Historical Commission

Chicopee Historical Commission Voting Record and Minutes The Historical Commission of the City of Chicopee public hearing for Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 4:00 PM, in the Chambers Conference room, City Hall Annex and via Zoom. Meeting was called to order at 4:04 PM by Commission Chair Joshua Clark Historical Commission attendance: Member Present Absent Excused Joshua Clark, Chair X Ray Hoess-Brooks X Vice Chair Linda Menard-Mruk X Clerk Louise Osetek X Kathryn Gawron X Vacant Vacant Planning Staff attendance: Member Present Absent Excused Lee Pouliot, X Director James Dawson, X Development Manager Patrick Collins X Nick Kiser X Item 1: RiverMills Senior Center landscape. Discussion with Lee Pouliot, Sherry Manyak, Director of the COA, and David Rice, Facilities Director COA, regarding the landscape and the granite stones at the Senior Center. • Holly Angelo, Assistant Director of the Council on Aging (COA) and David Rice, City Facilities Director attended the meeting. The COA would like to remove the granite stones from the front lawn and relocate them elsewhere on the property to allow for new landscaping of the front lawn area of the RiverMills Senior Center. The COA is working with a landscaping design firm to relocate the stones while paying homage to the history of the Facemate mill complex. Mr. Rice would like the project completed for the Senior Center’s 10th anniversary. Motion was made by Raymond Hoess-Brooks and seconded by Commissioner Menard-Mruk to allow the granite stones to be temporarily moved to a safe location once a design contract has been signed. Vote was 4-0 to allow the granite stones to be temporarily moved to a safe location once a design contract has been signed. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Joshua Clark X Raymond Hoess-Brooks X Linda Menard-Mruk X Louise Osetek X Item 2: Letter to new owners of the Assumption Church – Joshua Clark to draft a letter for review and approval by the Commission. Notes: Commissioner Osetek suggested the letter include the history & historic value of the Rectory and former Governor Robinson House. Joshua Clark will compose the letter and send it to the new owners of the Assumption Church. Item 3: Minutes from April 9, 2024 Notes: Commissioner Osetek noted a typo. Staff noted the typo would be corrected prior to filing the minutes. Motion to approve the minutes with the noted correction was made by Linda Menard-Mruk and seconded by Louise Osetek. Vote was 4-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Joshua Clark X Raymond Hoess-Brooks X Linda Menard-Mruk X Louise Osetek X Item 4: Discussion/New Business • June 11, 2024 - Presentation by Valley Opportunity Council on the redevelopment of the former Belcher School into 20-25 apartments. VOC is requesting a new letter of support from the Commission. The last letter of support was issued in March of 2024. • Josua Clark informed the Commission that he requested the Mayor’s Office repost on Facebook, the openings on the Historical Commission. • Joshua Clark also announced he would resign from the Commission due to responsibilities that that make it difficult to continue serving. He reminded the Commission that nominations for the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk will be made at the June 11, 2024 meeting. Item 5: Adjournment – Next regularly scheduled meeting is June 11, 2024. Motion to adjourn was made by Louise Osetek and seconded by Linda Menard-Mruk. Vote was 4-0 to adjourn. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Joshua Clark X Raymond Hoess-Brooks X Linda Menard-Mruk X Louise Osetek X Meeting adjourned at 4:42 PM