Everett Historical Commission

DRAFT Everett Historical Commission Minutes October 28, 2014 Members Present Members Absent Visitors City Staff Paul-Erick Johnson Jim Staniford Dave Ramstad Dave Koenig Bill Vincent Neil Anderson Jack O’Donnell Jan Meston Allan White Laura Cameron-Behee Annette Floyd Ross Johnson Bobby Olsen Bill Weber Carol Thomas Arnold Morrison Thomas Weber Dale Good Joni Smith Steve Fox Paul Roberts, City Council Mark Soine Rich Anderson, City Council Mary Belshaw Valerie Steel Paul-Erick Johnson: Welcome to tonight’s meeting of the Everett Historical Commission. Because we have a number of people from the public here tonight, we are going to change the order of the agenda. The first item will be the public hearing on the proposal to name the bluff in Legion Park “Hibulb Overlook.” Public Hearing on Proposal to Name “Hibulb Overlook” Jan Meston: I have a few introductory comments. In their meeting packets, the Historical Commission has received the proposal submitted and the comments from Margaret Riddle and the Tulalip Tribes. Following the public hearing, the Commission will have the option of recommending approval or denial of the proposal, recommending a different name, or choosing not to make a recommendation at this time. The Commission decision will be a recommendation to City Council, which makes the final decision on the proposal. I’d like to read the Tulalips’ comment into the record. (See letter attached.) Paul-Erick Johnson: I’d like to open the public hearing and invite the public to comment. Mary Belshaw: I’m from Bayside Neighborhood. I want to thank the small group of industrious, dedicated people, Everett folks, who worked to get three signs installed at the bluff near Legion Park. They did us a huge favor by looking back in order to get us up to date. At the dedication of the signs a year and a half ago, we looked around and wondered, “What is this place called?” Our family for years called it “the green strip across from Legion Park. The Parks Department calls it Legion Bluff. I don’t know if that’s written down anywhere. It seemed like a time to look back and update the name of that green strip. There is a sign on the strip installed in the 1980s by Zonta, the Cultural Commission, Parks and the Everett Public Library. It tells us that on the peninsula below Alverson, there was a winter settlement of several hundred people which existed several hundred years ago, way before Legion Park was named in the 1930s. That sign also tells us that William Shelton was a Tulalip chief who gave a speech at the dedication of Legion Park, must have been in the 1930s, and said his mother recalled being born at Hebolb settlement, spelled H-e-b-o-l-b. It seems like it is time to look at that name and think what we should call this green strip. Looking back, it seems like we need to go back to the Hebolb name. Our original idea was to name it “Hibulb Overlook,” but we appreciate that the Tulalip Tribes gave that very thoughtful response to name it “Hibulb Lookout.” Though we are not looking out for warring ships, we can look at the mountains and the very special place where the saltwater meets fresh water, and we look out the Salish Sea and all the landmarks that are referred to in the Tulalips’ letter. I am happy with “Hibulb Lookout” if that is the Tulalips’ choice; I think we need to pay attention to that. Thank you. Valerie Steel: I was president of Historic Everett when Annie Lyman from the Northwest Neighborhood approached me about honoring our first neighbors with the interpretive signs up at the bluff. I am here to advocate that you vote in favor of honoring hundreds, possibly thousands of years of continuous habitation of this area. We learned a lot through the gathering of information to put on the three signs. They relate to the eye, the heart, and the lifeblood of the people who lived at the Hibulb Settlement, with a palisaded fence and wood structures. The longhouse was over 100 feet long. In addition to looking for warring tribes, they were able to see all the way up to the estuary, to see Mount Baker and Mount Pilchuck which were very important mountains in their culture. We were lucky that Hank Gobin was alive to guide us and put his blessing on the sign project. Hank was the director of the Hibulb Cultural Center at the time. He got to see the proofs of the signs before he passed away. There were thousands of people living here before Dennis Brigham came and settled on the foot of Everett Avenue during the Civil War. They married, they had children, there were grandparents; they had artifacts and homes. Since Europeans have been here, this site has been the site of Blackman’s Mill, Preston Point, and part of Legion Park. I think giving this bluff its original name back is a natural and a warranted thing to do. I don’t think this naming would take away at all from the American Legion and its gift of the park and golf course to Everett. I think it partners with that because we are all Americans. I encourage you to recommend in favor of naming the bluff its historical name. Thank you. Dave Ramstad: I back up both Mary Belshaw and Valerie Steel’s comments 110 percent. One of the things we share living in Everett, whether we have been here one year or 100 years, is that we believe we live in paradise. Right here in the