Woodstock HPC - all 7

The Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) held its first meeting of the new year last night and on the new day during the month for its meetings. The HPC changed its meeting date to the fourth Monday, so that it will not too often fall just before a semi-monthly City Council Meeting.

The meeting was called to order by Allen Stebbins, Chair, and the newest members introduced themselves.

In addition to Allen, the HPC members are Yvonne Gilbert, Craig Hallenstein, Jodie Kortz-Osborne, Paul Marsala, Rodney Paglialong, and Erika Wilson. This means that the HPC is fully staffed with citizen volunteers.

Certificates of Appreciation were displayed for two members of the community who completed their work on the HPC last year: Don Frick and Bev Ganschow. Certificates of Appreciation are being prepared for Merida Johns and Lucia Matlock, who also completed their service last year.

During the public comment period, I addressed the HPC and reminded them that, more than a year ago, the HPC had forwarded to the City Council a nomination for Grace Hall as a Landmark. Last April the City Council tabled the motion to consider Landmark status, and it has never considered it. I asked the HPC to request the City Council to "un-table" the nomination and act on it - not just let it die without a decision.

Chairman Stebbins asked the Commission members if they had questions or comments; they did not. It appears to me that the HPC will let the City Council skate on this issue without raising it again. Of course, one never knows when a concerned citizen will raise the issue directly with the City Council...

The HPC viewed a video produced by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior about standards for rehabilitation. Ten Standards are presented for preservation of important buildings. As I watched it, I felt that Grace Hall met every one of them.

Then Nancy Baker, City staff member assigned to the HPC, presented a slide show of a walking tour of the downtown historic district. Nancy is a wealth of information, and I recommend (again) that she be engaged to make a video of one of her presentations. Past and present HPC members, Nancy, and other City employees and members of the community know about Woodstock, and this information should be preserved now, while it is available.

You know what I mean - while memories are good and people who know about the buildings and the history of Woodstock are still living. This would make a great multi-year project for Woodstock and Marian Central high school students and maybe even some MCC students.