Mayor Alex B. Morse
City of Holyoke Historical Commission
HOLYOKE HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
January 9, 2017
20 Korean Veterans Plaza – 4th Floor Conference Room – 6:30 p.m.
Present: Commissioners: Joe Paul, Richard Ahlstrom, Paola Ferrario, Alexandra Puffer, James Sheehan, Christopher Gauthier
Associates: Jean Jonker, Daniel Fitzgerald
Staff: Debbie Oppermann
Public: Jim Rossmeisl
1) Call to order 6:30
2) Review of 12-12-16 minutes
1. Paola Ferrario motioned to approve the minutes
2. James Sheehan seconded
3. All in favor
3) Preservation Plan Update
1. Shannon Walsh has now replaced Elizabeth Rairigh
2. The plan will go to City Council after it is reviewed by Marcos Marrero when he returns to the office at the end of January 2017
4) Preservation Projects Fund – Stained Glass/Friends of City Hall update
1. Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund application deadline is March 24, 2017. “The Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF) is a state-funded 50% reimbursable matching grant program established in 1984 to support the preservation of properties, landscapes, and sites (cultural resources) listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Applicants must be a municipality or nonprofit organization.”
2. Commission will continue to look for opportunities to find a match for a completed project such as a complete window.
5) 73 Taylor Street update
1. To date, there are no parties interested in purchasing the property.
2. The commission has until April to find a buyer
6) Canal Tour review
1. There were 22 in attendance
2. The tour was three hours long
3. Weather was bad and there was rain and snow, hoping to have another in the spring
4. In the spring there will be a stop for bathrooms and snacks
7) City Hall Tour w/ Holyoke History Class
1. History of Holyoke class of junior and senior students from Holyoke High School
2. Quentin Donohue was the faculty member leading the course. Receiver/Superintendent Dr. Steve Zrike also attended
8) Nolumbeka Project – Tribes & Historical Commissions
1. Olivia Mausel, Jane Jonker, and Bob Comeau are researching Native Americans in Holyoke with the Nolumbeka Project and at the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics at Amherst College and Springfield Museum. Nolumbeka Project mission statement: “To promote a deeper, broader and more accurate depiction of the history of the Native Americans/American Indians of New England before and during European contact and colonization; to protect and preserve sites sacred to, and of historic value to, the Native Americans/American Indians of New England; to create and promote related educational opportunities, preservation projects and cultural events; and to work in partnership, as much as possible, with the tribes.”
2. Jean Jonker hopes this project leads to learning more about the Native Americans that lived where Holyoke is now.
9) New Business
1. Graduate Interns
a. Elmwood Cemetery, Rock Valley Cemetery, and Smith’s Ferry Cemetery inventory forms were completed by grad interns
b. Olivia Mausel will call Massachusetts Historic Commission to submit the forms
2. Springfield Preservation Trust wishes to connect with Holyoke Historical Commission to collaborate and share information on tours
3. Olde Holyoke Development is now OneHolyoke CDC
a. January 18 meeting
4. Other projects of the commission:
a. Display cases
i. Wistariahurst has display cases that the Historical Commission may use
b. City Councilor portraits
i. Need to be cleaned professionally and hung in the hallways
c. Medal of Honor project/CDBG grant
i. Historical Commission has supported the grant
d. Open meeting/public hearing regional meeting
i. In May, tbd
e. MACRIS update - surplus files
f. Tours
g. Cemetery cleaning project
i. Ta Mara Conde hosts trainings and workshops for gravestone preservation techniques
ii. Planning for the spring
10) Community Preservation Act
a. Councilor Leahy’s and Councilor Roman’s order was circulated for the composition of the committee
11) Archives committee
a. Olivia and Jean serve on the archives committee with Brenda McGee working to preserve city documents
12) Debbie Oppermann has requested reviewing the bylaws at the next meetings of the commission
13) Next Meeting – February 13, 2016
14) Meeting adjourned at 7:53pm
The agenda items listed above are those business matters anticipated by the Commission Chairperson to 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.
Questions? Contact Debbie Oppermann, Office of Planning & Development at 322-5655
CITY HALL ANNEX – 20 KOREAN VETERANS PLAZA – Suite 406 – HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS 01040-5000
PHONE: (413) 322-5655 ∙ E-MAIL: