02/20/2025 Historic Preservation Commission

City of Cape May Historic Preservation Commission – Special Meeting Alignment Workshop Minutes February 20, 2025 Opening: The meeting of the City of Cape May Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) was called to order by Chairperson John Boecker at 10:00 a.m. In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of this meeting was provided. Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Mr. Carroll, Vice Chair Present Mr. Boecker Present Mr. Stevenson Present Mr. Testa Present Ms. Pessagno Present Ms. Wilson-Stridick Present Mr. Hammeran Present Mr. Johnson (Alternate 1) Present – arrived at 11:15 Mr. Kurtz (New Alternate II) Present Also Present: HPC Secretary Judith Decker, Council Member Lorraine Baldwin Welcome and Opening Remarks Mr. Boecker presented the Workshop Purpose as: To develop deeper understanding of Cape May and align around the core purpose of HPC’s role in re-imagining, regenerating, and evolving our historic preservation efforts, In a way that encourages and inspires all commission members to actively participate as valued co-creators in developing an inclusive, transparent, and harmonized voice that seeks to benefit all community stakeholders through a congenial collaborative chorus of love for this special place, So that HPC builds its capacity to serve as a community partner for guiding, celebrating, and inspiring the preservation of Cape May’s unique cultural and historic resources in service of continually growing the vitality and quality of life here in the Nation's Oldest Seashore Resort for generations to come. Workshop Products Mr. Boecker presented the Targeted Outcomes as: • Regenerate our collective understanding of HPC’s role in Cape May. • Develop and align around a clear, contemporary, and relevant purpose statement. • Build HPC’s capacity to serve the continual development of our community’s natural, human, socio- economic, and cultural systems through maintaining high preservation standards. Break-Out Session #1: Image for HPC’s Approach Two break-out groups explored the system transformation we seek by evolving HPC and our approach to serving stakeholders, followed by discussions aimed at imaging this system working really well if HPC HPC Minutes February 20, 2025 1  evolves effectively. During the subsequent large group discussion with all attendees, the participants aligned around the following image for HPC: HPC is a great place to start envisioning and co-creating stakeholder team satisfaction. After the meeting, the following revised image was created to identify and clarify our approach to working on the system transformation we seek: HPC is a key partner to catalyze community stewardship of Cape May’s quality of life. Break-Out Session #2: Guiding Principles for HPC Two break-out groups identified the following proposed Principles as guides for actions and decision-making for evolving HPC in seeking to manifest the above image. • Advocating through education and caring advice transforms adversarial relationships into collaborative partnerships. • Listening well produces more effective actions. • Inviting authentic caring helps us understand how we are all in this together. • True partnership emerges from mutual respect and shared responsibility. • Knowledge deepens our understanding of Cape May’s history and protecting our future. It was agreed that the above proposed Principles should be consolidated and clarified. After the meeting, the following four consolidated Principles were created, aimed at defining a core set of Principles for guiding HPC’s actions, behavior, and decision-making: • Listen: Listening well produces higher quality outcomes. • Educate: Educating, combined with caring advice and mutual respect, transforms adversarial relationships into collaborative partnerships. • Advocate: Advocating historic preservation deepens the community’s understanding of how we all contribute to Cape May’s future. • Develop: Developing community commitment to steward historic resources ensures Cape May’s vitality. Break-Out Session #3: Core Purpose of HPC Two break-out groups discussed the core purpose of HPC, and generated the following proposed Purpose statements. During the subsequent large group discussion, the italicized words/phrases were identified as particularly resonant: Break-Out Group A: To deepen our understanding of, celebrate, and guide protection of Cape May’s rich architectural heritage, HPC Minutes February 20, 2025 2  In a way that welcomes, encourages, and inspires all community members to actively participate as valued partners in developing an inclusive, transparent process for the benefit of all community stakeholders, So that present and future generations may benefit and learn from our rich cultural history of this National Historic Landmark District. Break-Out Group B: To foster and protect the historic values of Cape May’s architectural heritage by listening well and educating to encourage and produce true partnership, while promoting and enhancing the historical significance of Cape May, In a way that involves stakeholders and members in a collaborative process that aligns all stakeholders and maintains Cape May’s Historic Landmark status, So that the interests of the community and all involved are fairly served and inspired by the preservation of Cape May’s unique historic resources and the beauty and significance of this community for generations to come. Along with the following additional excerpt: To develop deeper understanding of the values of cape may, allowing the City to evolve, engage, and encourage the HPC’s role in historic preservation efforts, and allowing the transparency of the Commission to ensure the quality of life for all residents and guests. It was agreed that the above statements should be integrated into a single consolidated Purpose statement. After the meeting, the following Purpose statement was created (after many revisions and iterations), aimed at capturing the intent and essence of the above work into an essentialized Purpose statement for HPC’s work: To serve as a catalyst for guiding and valuing Cape May’s historical, cultural, and natural resources, In ways that inspire and unite our community to steward these resources for the benefit of all, So that present and future generations continue to express the unique quality of life in this place we love. OPEN TO PUBLIC Public comment was opened and closed at 1:52 p.m. with no public present to comment. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Mr. Boecker at 2:00 p.m. with all in favor. Respectfully Submitted, John Boecker, HPC Chair Judith E. Decker, HPC Secretary HPC Minutes February 20, 2025 3