Historic Preservation Committee

Lancaster Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Date: Friday June 19, 2026 Place: City Hall, 206 S. Madison, Council Chambers 1. Meeting called to order at 1:01 p.m. 2. Roll call Present: James Hibbard (chair), Mike Johansen, Linda Lucke, Melissa McCauley, David Timmerman (quorum) Absent: Jon Angeli, Mike Steffel Also present: city administrator Michael Kuchta 3. Minutes from meeting of 4/15/26: Motion by Johansen, second by Lucke; approved on voice vote. 4. History Hop: Lucke distributed information on US Semiquincentennial activities being organized by Grant County Historical Society. History Hop runs July 4-Sept. 30 and features the county’s 50 historical markers. Nancy Fairchild is lead organizer; she will send digital brochure for promotion on City website, etc. Question raised on whether Lancaster churches can participate in Bells Across America (Sept. 17 at 2:30 p.m.). St. Clement and Lancaster Congregational are most obvious; Immanuel Lutheran (“Dewey Church”) could open to let people pull the rope. 5. Dewey Church work a. Window protection – Johansen provided sample of “Warp’s Flex-O-Glass,” which could be mounted on furring strips on building exterior to protect stained glass windows. Three windows on south side are in most dire need. Material is roughly $75 for 3x75-foot roll. He will investigate cost of furring. TBD: where to purchase materials and who will pay for purchase. b. Paint analysis – Kuchta will follow up with Steffel to see if he has lead test results back from university’s Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory. c. Roof – Angeli arranged to have leaks repaired. d. T-Mobile grant application – Timmerman received word the church did not receive funding from T-Mobile’s Main Street program. He expects to make revisions to the application and resubmit for the next cycle. Biggest gap in application: there is no clear answer to how and when this site would open. Timmerman will also look for other sources of grant funding. e. Schedule workday – Tasks would include recruiting workers; putting up window protection; indoor cleanup; exterior painting. Timmerman acquired 4 gallons of decent paint at reuse shop for $10/gallon. Dewey Church does not have advantage that Zion Church had; there is no built-in group of people tied to the heritage of the church. Conversation branched into broader discussion of cemetery buildings. Discussion included taking down the Annex ramp and possibly the whole building. Estimate is that refurbishing the Annex will cost at least $50,000; needs include insulation, siding, windows, and bathrooms. Major challenge to decide for both structures: What Historical Preservation Commission Minutes June 19, 2026 1  is the ultimate use? Are ideas such as a business incubator or event center viable? Just preserving things for the future doesn’t attract financial or other support. Dewey Society will meet June 29 to discuss the future of the society, its property, and its treasury. 6. Listing Dewey Church on National Historic Register: Hibbard continues to work on the application. 7. Historical content on city website: Kuchta and Steffel have talked about how to do this. At this point they need content – articles and photos – to work with. 8. Potential city participation in grant opportunities for history museum: Lucke said the Historical Society is looking at state, federal, and private grants to help remodel the basement, add an elevator and heat, upgrade lighting, and install more hands-on exhibits. Delta 3 is drawing up plans. Some grant applications may need to flow through the City; if those seem viable, HPC could recommend to the Council that they authorize City participation. 9. Schedule next meeting: Tentatively scheduled for Wednesday July 29. Kuchta will poll members about best time. 10. Adjourn: Motion by Johansen, second by Lucke to adjourn at 2:13 p.m. Approved on voice vote. Historical Preservation Commission Minutes June 19, 2026 2