City of Everett we are in the center of one of the most beautiful locales in the world – mountains; deep, cold salt water; birds, fish, whales, and so on. We European originated newcomers have been about 150 years, but we have had First Nation’s people here in this place for centuries, and I believe they probably viewed where they were, their village and their domain up the river and around the Sound, as paradise also. I back the name “Hibulb Lookout” completely. I cannot think of any alternative names that would even be in the race for that bluff. It is a title that should have been there 50 years ago, but better late than never – let’s do it now. Thank you. Jack O’Donnell: I’d like to commend all the people who worked so hard to make the signs in the park possible, and I agree with everything that has been said. I think “Hibulb Lookout” would be a very appropriate name. Annette Floyd: This is important, so I wanted to make sure to come. I walk up on the park regularly from my house and enjoy that walk. I saw the sign and was pretty broken hearted actually. I support 2 Native Americans 100 percent. But while honoring one group, we would be dishonoring another group. When I think of American Legion Memorial Park, I think it relates to the American Legion and veterans. That has always been my connection. I have lived here for 30 years. My children live in the neighborhood and it is part of our history. I would like to see the 100-year celebration be part of what I have come to know. Sometimes when you honor history, people don’t recognize the history they are living, for the thousands of people who have experienced that park, and it means a lot to them, My father was a veteran. My uncle was a veteran and has been on the History Channel as a WWII survivor. I didn’t have time to research whether this is truly connected to veterans, but that is what it represents to me. We have thousands of veterans coming home, and what does this signify to them? I work for Everett Community College, and we are doing everything we can to elevate veterans right now and recognize their sacrifices and contributions over time. The people who gave the land to Everett in the 1930s aren’t here to speak. I wanted to be the voice for the original intent. It was always Legion Park Overlook to me. I appreciate you listening and considering my view. Thank you. Paul-Erick Johnson: Any other public comments? Mark Soine moved to close the public hearing. Arnold Morrison seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Dale Good: I have been in Everett for 55 years. I always thought of Legion Park as what is across the street from the bluff. I didn’t think of the bluff as being Legion Park. I may be wrong, but that needs to be straightened out in my mind. The other question I have, having been here all those years, is that this is the first time I have ever heard the word “Hibulb.” I am wondering its history and what it means. Jan Meston: With reference to your first question, a portion of the bluff area is within the boundaries of Legion Park. It is the portion of the bluff to the south end, bordering the house and across from the park entrance. The portion of the bluff that curves around to the north is outside the park boundaries. I confirmed with Paul Kaftanski, Parks Director, that the bluff has never been named. I believe it has casually been called Legion Bluff, but it has never been officially named. We confirmed that the city’s naming policy and procedures do allow naming of a portion of a larger area, such as a portion of a park, to be given a different name than the park as a whole. The proposal is not to rename American Legion Park, but to name the bluff, which includes a portion of the park. Dave Koenig: It is not removing it from the park. For example, think of the Mark Nesse Reading Room in the Everett Public Library. The room is a portion of the library, but it is still the Everett Public Library as a whole. Paul-Erick Johnson: There was some discussion about different spellings of “Hibulb,” can you explain that? Valerie Steel: Mary Belshaw referred to “Hebolb,” which is an older spelling of the settlement name, but today most people spell it “Hibulb.” We were confused, too, as to what exactly it means. Apparently there are two trains of thought on exactly how you would translate it. One was a place where the water bubbles up, like springs. The other meaning people most commonly refer to is “land of a thousand lights,” because when the First Neighbors were up there looking out, they would see possibly 1,000 campfires spread out on Whidbey, Camano, at Tulalip, at South Whidbey and Mukilteo where all the various encampments were. To the Native Americans, it was land of a thousand campfires, land of a thousand lights. Dale Good: That gives it a whole new meaning to me. 3 Mark Soine: I want to state my support for the naming of the bluff, and I think that the recommendation from the Cultural Center to name it “Lookout” is appropriate. I do want to point out some of the recent history of the bluff, too. In the 2000s, I can’t remember which exact year; it was the location of the ceremony for the signing of the first government-to-government agreement between Everett and the Tulalip Tribes, which is often referred to as the Everett-Tulalip Alliance Agreement. Then later