A meeting of the Mountain Lakes Historic Preservation Committee was held on April 04, 2007 at the Mountain Lakes Borough Hall.  In attendance were co-chairs Andy Bulfer & Peggy Bulfer, Maria Iacullo-Bird, Joan Nix, Pat Rusak.  Absent were John Grossmann, Bonnie Rosenthall, Chris Sheasby, and Borough Council Liaison Ellen Emr.

Opening Items

• Minutes Approval -- The minutes from last time were approved.
  
  
• Treasurer's Report -- Treasurer Chris Sheasby was not in attendance but sent a report with the following financial information for the period Mar 07, 2007 through Apr 04, 2007.
  
  

  Opening balance (2/02/2007)	2582.93
  Revenue	$0.00
  Expenses	$297.81
  Closing balance (3/07/2007)	$2285.12

  
  The expenses were $236.00 to Erie Landmark for two plaques and $61.81 for archive supplies.
  
  

Public Comments

None.

Old Business

• Market Project -- Andy Bulfer reported that the HPC has not received a response from Christopher Palazzi, the developer, to the letter that was sent.  It was decided to send a letter to the Borough Council informing them of the fact.

  The Borough Council requested that the proposed HPC presentation about the historic significance of the market building, examples of other commercially successful renovations, and the financial incentives available be postponed indefinitely.
  
  

• Updating the Borough Master Plan -- The Committee reviewed a draft letter to the planning board urging that the Historic Preservation and Conservation chapters of the Master Plan be reviewed and strengthened now that the historic district has been accomplished.  The Committee suggested several minor changes to the letter.  Andy Bulfer will insert the changes, sign, and send the letter.  The HPC will be happy to assist the planning board if they wish.
  
  
• Public Awareness of the Historic District -- Chris Sheasby was not in attendance but sent the following report.  The signs are moving ahead.  Erie will do whatever we want.  She will send a letter to Town Club to ask for a grant.  A family in town has offered to pay for one sign.  Sheasby and Pat Rusak are going to see a sign company in Rockaway that might be cheaper.
  
  
• HPC Brochure -- Maria Iacullo-Bird drafted another version of the text and Peggy Bulfer put it into her layout of the brochure.  The Committee felt that the text should be a higher level of summarization.  Bulfer will send an electronic version to Iacullo-Bird who will edit it to tighten it up.
  
  
• Oral Histories -- With John Grossman absent, no report was available.
  
  
• Updating the HPC Pages on the Web Site -- Maria Iacullo-Bird has reviewed the history section and found it to be accurate.  The Committee asked her to review the HPC section including Background & Mission, Activities, Architectural Salvage Program, National and State Historic District, Oral Histories.  She agreed to do so.
  
  
• Audio Walking Tour -- Bonnie Rosenthall was not in attendance but sent a written report.  She, John Grossman, and Tom Dagger had a very productive meeting a couple of weeks ago.  They assigned ourselves different stops along the walking/audio tour to research further and plan to meet again in mid-May to share our progress.  Rosenthall herself was assigned the Station and sporting activities on the Lake.  The Committee had several suggestions which Andy Bulfer will discuss with her.
  
  
• Picture Scanning -- No Perceptible Progress.
  
  

New Business

• Highlands Plan -- Joan Nix reported that the Planning Board is studying whether Mountain Lakes should participate.  The Highlands Plan has a significant preservation emphasis.
  
  
• 15 Crestview -- The new owners of this house apparently plan to demolish it.  It is a lovely, stately Hapgood.  Pat Rusak said the owners are scheduled to appear before the Zoning Board to appeal an issue unrelated to the demolition.  With the ordinances we now have, the Zoning Board is powerless to prevent such demolitions.

Date for Next Meeting

The next meeting will be on Wed May 2, 2007 at 7:30 pm in Borough Hall.

Andy Bulfer