station for Farmstead Park, the south edge of much of the driveway’s length was dug up and then back-filled and heavy equipment broke up much of the asphalt covering. As a result the road surface is very rough and badly cracked with a high crown now causes low cars to bottom out in some places.
Activities Furthering the Public Purpose for Which the Leasehold Was Granted
Charter Day, the Lord Stirling Festival, Somerset County History Weekend, maintaining farmsteadartcenter.com as a web site for the Friend.
Charter Day – On May 16 the Friends provided an exhibit in the lower level of the Brick Academy featuring a scale model diorama of the entire Farmstead tract and four principal buildings, and antique hand tools that would have been commonly used on 18th and 19 century farms. Our exhibit shared this room with Linda Arnold’s Seniors’ Painting Class for their annual exhibit of their work.
Lord Stirling Festival -- The Friends participated in the Lord Stirling Festival on October 5 with displays of photographs of the Farmstead’s past, recent preservation work, and the antique hand tools mentioned above.
Somerset County History Weekend – On October 10 and 11 ninety three guests visited the Farmstead. 36 volunteers including several Girl Scouts and their adult advisors served as docents, greeters and parkers. In the English Barn children colored line drawings of Farmstead land marks and make corn leaf dolls in Colonial fashion. Docents explained the history and architectural development of the Farm House and discussed the mission of the Friends to make the property a center for the arts. Jaye Barre arranged for five actors in period garb to circulate around the property. Public interest was high and comments were very favorable. We received $100 in donations.
Human Resources
Trustees:
John Campbell – President
Peter Carhart -- Vice President
Pete Hall – Trustee
Carolyn Kelly -- Trustee
Michael Kelly -- Treasurer
Kathleen Kleiber -- Trustee
Ann Rosenblum -- Vice President
2009 Township Committee Liaison: John Malay
Pro bono legal support: Nicholas San Filippo -- Attorney, Lowenstein Sandler
2008 Volunteer Projects
Brooks Betz and Peter Carhart – maintained the Friends web site
June Campbell -- recruited 36 volunteers served as docents, greeters and parkers for the Somerset County History Weekend.
John Catapano – cleaned the Farm House roof gutters three times.
Four Volunteer Work Days – A total of 26 volunteers ranging in age from 8 to 83 worked on Farmstead projects on January 17, June 20, July 10, and December 12. In the Farm House they installed insulation, and cleaned, and demolished the north extension of the 1960’s porch, and they did heavy clean up work around the English Barn.
In Addition: Dan Callahan’s staff -- removed weeds around Wagon House & Cow Shed, and removed a fallen tree section from just south of the Farm House.
Larry Millus Community Service force – removed a large, ungainly hay loader from the English Barn
Fund Raising
Unsuccessful NJ Historic Trust Grant Request – In June 2008 the Friends submitted a request for funds to complete work on the historic portions of the Farm House to make it ready for occupancy. In February 2009 the NJHT announced that we had not been awarded these funds. Therefore, in April of 2009 we applied to Somerset County for funds to perform this work.
2009 Somerset County Historic Preservation Grant (to complete work on the Farm House) -- $121,837
Historical Society of the Somerset Hills, Lorraine Passmore Historic Preservation Trust Fund grant -- $2,000
Members Dues and Donations -- $1,475
Somerset County Grant for 2008 History Weekend -- $525
Treasurer’s Report
Year end balances in four Friends checking accounts, and Somerset County held funds
Friends General Checking Account………………………………...……….$15,372.18
Somerset County 2007 $63,000 Grant -- Friends Checking Account……….….$ 78.00
($119.63 are still being held by the County)
Somerset County 2008 $124,768 Grant -- Friends Checking Account…….$ 31,710.74
($62,384.00 are still being held by the County)
Somerset County 2009 $121,837 Grant -- Friends Checking Account….….$57,763.33 ($60,918.50 are still being held by the County)
Tax Exempt Status
The Friends of the KMS Farmstead have maintained tax exempt status under both state and federal law as noted below:
9/30/05 determination that the FOF is exempt from Federal income tax under section
501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to FOF are deductible. FOF is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers and gifts.
NJ Division of Consumer Affairs officially notified the FOF that its status as a New Charities Registration would become effective on 12/21/05. The FOF was assigned New Charities Registration Number CH2751900.
The NJ Department of the Treasury Division of Revenue notified the FOF that it is exempt from New Jersey sales and use tax on purchases of goods, meals, services, room occupancies and admissions that are directly related to the purposes of the organization, except purchases of energy and utility services, and from collecting sales tax on occasional fundraising sales.
Respectfully submitted,
John B. Campbell – Board of Trustees President
Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead
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