I believe that the settlement agreement, which is often referred to as the big water agreement, was signed at that location as well. It settled some natural resource claims and provided water to the Tulalip Tribes. So in recent years it has some very significant ties to the relationship between the city of Everett and the Tulalip Tribes. This naming helps recognize that even further. Steve Fox: Is the entire area marked in yellow on the map part of Everett city parks? Jan Meston: No, just a portion on the south end of the bluff is in the park. Steve Fox: Who owns the rest of the area? Jan Meston: I believe BNSF owns a portion of it, but there is an easement in perpetuity for the city of Everett for the area. Steve Fox: I also support the “Hibulb Lookout” name. It sounds very appropriate. Dale Good: So the Native Americans called their settlement there “Hibulb”? Mark Soine: Yes, and it was my understanding that the village was below the bluff, correct? Valerie Steel: Yes, it was on the beach. Steve Fox: Speaking of spelling, the comment from the Tulalip Tribes did spell it H-i-b-u-l-b. Mark Soine moved to recommend that City Council approve naming the bluff “Hibulb Lookout.” Steve Fox seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Public Hearing on Proposal to Name Bike/Pedestrian Trail “Sawdust Trail Paul-Erick Johnson: Let’s proceed to the proposal to name the Bike/Pedestrian Trail from Everett Avenue and East Grand Avenue around the north Everett peninsula and south to Pigeon Creek. Jan Meston: Again, the Historical Commission’s decision will be a recommendation to City Council. Historical Commission may choose to recommend approval or denial of the name, recommend a different name, or choose not to make a decision this evening. Paul-Erick Johnson: I’d like to open the public hearing. Dave Ramstad: My friends and I have been laboring in the basement of the Culmback Building the last couple of winters, sorting through 40,000 items that are what we call the Everett Museum of History. We talk about lots of things, but primarily history. We are aware of the famous trails used by tens of thousands of people in the area, the Centennial Trail, the Green Lake hike, the Iron Goat trail at the pass. Eugene has a riverside trail. Many cities have developed natural features of their areas into public use areas for recreation and views. 4 It dawned on us that with the completion of the major city Public Works project on the Marine View Drive exit from the freeway, it literally closed the last gap in a continuous route from the Highway 2 bridge around the tip of the point, Preston Point, all the way down as far as Junction Beach below the last mill, Weyerhaeuser Mill A. We thought, we have a route! It’s finished and not a dime of construction money has to be spent. If we promote it and the city puts signs up and marks it, it would add to the list of amenities that make Everett wonderful and are the reasons that lots of us stay here and lots of other young people and students and artists are coming to live in Everett. We got going on names and went through a number of possibilities, and in the end we settled on the term “sawdust” because we thought it linked all the industries along the riverside, around the point and all the way to the foot of Pacific Avenue on the saltwater side. Lumber, shingles, shakes, boatbuilding, railroad ties, everything had to do with saws, trees, lumber and sawdust. The sawdust was useful. It heated Everett homes for a long time in the 30s and 40s. The arrival of sawdust on the block was a signal for all the kids to come running and watch the sawdust being dropped into the sawdust bins in the basements in north Everett. Sawdust made presto logs that helped keep us warm in our cold, wet, windy winters. It felt like a positive and historically accurate term for the industries that made Everett famous in the pre-Boeing era of 80-90 years. We agreed on the name “Sawdust Trail” and took it around to the various neighborhoods to gauge their interest; to see if they liked it or had alternatives, starting with the neighborhoods that border the trail itself: Riverside, Delta, Northwest, Bayside and Port Gardner. We saw pretty much 100% agreement and smiles, sounds good. A couple questions. Why did you pick “sawdust”? The minute that I explained that it came from the industries that built Everett, there was a nod of “sure, I see that.” We submitted the name to the Mayor’s Office in early June and we’re off to the races. Any questions? Steve Fox: What other names did you consider? Dave Ramstad: The common ones out of our history: Smokestack, Mill Town, there must have been half a dozen that we went through before we decided sawdust was the most beneficial. Our area’s primary historian, David Dilgard, likes it, thought it was appropriate, suitable. So that is the name we submitted. The hope is the Everett Sawdust Trail becomes a destination place for people all around the county, Seattle, Skagit County. People like to try new things, to explore new, interesting areas. And Everett is a new discovery for lots of people in Puget Sound. Our city has been bypassed for decades. People are coming into Everett now thanks to our arena, our restaurants, our arts, our rising level of good housing for young people, our colleges. Everett has become a