Historical Commission

Sterling Heights Historical Commission August 2 , 2018 40433 Utica Road Sterling Heights, MI 48313 Minutes of Meeting I. Call to Order Meeting was called to order at 6 p.m. by Turgeon. II. Roll Call Present: Cynthia Appleton, Nicholas Cavalli, John Connor, Douglas J. Harvey, Meghan Mott, Mark Schell Staff Present: Tammy Turgeon Excused: Steven Pomaville III. Approval of Agenda Motion to approve the agenda was made by Harvey, supported by Connor. Motion carried. IV. Minutes of May 3, 2018 Motion to approve the minutes of the May 3, 2018 meeting was made by Appleton, supported by Harvey. Motion carried. V. Communications/Reports/Correspondence Commission members continue to receive local historical groups’ newsletters forwarded to them via email. Appleton is now on the MCHA Board. At the meeting, the Board discussed promotion of the passport program. Only 16 meals have been redeemed at Culver’s so far. Appleton also spoke with someone about ideas for updating the curtains in the Upton House. Appleton will arrange meeting for Turgeon and herself to meet with the individual. VI. Unfinished Business A. Names Project The document is on google docs so that everyone can update it. Mott will resend the link to everyone. B. Oral History Conversion Project No additional work has been done on this. Commissioners are invited to assist. C. Wikipedia Page No news on the editathon.  D. Historical Display in Library Townsend’s display will be in the case until January. Harvey will create a new display about trash and recycling. E. Clippings and Scrapbook Library Practicum student scanned many of the clippings in the library’s collection. They will be organized and then made available on a PC in the library. The Cooperative met with DALNET about moving digital archive to a new software platform. The software was not what the libraries were looking for. The Cooperative is in the process of hiring a grant writer so that a grant can be written to purchase a new service for the digital archive that all of the libraries and historical groups could use. F. Historical Marker Program No new applications. G. May Historical Program Program went well. Debbie presented to about 15 people and sold/signed books. Thank you to commissioners that sold merchandise and attended the program. H. Winter City Magazine Article Thank you to Mott for writing the article about Sarah Aldrich. I. Sterlingfest Wrapup Thank you to the commissioners and volunteers that helped during Sterlingfest. We had 189 attendees Friday and 469 attendees Saturday. Many passports were stamped. Thank you also to the commissioners and volunteers that helped to sell 50th merchandise. VII. New Business A. Purchasing Items for the Upton House Last fiscal year, three different reproductions of period furniture were purchased, along with three mannequins, two female period outfits, one male period outfit, the moving costs of the organ that was donated, a rug, a lace tablecloth, and a light fixture. The room that held the assessment books was cleaned up to display the city’s 50th anniversary posters. The porch is in bad shape and some of the decorative wood on the outside is also falling apart. These need to be fixed immediately. Commission agreed that the $4,000 for supplies would be used to fix these problem areas. Commission still has donation money that could be used to add to the interior of the house.  Turgeon will contact Kim Parr at the Crocker House to arrange a tour for the Commission in September or October to get ideas on how to improve the Upton House. Commissioners will then be asked to come with ideas to the November meeting on how to redesign the upstairs displays and/or make new displays. B. Summer 2019 City Magazine Article Cavalli or Schell will write this article. It will be due in February 2019. C. Meeting Dates for 2018-19 Motion to accept the proposed meeting dates for 2018-19 was made by Mott, supported by Connor. Motion carried. VIII. Communications from Citizens Appleton indicated that there may be a pump organ player at the Marlette Train Depot. She will get the contact information. A great-great-granddaughter of the Heldt family visited the house in June. Mott will send the Ahren’s family info out to everyone. Mott is interested in the Commission doing a cemetery walk in October 2019. Schell asked if the Historical Commission could have a Facebook page. Turgeon will ask. Volunteers are needed for the November and December Upton House Sundays as well as Sterling Christmas. Sterling Christmas will be on Saturday, December 1st and the house will be open from 6-8:30p.m. IX. Adjourn Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Connor, seconded by Cavalli. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Next meeting: November 1, 2018 at 6 p.m. We will decorate the house before the meeting.