Historic Preservation Committee

Meeting Minutes -- Jan 16, 2008

A meeting of the Mountain Lakes Historic Preservation Committee was held on Jan 16, 2008 at the Mountain Lakes Borough Hall.  In attendance were co-chairs Andy Bulfer & Peggy Bulfer, John Grossmann, Maria Iacullo-Bird, Bonnie Rosenthall, Chris Sheasby, Pat Rusak, and Borough Council Liaison Steve Shaw.

Opening Items

• Treasurer's Report -- Treasurer Chris Sheasby reported the following financial information for the period Dec 6, 2007 through Jan 16, 2008.
  
  

  Opening balance (12/06/2007)	$2801.82
  Revenue	$1377.00
  Expenses	$94.05
  Closing balance (1/06/2008)	$3284.77

  Sheasby noted that the revenue was from sales of historic photographs and a donation for the signs.  Expenses were for Hapgood plaques, historic photos, and special ultraviolet film for the archive room.

Public Comments

None.

Old Business

• Historic Signs -- The committee decided to go ahead with ordering the signs.  Chris Sheasby will place the order including a post and small rosettes to cover the mounting screws.  The signs will be picked up at the supplier's location on Rt. 46 so there will be no shipping charges.
• HPC Open House -- Bonnie Rosenthall reported on planning for this event.  The open house will be held on Fri/Sat Feb 29-Mar 1, 2008.  The Committee agreed with Rosenthall's recommendation to change the venue from the Masonic Temple to the Community Church.  The event was advertised in the January Home and School Bulletin and will be in the Feb Bulletin as well.  It will feature the Craftsman Farms gift shop as well as several vendors of Arts and Crafts products such as home furnishings, lights, radiator covers, furniture.  HPC merchandise will be offered including house plaques, historic photos, sets of four desert plates with Mountain Lakes scenes, mugs, and tee/sweat shirts with embroidered scenes.
• HPC Brochure -- Peggy Bulfer showed the final draft and it was approved by the Committee.
• Oral Histories -- John Grossmann reported that the Faith Robertson oral history is on-hold until possibly Spring but the Peter Haas interview tape has been found.  The interview needs work however and is not ready to be published.
• Audio Walking Tour -- John Grossmann said his committee continues to make good progress.  They have completed drafts of five of the 12 stops on the route: Community Church, Train Station, Boulevard Trolley, St. Peters Church, Mountain Lakes Club.  A module on Briarcliff School is about one-half done.  Midvale Dock is underway.  Despite a tour of the building, Grossmann reported he needs more information about Lake Drive School.  Grossmann assured the Committee the work will be done by the Town Club walking tour scheduled for April 9.
• Updating the Borough Master Plan -- Andy Bulfer reported that the Master Plan Review committee had their first meeting on Jan 3 and has begun to make progress.
• Mountain Lakes Centennial Celebration -- Andy and Peggy Bulfer reviewed the status of the history book.  Seven responses to the RFP were received.  There was discussion of publishing possibilities and costs.  Then the Committee went into executive session to review the RFP responses.
• Morris County Acroterion Survey -- This Morris County initiative to identify the historical sites in each Morris County town has been in the doldrums for months.  But County representatives now say it will begin in April.

No Progress

• Updating the HPC Pages on the Web Site
• Picture Scanning.
• Next Steps on Public Awareness of the Historic District

New Business

Date for Next Meeting

The next meeting will be on Weds February 6, 2008 at 7:30 PM in Borough Hall.

Andy Bulfer