A meeting of the Mountain Lakes Historic Preservation Committee was held on May 02, 2007 at the Mountain Lakes Borough Hall.  In attendance were co-chairs Andy Bulfer & Peggy Bulfer, Maria Iacullo-Bird, John Grossmann, Bonnie Rosenthall, Chris Sheasby.  Absent were Pat Rusak, and Borough Council Liaison Ellen Emr.

Opening Items

• Minutes Approval -- The minutes from last time were approved.
• Treasurer's Report -- Treasurer Chris Sheasby reported the following financial information for the period Apr 04 2007, 2007 through May 02, 2007.
  
  

  Opening balance (2/02/2007)	$2285.12
  Revenue	$140.00
  Expenses	$ 0.00
  Closing balance (3/07/2007)	$2425.12

  
  

Public Comments

None.

Old Business

• Market Project -- Andy Bulfer reported that he sent a message to the Borough Council informing them about the letter to the developer and the fact that the HPC had not received a response.
• Updating the Borough Master Plan -- Andy Bulfer reported that the letter to the planning board was prepared and would be sent immediately.
• Public Awareness of the Historic District -- Chris Sheasby said that she had sent 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 visited a local artistic services company who offered a much better price on the signs.  The price difference is dramatic and the Committee asked Sheasby to check other towns that had purchased the signs to get their views on the signs' quality and uncover any possible problems.
• HPC Brochure -- Maria Iacullo-Bird distributed another version of the brochure.  The Committee suggested a few minor changes.  Peggy Bulfer will send an electronic version to John Grossmann for review. 
• Oral Histories -- Several Oral Histories are in preparation.  Unfortunately the quality of a previous one has turned out to be poor and John Grossmann feels it will have to be redone.
• Updating the HPC Pages on the Web Site -- Maria Iacullo-Bird has reviewed the HPC section and plans to suggest some changes including additional links and updates to the membership pages.
• Audio Walking Tour -- A subcommittee, Bonnie Rosenthall, John Grossman, and non-Committee member Tom Dagger have made significant progress.  They have each assumed responsibility for four different stops along the tour.  Rosenthall will do the Station, Midvale dock/early lake activities, original sales office on Boulevard, and the Little Theater.  Grossman will do the ML Club, Lake Drive School, Boulevard Trolley, St.  Peters.  Dagger will do the Market, Community Church, Briarcliff School, and Luellen House.  Each is well along in their research.  The Committee had several suggestions for each.

No Progress

• Picture Scanning.

New Business

• Electrical High School Sign -- Several Committee members attended the meeting at the high school and gave their reactions.  Although no vote was taken, it was clear that the Committee members were uniformly strongly opposed.
• HPC Open House -- Bonnie Rosenthall has assumed responsibility and has begun making plans for an open house at the Library envisioned for sometime in October.  Laura Fitzgerald has volunteered to help.  It would include an Arts and Crafts art show as well as local vendors of Arts and Crafts products such as rugs, lights, tile, furniture.  The Craftsman Farms gift shop would be invited too.  Talks on the historic district would be presented, tours of the archive room would be given, and visitors would be given the opportunity to purchase house plaques and audio CDs of the walking tour (if it is finished). 

Date for Next Meeting

The next meeting will be on Wed June 06, 2007 at 7:30 pm in Borough Hall.

Andy Bulfer