Committee Minutes

Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2009
7:00 p.m.
City Hall A101

Present: Sandy Slater, Vice Chair, Caprice Benoit, Sharon Bures, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Ted Jelliff, Melinda Leach, Cory Lien, Gerad Paul, Dale Sickels
Others: Kevin Severson, RRVCA; Joe O’Neil, OUD; Perry Marto, Director of Buildings and Grounds, GF School District; Kent Anderson, Central High School project architect; Peg O’Leary

Slater called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.; a quorum was present.

Motion: to approve the minutes of the April 14, 2009, meeting as presented. (Lien, Leach)
Motion carries.

Red River Valley Community Action – Kevin Severson
518 Belmont Road (built 1908) – The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the Near Southside Historic District. The owners intend to use a federally subsidized loan to replace the roof shingles, paint the exterior, install an aluminum storm door on the second floor exterior door, and remove the chimney. The chimney is near the rear of the house and the condition is a hazard.
Motion: to concur with a determination of no adverse effect from the work described for 518 Belmont Road. (Benoit, Jelliff)
Motion carries unanimously.

Office of Urban Development – Joe O’Neil
O’Neil explained that the Affordable Infill Committee had approved proposals for five lots. Pictures of surrounding houses were displayed as the various proposals were discussed.
1001-1003 2nd Avenue North – A 50’ corner lot for which a two-story, gable-front house with porch is planned. Surrounding houses are story-and-a-half and two-story. Members agreed that the house would be a good anchor for the block.
202 Cottonwood Street – Another 50’ corner lot for which the same plan was proposed. Surrounding houses are story-and-a-half and two-story. The Infill Committee required that the plan be flipped so that more windows are on the avenue side of the house. This was agreed to by the proposer. The Commission concurred.
623 4th Avenue South – A 50’ interior lot for which the same plan was proposed. Surrounding houses are story-and-a-half and two-story.
623 5th Avenue South – A 50’ interior lot for which a one-story, gable-front house with projecting entry was proposed. Surrounding houses are one- and one-and-a-half-story homes. Members appreciated the gable window as a detail that would help the house fit in the neighborhood.
728 Chestnut Street – A 50’ corner lot for which a two-story, gable-front house with garage and front porch was proposed. Surrounding houses are story-and-a-half and two-story.
O’Neil noted that all houses have full, unfinished basements with plumbing roughed in. Flemmer is the HPC representative on the committee.
Motion: to concur with a determination of no historic properties affected by the infill proposals on these lots. (Flemmer, Sickels)
Discussion: Flemmer noted that some lots were offered for sale and received no proposals due to various issues including shape of lot and sewer issues. O’Neil said the lots would be offered again and he hoped to be back to HPC in the fall with more proposals.
Motion carries unanimously.

Grand Forks School District – Perry Marto, Kent Anderson
Central High School, 115 N. 4th Street (built 1917) – Central is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing element in the Downtown Grand Forks Historic District. Marto explained that federal stimulus funding is being made available to school districts in North Dakota. Part of the funding criteria is that projects must be ready to go quickly. He noted that plans were drawn up in 1985 to replace the windows in Central with more energy efficient and historically appropriate windows but were not implemented due to lack of funds. Except for four large windows (two each over the north and south entrances), all of Central’s original windows were replaced in the 1950s with the single-paned, aluminum windows in place today. The upper half of the 1950s windows are opaque. After the 1997 flood, the basement windows were replaced with energy efficient windows. The proposal is to replace all upper story windows with metal, double-paned, low-e windows to increase the heating/cooling efficiency. The replacement windows would replicate the historic windows in style, design and profile but would necessarily incorporate a darker spandrel section at the top of the window because interior ceilings have been lowered throughout the building and the ceilings meet the windows approximately 20” below the top of the windows. O’Leary asked whether window wells could be put in the ceilings; Anderson said the ceilings were constructed in such a way that it would cost approximately $1,500 per window to well the ceilings. He noted that there are more than 100 windows involved in the project, making the cost prohibitive. Anderson also said that all the interior trim molding and stops are original (though painted) and will be kept in place. Marto displayed the original building plans so the Commissioners could compare them to the proposal. O’Leary said she had met with Marto and Anderson and provided descriptions of the type of material that is acceptable to the State Historic Preservation Office and to the National Park Service. Only certain metals and only paint-like finishes are approved, particularly when replacing original material. Slater noted that the tinting on the basement windows is very dark; Anderson said that glass tinting is available now that is almost not noticeable and that is what they plan to use. He noted that the glass in the gym addition is virtually clear. Paul questioned whether the muntins and other architectural detail of the windows would be applied externally or sandwiched between the panes; Anderson said all the detailing would have true profiles, applied externally, looking like true divided light windows. O’Leary said that a requirement of the SHPO and NPS would be a review of all material samples prior to contracting for the materials. Marto indicated that they would try to have material samples by the next HPC meeting. He said that Central High School is considered to be the marquee building of the district, both for its history and its architecture. It is also a very difficult and expensive building to heat and cool. The goal of this project is to return the beauty of the historic windows and make the building run better and more comfortably for its inhabitants. He stated that the condition of the wood in the four historic windows is very poor. They are rotted in many places and the structures are very fragile; attempted repairs endanger the whole window. Marto noted that these four full-height, fabulous windows are not affected by lowered ceilings because they are in stair wells, so the exact window can be replicated and put back in place.
Motion: to concur that, while replacement of original wooden windows with metal replicas will adversely affect this listed property, the affect will be mitigated by returning more than 100 other windows to their original openings and appearance. (Jelliff, Paul)
Motion carries unanimously.
Slater thanked the presenters for the care that is being taken with this project and for coming to HPC early in the process.