destination town. It’s all to the good for our tax base and pride in our city. Here we have a trail that has no identity, no name, no brand. People are using it, have discovered it and enjoy it. But we thought if it was marketed and branded, it could be another magnetic attraction to bring people to Everett. Mark Soine: If I understand correctly, you are referring to a trail that is basically sidewalks. It seems like there was once an effort to do a trail that was more connected along the water that would have started along the water near the southern beginning of this trail and would be incorporated into the Riverfront project, starting from Rotary Park and connecting into the Riverfront development. I think in some of the proposals for the Riverfront development, water frontage was dedicated along with park lands there. The city has acquired property further north up to at least Pacific. There are some former mill sites in there. I know there were discussions with the Port of Everett about trails. Snohomish County just recently purchased the area where their solid waste intermodal facility is. The Port may have retained some that frontage land along the river. 5 Looking at the trail map and this concept, it seem like one of the issues is that if you name a sidewalk trail that’s hundreds of feet in, and in many places you can’t see the river, you may be forfeiting the opportunity that you started 10, 15, 20 years ago to get a trail truly along the waterfront on the east side. On the west side, the sidewalks come much closer to the water. But on the east side the trail goes by some multi-story apartment buildings that block out everything. Dave Ramstad: What we have got is a sidewalk anywhere from six to ten feet wide that people use now. The views are fantastic elevated up above the river level. You have numerous viewpoints that you can use to survey the views, the panorama of Viola Oursler Park is an example, and Riverside Park at the east end of Everett Avenue is an example. The hope is that eventually the individual neighborhoods that border the trail would develop their own history and submit proposals for historical markers in their neighborhood, at their viewpoint along the existing trail. Mark Soine: I see that point of view. Dave Ramstad: There could be both, the existing trail and a riverside trail. Mark Soine: I’m afraid that if you name this one you are basically accepting it as the waterfront trail. I know the Port’s resistance. Maybe as Port leadership changes, things will change. I don’t know what they retained when they sold property on the riverfront. Those are serious concerns you have to recognize. I warn you of the risk of forfeiting the pressure that you may be able to exert. I’m also concerned about your starting point on the east side. Dave Ramstad: What motivated us is that this trail is done, and we have no idea when the dreamed-of Riverside trail may be completed. This trail is available now. I don’t think anything is lost by naming the existing trail, because you could probably have an upper and lower Sawdust Trail, one along the water and one up on the boulevard. Everett could be famous for its two trails. Mark Soine: I hope there will be more than two trails. The other question I have is whether something like “Sawmill Trail” would be acceptable? Sawdust does not resonate with me, but something like Sawmill where we are talking about the industry that was there. Sawdust denotes that the trail is made out of sawdust. Dale Good: As an extension of that, have you given thought to the idea that people are going to think it’s a sawdust trail and say, “I don’t want to walk a sawdust trail, forget it.” Or conversely, they’ll say, “let’s go see what it looks like “ and they will find out it is not sawdust, it’s paved, and they’ll say, “What is this nonsense?” That’s all very negative. I’m just wondering if you gave any thought to that sort of thing. Dave Ramstad: Today people who use that trail will be young families, students and such, and of course instantly they go online to find out everything they need to know. They will immediately see what Sawdust Trail is; they’ll see a map of it if the city does right by posting it and putting it in brochures and on the city website. The population who will want to experience a new trail, or those who have been using it, will look in their phone and see it is a concrete sidewalk, 6.2 miles long. And some people will want to schedule a recreational event on it. Mark Soine: When the proposal was considered by the Transportation Advisory Committee, Bob Strickland wanted to the Economic Development office of the city to be involved with selecting the name. Have they been contacted? Dave Koenig: They are here tonight. 