Heritage Commission Minutes 5/23/18
Stratham Heritage Commission
Special Meeting Minutes
Land Use Conference Room
May 23, 2018
Present: David Canada, Nathan Merrill, Rebecca Mitchell, Wallace Stuart, Mike Houghton, Tammy Hathaway, Florence Wiggin, Forrest Barker
Convened: At 7:05 PM by Chair Canada
Secretary’s Report: The May 9, 2018 minutes were approved as presented (Mr. Merrill, Ms. Mitchell, unanimous). The May 17, 2018 minutes were approved as presented (Mr. Merrill, Ms. Mitchell, unanimous)
Old Town Hall: Mr. Canada reviewed a meeting held on May 17 with staff from the NH Preservation Alliance, Mark Perlowski and Kyle Perlowski of Persimmon Homes, Mr. Merrill, Ms. Mitchell and himself on the rehabilitation of the Old Town Hall with a proposed preservation easement on the building. He shared with the committee a letter he received from Mr. Perlowski in response to their meeting on May, 17, 2018.
At 7:10 pm Mr. Merrill motioned to go into a non-public session to discuss negotiations regarding the purchase of the easement (Mr. Merrill, Ms. Mitchell, unanimous). Returned to public session at 8:50 with a motion to seal the minutes (Mr. Merrill, Ms. Wiggin, unanimous).
Bartlett-Cushman House: Mr. Houghton reported that Joyce Fontaine appears to be in a holding pattern as far as purchasing the property while the Selectmen await completion of a land survey for the potential subdivision of the lot. Ms. Mitchell noted that Colleen Lake had notified her that someone else was interested in the house but no offer has been made. Ms. Mitchell is preparing for the June, 2, 2018 open house and the members discussed how they could help. Mr. Houghton will ask Colin Laverty for assistance in taping off the Bunker Hill entrance and the open barn doors. Ms. Mitchell will give the tours and have areas for people to wait with educational information to read. Mr. Merrill inquired of Mr. Houghton if the Selectmen had reached a conclusion regarding whether to accept the Smyk property bequest. He noted that if the Town is going to assume the long-term stewardship of the Smyk house and land, why are we in such a rush to dispose of the B-C house – that it would make more sense to retain the properties at both corners of Bunker Hill Avenue.
The meeting adjourned at 9:06 pm.
Next meeting June 13, 2018 at 7:00 PM, Land Use Conference Room
Respectfully submitted,
Tammy Hathaway