Landmarks Committee

Landmarks Committee Whitewater Municipal Building Cravath Lakefront Room, 312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual Thursday, September 07, 2023 - 6:00 PM Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://meet.goto.com/269324973 Please note that although every effort will be made to provide for virtual participation, unforeseen technical difficulties may prevent this, in which case the meeting may still proceed as long as there is a quorum. Should you wish to make a comment in this situation, you are welcome to call this number: (262) 473-0108. CALL TO ORDER - Kori Oberle (filling in for Ben Adamitus) called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. ROLL CALL - Present: Richardson, Olm, Oberle, Schreiber, Weigel - Absent: Adamitus - Others: Staff Representative Kloskey CONSENT AGENDA Items on the Consent Agenda will be approved together unless any committee member requests that an item be removed for individual consideration. Approval of Agenda Approval of the Minutes of July 6, 2023 Set date of next meeting: October 5, 2023 - Motion to approve all three items on the consent agenda made by Olm, seconded by Schreiber. - The motion passed unanimously. Landmarks Committee Agenda September 07, 2023 Page 2 HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS No formal Committee action will be taken during this meeting although issues raised may become a part of a future agenda. Participants are allotted a three minute speaking period. Specific items listed on the agenda may not be discussed at this time; however, citizens are invited to speak to those specific issues at the time the Committee discusses that particular item. To make a comment during this period, or during any agenda item: On a computer or handheld device, locate the controls on your computer to raise your hand. You may need to move your mouse to see these controls. On a traditional telephone, dial *6 to unmute your phone and dial *9 to raise your hand. CONSIDERATIONS / DISCUSSIONS / REPORTS 1. Thank you to Karen Coburn for her service on the Landmarks Commission a. Oberle stated that Karen Coburn has retired from the commission, and suggested sending a thank you card. All members agreed with this sentiment. b. Gloria Buley was suggested as a replacement member; Olm made plans to reach out to her soon. 2. Landmarks Educational Series Update (Olm) a. Olm stated that part 2 of the Passenger Depot video should have been aired early this week, but there are delays relating to the city Media Coordinator resigning. The video should be available by September 15th. If the city can no longer assist in the video making, Olm stated he would do it alone if necessary. b. Olm said the Effigy Mounds episode will be done in October with Bill Quackenbush. c. Olm considered doing a mini-episode on the Burr Oak tree instead of missing a month of content, Oberle said there is no shame in taking a month off. d. Olm was interviewed by Kim McDarison from Fort Atkinson Online, and an editorial was uploaded. e. Olm mentioned he had been messaged by former UW-Whitewater alumni in support of his new educational series. f. Weigel suggested sharing the Landmarks Educational Series with the Library, and Sarah French in particular. Richardson suggested multiple people to contact, and is forwarding their info to Olm. g. Olm is planning on making a “Landmarks Trek” walking path of the city landmarks sites. He would like to make signage and presented the commission with a template. The sign proposed had a QR code and map attached to the front of it. Weigel suggested potentially doing two different QR codes, one for the map and one for Olm’s videos. Staff Representative Kloskey suggested an interactive web map to be added to the city website as well as a QR code on the signage. 3. Effigy Mounds Strategic Planning Update (Weigel) a. Weigel stated that originally there were two groups taking care of Effigy Mounds related issues, but have since dissipated early on in the summer. b. Weigel contacted Michelle Dujardin, Andrew Beckman, John Weidl, and Brian Neumeister about the current state of the Effigy Mounds and only received a response from Neumeister, who said that any new issues must wait until a new Director of Parks and Recreation is hired. Landmarks Committee Agenda September 07, 2023 Page 3 c. Weigel then set up a meeting with the Interim Director, Dujardin, who relayed the same sentiment, stating that Effigy Mounds related issues will have to wait until there is a new Parks Director. Weigel said that the hiring is likely to occur in November. d. Weigel expressed concern with different holes and brush scattered across the mounds, and is worried that the issues won’t be resolved before winter. e. Oberle added that those issues are park maintenance related, and therefore should be in the queue to get done. f. Oberle suggested the creation of a 5 year plan, to “keep the ball in the air” so that there is a plan when the new Parks and Recreation Director is hired. g. Oberle also floated the idea of a new group being created that is knowledgeable about the mounds, to lead it’s development as an “accessible entity”, this group would not be maintenance related. h. Oberle stated that the commission cannot expect the next Parks Director to have any extensive mounds experience, and suggested that the commission or a member should take Bill Quackenbush to dinner and have him assist in creating a plan. This idea was supported by the rest of the commission members. 4. Friends of the Effigy Mounds (Weigel) a. Weigel met with the Director of Curriculum at Whitewater Unified School District to potentially include more mounds related content in local education. The Director was receptive to this idea, according to Weigel. b. Amy Rosebrough, from the Wisconsin Historical Society, is coming to town on November 6th for potential professional development as well as hosting an event at the Library. c. Weigel said there is a Friend of the Effigy Mounds meeting on Monday to gauge group interest. OLD BUSINESS 5. City-Owned Local Landmarks: Ongoing assessment of condition, maintenance and/or repair needs and progress, future plans, etc. 6. Birge Fountain 7. Re-Installation of painted components (Oberle) a. Oberle mentioned that she had seen the four missing pieces of the fountain being reinstalled today. 8. Fundraising (Adamitus/Oberle) a. Oberle wants to do a large fundraising event next June, an outdoor event at the fountain to generate revenue for its repairs. This includes selling centennial booklets at a suggested price of $20 per book to assist the fundraising. b. Olm added that not all fundraisers have to be done by the Landmarks Commission. c. Oberle said that Ben Adamitus and herself should have a total dollar amount for donations received up to this point at the October meeting. Landmarks Committee Agenda September 07, 2023 Page 4 NEW BUSINESS 9. Territorial Oak: Current condition and future plans a. Oberle stated that the oak is now considered dangerous, per the Urban Forestry Commission. She added that they are considering taking it down. b. Oberle suggested that a celebration event be held for the Territorial Oak be held before it is brought down. This sentiment was shared by the rest of the commission. c. Richardson added that the Whitewater Historical Society has a keen interest in the tree, and are worried it will be taken down without notice. Richardson stated that the Historical Society wants to know the facts before the tree is taken down. Richardson ended his statement by saying it would be a mistake to not inform the various local historical societies about the situation. Richardson claimed he would let the Walworth County historical society know about the Territorial Oak situation. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS - Suggested future agenda items were: Farewell Event for the Territorial Oak, Digitization, Landmarks City Website Updates, Possible Thank You Notes for Landmark Hotel and Hamilton House, Water Tower Situation/Signage, and Report from the Friends of the Effigy Mounds. ADJOURNMENT - Oberle adjourned the meeting at 7:15 p.m. A quorum of the Common Council may be present. This notice is given to inform the public that no formal action will be taken at this meeting. Anyone requiring special arrangements is asked to call the Office of the City Manager / City Clerk (262-473-0102) at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Respectfully submitted, Benjamin Kloskey, Staff Representative