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03-19-2009 HPC MINMEETING OF THE ELK RIVER • HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL Thursday, March 19, 2009 Members present: Chair Lance Lindberg, Councilmember Matt Westgaard, Stephen Rohlf, Debra Mortensen, Kurt Kragness, Matt Christiaansen Members absent: Kristin Harris Staff Present: Environmental Administrator, Rebecca Haug Environmental Technician, Nicki Blake-Bradley 1) Meeting called to Order: Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission was called to order at 6:07 p.m. by Chair Lance Lindberg. 2) Consider March 19, 2009 HPC Agenda MOTION BY COMMISSIONER KRAGNESS AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CHRISTIAANSEN TO ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED WITH NO CHANGES. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. i 3) Consider January 15, 2009 HPC Minutes No changes to the minutes were requested. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER KRAGNESS AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROHLF TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES WITHOUT CHANGES. ALL 1N FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. 4) Oath of Office -Stephen Rohlf Environmental Administrator Haug administered the oath of office to Commissioner Rohlf for the Heritage Preservation Commission and the Energy City Commission. 5) Elect Chair and Vice Chair Commissioner Rohlf nominated Chair Lindberg for another term. Commissioner Christiaansen seconded the nomination. Chair Lindberg accepted the nomination. All in favor. Commissioner Kragness nominated Commissioner Mortensen for Vice Chair. Commissioner Rohlf seconded the nomination. Commissioner Mortensen accepted the nomination. All in favor. 6) Historic Neighborhood Update Environmental Administrator Haug left a message with the Earnharts but hasn't heard back from them yet. She will call again before the next meeting. i • Commissioner Mortensen requested names and numbers of elderly people with historic knowledge so that she can interview them (if possible}. 7) Book Proposals Update Commissioner Mortensen brought a rough draft of the book for review by the commission. She chose to leave out the pre-history and is beginning with the oxcart trail forward. She felt it will make more sense this way. However, she will mention the pre- history information in the forward. So far, she has 24 pages of research. Currently, Commissioner Mortensen is compiling information on the Nickerson, Houlton, and Babcock papers. She stated that the Civil War piece will be bigger than originally expected. The second, fourth, and eighth regiments were all part of the history of Elk River whether men were enlisting from the area or coming to settle here following the war. Commissioner Kragness felt it is important to acknowledge the Native American history and suggested a paragraph from the History Center. Commissioner Rohlf agreed. Commissioner Mortensen is hoping to send in the completed product at the end of April. She has already sent in the initial information (last week). She expressed some surprise that she needed so many photos and has extended the timeline to 1920. • There will be 9 -10 chapters. Commissioner Mortensen stated that every time she thinks she is done, she finds more information. So far she has done all the research by herself. She was thanked for all her hard work by the Commission. 8) Historic Water Tower Discussion Environmental Administrator Haug handed out a Water Tower Plan and discussed the timeline and fund raising ideas. The Star News is interested in writing an article on the water tower. If grants are solicited, there must be a match (so fund-raising would be necessary). Commissioner Mortensen questioned whether funds from the sale of the books could be used. She added that books could be sold at functions like the concert series. One issue with this idea is that the City cannot make money on the books. Commissioner Kragness could potentially be the fiscal agent. A suggestion was made to have a fund at the Bank for Saving the Tower. The Library could possibly make a display. A question was raised as to whether we should wait until we know whether the tower is structurally sound before having an article written or a fund set up. It will cost approximately $128,000 to paint the tower (due to the lead based paint which must be mitigated first). The maximum "life expectancy" of the new paint would be 20 years, minimum of 15 years before it would have to be done again. A question would have to be asked of "what's the next cost?" associated with saving the tower. • A suggestion was made to keep the fund open because some people might want to bequeath funds from their will or estates. Discussion of possible fund sources brought the estimate of needed funds to be raised down to approximately $29,000. A question was raised of whether lead abatement was factored into the evaluation for tearing the tower down or for repainting. A firm number must be found through official estimates with signatures. Guesses aren't helpful. A comment was made that the estimated cost of $35,000 to tear down the tower cannot be correct if they have to take it down, truck it, and mitigate the lead based paint as well. Councilmember Westgaard suggested making sure the tower is savable before moving ahead. Commissioner Kragness stated there should be a plan (with the case for saving the tower being made). The National Trust for Preservation has grants available for fund-raising. The City of Cloquet might be a contact regarding this. Discussion of the well followed. The well is a deep aquifer well which has not been officially abandoned. Questions of ownership followed. Commissioner Kragness discussed high points of research on water towers. If it's non- functioning, it may qualify as a sculpture. There maybe less stringent requirements if it's not functional as well. The City of Elk .River's water tower is a symbol of first water in . the City's Engineering History and may qualify for a national register nomination as such. Due to the amount of research that Commissioner Kragness has done already, it may qualify as well. If the water tower is on the national register, there would be much more funding opportunity (and sympathy for the cause). A key necessity is a comprehensive plan or package. There is a lot of overlap for bridges and water towers. Commissioner Kragness will get grant/register contact information to Environmental Administrator Haug. The next Utilities Commission meeting is set for April 14~'. Environmental Administrator Haug will ask Vance Zehringer for two quotes. Discussion of opposition to saving the tower followed with a question being raised concerning the City's goal for the HPC. A comment was made that the focal point for the Downtown Redevelopment Task Force was/is the water tower. The water tower could be a focal point for parks, trails, etc. The reason the Task Force was put on hold was for waiting to find out what Hwy 10 should look like in the future. The contractor (SRF) has determined that the Hwy should be suppressed (excavated and lowered) through the downtown area. The FAST study will be done at the end of April and the Task Force will be re-convened following this. Councilmember Westgaard commented that the land where the water tower is located is "very valuable land". A comment was made that decisions are not • always made regarding what's most valuable but what the best use is. Community input will be very important. Discussion of whether the pump house is vintage or not followed, • as well as whether it would be considered a "contributing building". It is possible to get certified as National Registry Eligible and then start collecting funds. The Commissioners thanked Commissioner Kragness for all his research and thoughts on the. Water Tower. 9 Other Environmental Administrator Haug suggested cancelling the April meeting. 10) Schedule Next HPC Meeting and Identify Agenda Items The next meeting will be held on May 21, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. in the Uppertown Conference Room. Items will include the Historic Neighborhood, Book updates, Planning Commission items and Historic Water Tower discussion. 11) Adjournment The meeting was adjourned by Chair Lindberg at 7:12 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Nicki Blake-Bradley Environmental Technician -, Tina Allard , City Clerk ,_'_ f -- < ~ _., Lace Lindberg f __~/~-` Heritage Preservation Commission Chair