6 Thomas Weber: I am a resident of Everett and I live five blocks from the Sawdust Trail. I take the trail to the market during the summer, and because I ride this trail I feel like the trail should be named something that people could understand better than just calling it the “Sawdust Trail.” Because like others said, people will assume that the trail is made out of sawdust or that there will be sawdust covering the trail. That would seem a bit hazardous if you were to walk or accidentally trip on it. I feel like the trail should be named “The Historical Mill Trail.” When you look at sawdust, it is considered a waste. It is waste that comes from paper, from lumber, or wood. Just waste. It’s pretty unpleasant to name a trail after waste when you think hard about it. My father would say, “If you had a cattle ranch, you wouldn’t promote the waste.” I feel like we should name the trail something that makes more sense for people. Carol Thomas: I am here representing the Economic Development Department for the city of Everett. I’m Cultural Arts Manager and also oversee tourism. I did walk the trail, and like Dave Ramstad pointed out, it is truly paradise. It is so beautiful. You don’t see that really from the car, but when you walk the trail, it is gorgeous. I think it would be a great thing for us to promote through Experience Everett and through the city website. I want to bring up one thing about the name “Sawdust Trail.” When I did a quick Google search, I discovered this is a very common term from tent revival meetings. The definition of “Sawdust Trail” in Webster’s Dictionary is “the path of conversion to a gospel or belief.” There are many listings like this on Google under Sawdust Trail, movies, books, images, etc. It was not known to me, but it is very common. I thought we should know that as we consider the name. As we promote this beautiful walk around the peninsula, I do feel that from a marketing standpoint, people might take away the wrong perception from the word “sawdust,” thinking that they may be trekking through the woods and nature, when in truth it is a sidewalk path. That said, it’s a beautiful path. It’s wide and seems okay for bicycles as well as pedestrians. I think it has a fabulous view, and I think we should find a wonderful name for it. Thank you. Jack O’Donnell: First I’d like to thank Dave Ramstad for all the work he has done on this in trying to contact virtually everyone in the city who would be invested in this project and getting pretty positive feedback with a creative name like “Sawdust Trail.” This was a city of smokestacks, Mill Town, perhaps the greatest Mill Town in the world that went from the bend in the river at Lowell around to Junction Beach at the mouth of Pigeon Creek. Like the Hibulb settlement, the sawdust is gone, but I really think we need to remember this history and recognize it with a name. I think Sawdust is much more creative than Mill or Lumber or something like that. I will also point out that while the trail doesn’t go along the river, it goes by the mill sites. Everywhere along the trail you would be able to look over and say, “There’s where Canyon Mill was, there’s where the Weyerhaeuser mills were, and so forth. I think it it’s appropriate and I think there’s room for more trails. I think clearing up any confusion about any meaning would come from people going on the Internet as Dave said and finding out about it, or by some of the historic signage that would come after the trail is named. I fully support “Sawdust Trail,” I hope you will, too. Bill Weber: You heard my son talk earlier. I live in the Riverside Neighborhood. To me the name “Sawdust Trail” is saying that is the material it’s made out of. That’s all I can think about it; I can’t get past that. And that’s not what this trail is about. It’s a gorgeous trail, and it really does need support. It really needs a name that does the trail justice, not a pile of something you have to dust off your pants or scrape off your shoes when you get done with it. I definitely encourage you to look into a new name, possibly reference the history that goes with it or the purpose of the trail. The Centennial Trail was put in on one of the centennials, the Interurban Trail which is named after the railroad it goes on and it ties 7 all the urban centers of that corridor together. Let’s bring a name onto the trail that is fitting for it as opposed to something that most people don’t find pleasant any more. Thank you. Andrea Tucker: I’m president of Historic Everett and Chair of the Council of Neighborhoods. Dave Ramstad has been to every neighborhood meeting and has got backing from every single neighborhood leader that he has spoken with. The people who attend the neighborhood meetings have all agreed. I don’t know if they have said that in writing, but at every meeting that I’ve been to, he’s been very well received. I have a background in marketing as well, and I can see the marketing question: Where’s the sawdust on the Sawdust Trail? There is none. But there are ways to market it to spin that in a positive way. I back the name “Sawdust Trail” also. Mary Belshaw: I really appreciate what Dave Ramstad has done along with other people. I think people will quickly find out that it is not made of sawdust, and they’ll be very relieved, but it won’t take long to figure that out. It’s another example of going back in our history to make this city a better place today. I hope you will recommend approving “Sawdust Trail.” Mark Soine moved to close the public hearing. Bobby Olsen seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Steve Fox: I’m a heavy user of trails. I’ve been on this whole trail many times; I’ve ridden my bike on it to go to the farmers’ market where it is now. I’ve gone jogging on the Riverside section hundreds of times, and it’s a wonderful resource we have in the city. I think it should be named, for