Landmark Commission

DeKalb Landmark Commission Minutes Ellwood House Museum Visitor Center April 23, 2015 Meeting was called to Order at 7:06PM by chair Sally DeFauw. Commission members present: Sally DeFauw, Pam Collins, Donna Gable. Staff present: Jamie Smirz. Absent: Don Whitmore. Agenda: Gable moved/Collins seconded to approve agenda as presented. Minutes: No minutes as the last several meetings have been informal workshops. New Business Membership: DeFauw reminded Commissioners that they must work seriously toward increasing membership. It would be good to add at least three more members. DeFauw suggested that each commissioner should recruit a candidate. Potential members must live within the City limits and should be interested in historic preservation. All candidates would have to be approved by the City Council. Strategic Plan: Besides increasing Commission membership, DeFauw suggested the Commissioners work on a strategic plan with both short term and long term goals. Short term goals mentioned included drafting a mission statement, which could be fashioned by using elements of the City ordinances relating to the Landmark Commission; creating displays and/or articles relating to historic architecture and preservation to educate DeKalb citizens; and for Commission members to attend conferences and workshops relating to historic preservation to fulfill the continuing education required by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA). Gable went online to research any upcoming continuing education opportunities and discovered that the Landmarks Illinois website mentioned two possibilities. The first is a meeting of the Chicago Suburban Preservation Alliance (CSPA) sponsored by the Wheaton Historic Commission, Landmarks Illinois and the DuPage County Historical Museum which will look at rehabilitation and preservation projects in Wheaton IL on Saturday May 9th, and the second is the Conference on Illinois Main Street and Historic Preservation, a statewide summit that includes tours, seminars and workshops organized by IHPA, Landmarks Illinois, the Illinois Association of Historic Preservation Commissions and Illinois Main Street in the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in Carbondale IL on June 23-25. The meeting in Wheaton is free, the conference in Carbondale has a $145.00 registration fee plus travel and hotel expenses. Smirz mentioned that there is a possibility of getting a “scholarship” for registration fees and mileage reimbursement from IHPA. Commissioners would have to cover the hotel costs themselves since there is nothing in the City budget for expenses like this. Long Term goals for the commission include surveys of the Huntley Park Historic District, Brickville area, and identifying other areas of the City where surveys of structures should be done. Old Business Walking Tour Booklet: DeFauw has been in contact with Georgia Brown, a professor at NIU who has students who would be able to create a website for the walking tours. Most of the content is ready but more work needs to be done. After some discussion, it was decided that Fall would be the goal for the website to be completed. Reports Collins and Gable reported that NIU Cares Day students assisted the Gurler Heritage Association and the Ellwood House Museum with grounds clean up and landscaping on April 18, 2015. The students did a great job and their work was deeply appreciated. Smirz mentioned that she has volunteers offering to help throughout the year, so contact her if assistance is needed at other times. DeFauw reported that she represented the Landmark Commission at the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership’s meeting “A Day to Talk about History in DeKalb County” on March 18, 2015 at the DeKalb County Community Foundation’s office. There were about 40-50 participants who listened to several presentations. Part of the afternoon was spent thinking about a mission statement if organizations didn’t already have one or if theirs needed updating. Gable reported that the Ellwood House Museum is installing a new orientation exhibit that will open on May 13, 2015. She invited everyone to take a look at the work in progress after the meeting adjourns. Announcements For the next several months, the fourth Thursday dates when LC meetings are normally held are May 28, June 25, July 23 and August 27. Commissioners should check their schedules and should let everyone know if any of those dates are a problem. Meeting was adjourned at 8:22 PM. Respectfully submitted, Donna Gable Secretary pro tem