Historical Commission
Princeton Historical Commission
August 31, 2023
Attendees: Tom Kokernak - chair, Carl Soderberg, vice-chair, Matthew Lindberg, Larry Todd - clerk. Not attending: Gina Polewaczyk, Joyce Anderson
Tom opened the meeting at 7:02 pm.
The meeting minutes of 6/22/23 were approved as written.
Budget: Tom reported the $275.40 we approved was encumbered; the balance of our regular account was returned to the town. On July 1 we received our new allocation of $1500. The donation account has a balance of $4021.78. .
Civil War Folder: Carl needs to generate a new QR code and then he will create files to send to the printer.
Paupers’ Graves: Larry measured the “town plot” stone but did not get a quote for a possible bronze sign as there are too many unknowns to get a price. We should consider alternatives and Carl suggested a stand alone sign, perhaps out of bronze. Tom will look into it.
Disposition of gravestone fragments/broken civil war plaques: The binders Teddy Lindberg created have still not been found.
Tom noted that there are more stone fragments in Meetinghouse cemetery and also some in other cemeteries. Maintenance of gravestones and dealing with stone fragments will be an ongoing concern and he would like to ask the town to create a budget for this.
Tom and Larry will do some research and find out what other towns do for maintenance and preservation in their historic cemeteries.
New Business: Regarding the barn demolition on Lemonister road, Tom found that the town set up an new electronic system for permitting and our commission was left off the list; Tom worked with the town IT person to get us added. He also had an email address set up for us as well as storage on the system.
Matt said he took pictures of the barn as it was being dismantled.
There was some discussion of the open meeting law and the use of emails
Larry reported he is continuing to spray the poison ivy at the town pound but it is a long term project and probably will not be done before next spring.
Carl gave a brief update about the public safety building. Tom asked if there was any room in the lobby for a historic display related to the center school.
Brief discussion of the need to post an accurate meeting agenda to inform the public of what will be discussed; and not add items of importance during the meeting.
The next meeting of the Princeton Historical Commission will be on Thursday, September 21 at 7pm. The meeting will be remote.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:47 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Larry Todd, clerk