sure. I’ve also done similar trails in Spoken, Portland, Corvallis, and Wenatchee, and in couple weeks I’m going to do one in Chelan that’s six miles long. I think it’s a fantastic resource for the city, and naming it is a fantastic idea. When I first moved to Everett, I went running down and crossed the railroad tracks, probably what I should not have been doing, and ran all around down there to check that out, too. It would also be wonderful if we had a sawdust trail along the edge of the river. Many of my friends in the cycling community ride this blue loop on here, and I see it logged on websites like Java all the time. It’s really a sought-after thing. But I have a problem with the name “Sawdust.” I have been on trails that are made out of wood chips, and they are generally kind of sodden. When it rains they get wet. And that’s not what they are going to come see. If they have never been to Everett before and they go to a place called the Sawdust Trail and don’t see sawdust or wood chips, it’s going to confuse. With all due respect, I know there is a lot of momentum behind this name, but I think it is worth rethinking the name to consider all the comments that are against Sawdust that we have got from various sources. One name I heard was Mill Town. This is a very historic book called Mill Town. It gives the same historic feeling of what you are going to see along the trail. There’s a picture of what you will see on the front of the book. I don’t know if that is a great name either. I think it’s worth reconsidering what the best name is, but I definitely think it needs a name. People will come and use it, I guarantee that. The Centennial Trail, the trails down by Renton, the Interurban Trail are all meccas. People go to places just because they have a name. So naming the trail is fantastic. And if you want to put a trail right along the river later and line it with wood chips, call that the “Sawdust Trail.” Langus Park has a long loop section of pathway you can do on wood chips, too. People go just for that. I suggest a name that is historic but not confusing. Bill Vincent: I’m going to show my age. Cinders. How many know that my diapers were burned in relationship to the sawdust that was coming up from all the mills in Mill Town? I worked in seven locations along the waterfront. History is there. Fifty smokestacks, 50 churches and 50 taverns. I am 1,000% in favor of the name “Sawdust Trail.” 8 Arnold Morrison: To me, sawdust represents construction waste, so you would associate that with suburbia happening after World War II. This is where the wood started and was being shipped out all over the place. I think keeping it simple would be something like “Mill Town Trail.” It helps you associate what happened in Everett in the past with the trail. Sawdust takes too much explaining to make the link. Keeping it simple would be better. But I do think we should name the trail. Mark Soine moved to recommend the naming of the trail and recommend to City Council the possible names of “Mill Town Trail,” “Sawmill Trail,” or “Historic Mill Trail.” Bobby Olsen seconded the motion. Steve Fox: I wonder if it is worth putting the word “Everett” in the name. I know you will get a really long name that way, but when someone looks for it on the web and puts in “Sawdust Trail,” you are going to get the links mentioned previously. But if you put the word “Everett” in, that cuts the list down considerably. Bobby Olsen: I would disagree. I think you can search on line for something like Mill Town Trail Everett and get the same results as having “Everett” in the name, and it wouldn’t be such a long name. I think even if it was “Everett Mill Town Trail,” no one would call it the whole name, they would just call it “Mill Town Trail.” Dale Good: What is the motion again? Mark Soine: As I understand our role here, it is to recommend a name, but we not limited to recommending one name. I am recommending that we recommend at least three names. City Council is free to choose any name whether we recommend it or not. Dave Koenig: That is correct. Steve Fox: We could also postpone the decision, correct? Jan Meston: Yes. Steve Fox: And if the arguments go toward one specific name after more consideration, and Sawdust ends up being the only name that is acceptable, then we could vote on that next time. Arnold Morrison: Why don’t we throw in “Sawdust Trail” and let City Council argue it out? Then they will have four choices. Mark Soine: There are many people on the Historical Commission that are not favorable to “Sawdust,” and that’s why I did not include it in the list. Allan White: What was the third name? Mark Soine: Historic Mill Trail. Allan White: I’d like to strike that name. It seems kind of generic. Steve Fox: Would there be any problem with delaying the name of the trail? 