Chair Report – Sandy Slater
No report.

Coordinator Report – Peg O’Leary
FY10 City Budget Proposal – O’Leary presented a budget which was approximately 8% lower than the FY09 approved budget. Various small savings and the completion of the street signage project account for the smaller budget. Since the office was not informed of deadlines early in the process, this budget has been submitted pending Commission approval. Benoit questioned when the coordinator last received a raise, and was told January 1, 2008. Benoit suggested that the position should not be allowed to fall too far behind comparable positions. Paul noted his opinion based on local salary negotiations that resulted in a 4% salary increase that was tied largely to recent data from the Consumer Price Index.
Motion: to approve the budget with an amendment to include a 4% salary increase and proportionate benefits for the coordinator position. (Paul, Jelliff)
Discussion: Slater noted that this would put the budget request back near the 2009 level. Paul stated that he does not see this as a raise in salary as much as a preservation of the status quo in one’s ability to buy goods at the current level. Flemmer noted that the economy is not good and many people will not be receiving increases in the coming year. He wondered what city employees would be receiving; Bures said the city looks at a combination of comparable job salaries and pay-for-performance criteria to determine increases. She thought city employees would receive some increases but it would vary from person to person. Iseminger stated that the Commission is not a city department and should propose a budget based upon its own determination. Paul agreed that the Commission has a certain autonomy over the budget proposal. It was noted that the position does not receive insurance or retirement benefits.
Motion carries. Eight in favor, one opposed.
O’Leary will submit the amended budget to the Mayor’s office.
UND Nomination – Michelle Dennis is working on revisions but has some questions about how to support the fraternity house that is in question. She will visit with Lorna Meidinger about the issue this weekend in Bismarck.
Donor Reports – O’Leary asked commissioners to sign off on their donated time for January-February, 2009.
Appointments/Reappointments – The Mayor’s office has notified us that terms are expiring for six commissioners: Benoit, Gunderson, Jelliff, Lien, Paul, and Sickels. O’Leary asked these commissioners to consider whether they would like to be reappointed and contact her.
Water Tower Letter – O’Leary distributed a copy of the letter sent to Kyle Beck and his friends thanking them for taking an active role in historic preservation. (see attached)
Riverside Plaque – The historic district marker for Riverside has been approved for casting. Fifty percent of the total bill is due upon processing the order, remainder upon receipt of the product.
Motion: to approve payment of $1,671.50 to Erie Landmark Company in payment of 50% of the total invoice for the marker, steel pole, graphic services and shipping and handling. (Sickels, Jelliff)
Motion carries unanimously.
1019 Reeves Drive Nomination Amendment – O’Leary attended the State Review Board Meeting (4/23/09) via IVN connection at the County Office Building. Iseminger serves on the Board and was present in Bismarck. The SRB members had few questions and approved forwarding the nomination amendment to the National Park Service.
Historic District Street Signs – The signs, which will be affixed to existing street sign poles, will start going up at entrances to the districts on April 29.
Another Lustron Work Day – The County Historical Society has had one successful work day and another is planned for Saturday, May 2. Commission members would be welcome.
PND Conference, May 1-3 – The PND Conference is being held in Bismarck this weekend and has a good line-up of presenters.
MPO Downtown Plan – Earl Haugen has notified us that the Downtown Plan has been approved by Grand Forks and East Grand Forks City Councils and by the MPO Board.

Other Business
Library News – Benoit reported that one name for Library Director has been forwarded to the Board and the three finalists for the consultant will be interviewing in town next week. The three finalists for the Children’s Center Director will be interviewing in two to three weeks.
Granitoid – Flemmer asked about results of the Granitoid Survey and the 4th Avenue South proposals. O’Leary said the surveyor hired by the SHPO has completed his onsite work but has not yet submitted his report to the SHPO. In the process of completing his survey, he removed a section of buggy guard that he said was loose and took it back to St. Cloud with him. Gunderson has expressed her disapproval of this action to the SHPO. We have been told that we will be asked to review the survey report when the SHPO receives it. Action on the 4th Avenue/ Minnesota Avenue project is basically on hold awaiting the results of the survey.
FY09 Nominations – Iseminger said State Review Board members had questions about the our upcoming NRHP nominations. O’Leary said the funding has been approved for two nominations: B’nai Israel Synagogue and Montefiore Cemetery, and the WPA Stoneworks at Calvary and Memorial Cemeteries. The Scopes of Work are being drafted and O’Leary will send them out with the caveat that contracts are dependent upon finalization of the funding. The SHPO will finalize funding when Congress approves the Preservation funding bill.
Slater reported that her son is now employed full-time with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is coordinating a cotton mill project near Mississippi State University.

Motion: to adjourn. (Sickels, Bures)
Motion carries. Meeting adjourned. 8:45 p.m.

The next regular meeting will be at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 12, 2009, room A101, City Hall.

Respectfully submitted,



Peg O’Leary
Coordinator