9 Dave Ramstad: As Dave Koenig said, regardless of what is agreed upon here, City Council may take another course. They may reject the whole idea of a name or they may accept giving the trail a name but reject the name itself. We are at Historical Commission now. When you say “Historic Mill Trail,” frankly I think Sawdust says the same thing. That’s what mills do. It’s a conclusion that there’s a generational difference in the meaning of sawdust. For my generation, sawdust is a very positive term. It was dad’s paycheck. All the dads' paychecks in the neighborhood. It heated the house in the cold, wet winter, and I don’t understand how it is considered a waste product. It was used. The burners were burning scraps, but the sawdust itself was used and useful, too. A toasty warm house is a very pleasant thing, and sawdust did that for this entire city for a long time. So that doesn’t sound negative to me. Mark Soine: We could table the matter for a month, and the motion would still be there to come back on next month. Steve Fox: Could you restate the motion? Mark Soine: My motion was to recommend the naming of the trail and recommend to City Council possible names of Mill Town Trail, Sawmill Trail, or Historic Mill Trail. Steve Fox: It seems to me it would be better to go City Council with one name and not let them pick a name. Don’t give them a choice; give them the one you really want. Also, I think we have to put “Sawdust Trail” on the list. Allan White moved to amend the motion to subtract “Historic Mill Trail” and replace it with “Sawdust Trail,” giving City Council three options. The motion failed for lack of a second. Paul-Erick Johnson: I agree that we should give City Council several names. I’m fine if “Sawdust Trail” is one name, but I don’t think that should be the only one. Steve Fox: The most important thing is that there should be a name for that trail. That should be the top concern. So we should definitely recommend that the trail be named. Bill Vincent: I went to Jefferson School. It took me three years to get through the first and second grades because I was shoveling sawdust into the furnace. I went to Jackson School. I spent four years in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades shoveling sawdust. That’s how they heated the buildings in the city of Everett. It’s a working man’s town. “Sawdust” is perfect. Please state the motion again. Mark Soine: The motion is to recommend the naming of the trail, with possible names being Mill Town Trail, Sawmill Trail, or Historic Mill Trail. The motion passed with the following vote: For: Bobby Olsen, Mark Soine, Paul-Erick Johnson, Arnold Morrison, Dale Good Against: Bill Vincent, Steve Fox, Allan White Jan Meston: This recommendation will go to City Council, which will hold another public hearing. Comments can also continue to be submitted in writing to me. Steve Fox: What happens to the proposed name, “Sawdust Trail?” 10 Dave Koenig: It will be part of the record, as will all the comments tonight and the minutes. City Council will receive that information and can do what they want. Mark Soine: One note, the Transportation Advisory Committee recommended naming the trail but did not endorse any name. Approval of Minutes of September 23, 2014 Meeting Allan white moved to approve the minutes of the September 23, 2014 meeting. Bill Vincent seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Citizen Comments Jack O’Donnell: Fifty years ago this year Everett suffered its greatest loss ever in historic preservation. Bill Vincent showed you the picture of beautiful Jefferson School. Losing that school spawned a post office that nobody likes and an Administration Center on Colby Avenue that has no following either. But we lost that beautiful building. I couldn’t have dreamed that 50 years later we would be looking at losing another one of our historic schools. Longfellow School built in 1911, then the southernmost school in the school district, is vacant. The Everett School District has a survey you can take, and one of the choices is tearing the building down. Losing that old building would probably provide about 50 parking spaces. It looks as though that is what the school district would like to have, a little bit more parking. I could go on and on about some choices made by the school district lately, but I see losing Longfellow School as unthinkable, not only because it was my alma mater, but it was also that of Everett’s most famous son, Senator Henry M. Scoop Jackson. It was the school of entertainer Stan Boreson. I would encourage all of you, if you are concerned about this, to take the school district survey. Since this is the Everett Historical Commission, and in the past the Commission has always advocated historic preservation, I would encourage you to take some kind of a stand to ask the school district to take a look at this and find a way to save the building. The school district is on record as saving buildings: Everett High School’s main building, the Commercial Building, Vocational Building, the Auditorium, South Junior High School now Sequoia High School, and also some creative projects -- Washington Oakes, the retirement center in the 1700 block of Rockefeller, and also Roosevelt School which is now a church on Madison Street. I think this is of utmost concern, the most endangered historic building in the city, and I hope that you will take some action to try to help save it. Thank you. Mark Soine: Can we get a report at the next meeting on Longfellow School, and I’d like to see a resolution from the Commission recommending the preservation of that building. At least we can then have a discussion about that topic. This is the second or third time it has come up at a meeting with someone asking for us to do something. The only thing this body can do is pass a resolution to go on formal record as supporting preservation. Jan Meston: We can do that next month. Sometimes the Commission has chosen to write a letter stating their position. Mark Soine: Either way. I just think we need to take some action one way or another. I think we should take a formal action, a resolution. Dave Koenig: We can give you a timeframe on school district action, too. Steve Fox: Do you know what year it was built? 11 Dave Koenig: 1911. We recently toured the building. It was used as an office building until the school district built their new building. Various departments were in there, budget, facilities, etc. So the school district has actively used the building until just recently. Dale Good: Is the building structurally sound enough to put something else in there? Dave Koenig: I think they are doing an assessment and report on it. The building does not meet today’s standards for ADA; there is no elevator and there are steps. They were using it in a fashion where they were grandfathered in. It has the same type of windows as some schools that have been saved in Seattle like Wallingford Center. It has that type of tall windows, but many of those have been modified with lowered ceilings. Until recently it was the school district’s data center. Jack O’Donnell: May I ask that we ask to schedule a tour of the building for the Commission and others like the board of Historic Everett if that is possible? Steve Fox: Who makes the decision about the building? Dave Koenig: The school board. Steve Fox: Could we invite the school board to the tour also? Dave Koenig: One problem with that is the open meeting law. If the whole board is there, it would have to be advertised a meeting. Jack O’Donnell: On a different topic, Historic Everett sponsored a trip to Vashon Island. Bill Vincent and I rode with David Blacker and Gail Chism. We had at least two people talking at all times. Vashon Island is a paradise. The most impressive thing on the tour was the Everett Fire Station that used to be at 17th and Norton on the waterfront. It was barged to Vashon Island and has been preserved by a couple who are artists and artisans. It’s in a park-like setting, but when you walk into it you recognize it as a fire station. It’s one of the best adaptive use projects I’ve ever seen. Comprehensive Plan Update – Urban Design and Historic Preservation Element Jan Meston: We considered this element briefly at last month’s meeting. Mark Soine had a few comments at that time about tree maintenance. At this meeting we are hoping to get direction from the Commission in the form of a resolution recommending that Planning Commission recommend that the proposed changes be adopted. If you have other comments tonight we are here to accept those. We want to move this along if we can. The changes being proposed are in red, and those with yellow highlighting are those that are new since last month’s meeting to address comments Commissioners raised at that time. Arnold Morrison: In section 8.2.9, it refers to an ordinance to prohibit demolition. Is that a current ordinance or something that would be developed? Jan Meston: That would be an ordinance that would be developed. We do not currently have an ordinance that prohibits demolition. Arnold Morrison: That seems like something we should have. Steve Fox: Like Longfellow School for example? 12 Bobby Olsen: Do other cities have an ordinance like that? Is that common? Dave Koenig: It is not common. I’m not aware of any cities that actually prohibit demolition. In Seattle there is a landmarks ordinance in Seattle and it requires a process for demolition requests, but in the end it is still possible to demolish a building. It is an extensive process. We haven’t researched this, so there may be some others. Bobby Olsen: It seems like if somebody wanted to demolish a building and they let it fall into disrepair, then there’s not much else we could do. Dave Koenig: In Pioneer Square they have a minimum maintenance ordinance. It would be very difficult to tear down a building in Pioneer Square. In Pioneer Square they have people inspect the buildings, and if they find they are not maintaining a building, they give the owner a chance to fix it. If they don’t fix it, the city of Seattle goes in a fixes it and sends them a bill. Mark Soine: On page 20, the photograph in the lower left-hand corner describes “a good streetscape along Hewitt.” The trees appear to me to be significantly overgrown. They obscure a three-story building. Jan Meston: So your recommendation would be to find a different picture? Mark Soine: Yes, one that shows trees that are in proper scale to the building. The trees in the top left photograph are more in scale, at least at the time the photo was taken. Bobby Olsen: I think the one on the upper right is nice, too. Mark Soine: That one is good, too. I think the difference in the one on the upper right is that the trees are further away from the building. Steve Fox: They trimmed a lot of foliage down low so you can see the buildings. Allan White moved to adopt the resolution recommending the Planning Commission recommend approval of the changes to the Urban Design and Historic Preservation Element as noted with the lower left photo on page 20 replaced. Bill Vincent seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m. 13