11-30-95 OHPC MINMINUTES OF MEETING
OTSEGO HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
The Otsego Heritage Preservation Commission meeting was called to order
by Chair, Joy Swenson, on Thursday Evening, November 30, 1995 at 7:00 o'clock at
the Otsego City Hall.
Members present: Joy. Swenson, Elaine Norin, Arlene Holen, Janet
Bridgland, Joanie Nichols, Ndrman Schwanbeck, and Frieda Lobeck. Suzanne
Ackerman represented the City Council.
Members absent: None
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and the following corrections
were necessary:
1. In the last paragraph of Page 1 referring to prospective work
Jacquie Rognlie's son would perform for us in working toward his Eagle Scout
award, he will not record in our records the inscriptions on markers at the
cemetery; he will only read them and write them down for us.
2. Also in that same paragraph, it was pointed out that we have no
display boards to be fastened together -- the Secretary misunderstood.
3. In Paragraph 4 on Page 2 the wording should read "Certified
Local Government�lpapers are ready, etc.
4. In Paragraph 5, Elaine Norin should be added as a member who
attended the Visioning Meeting.
There being no further corrections or additions, Norman moved the
corrected minutes be accepted; Arlene seconded the motion and was carried
unanimously.
Norman mentioned about getting some books from the library which John
Pepin has written. We will attempt to make copies of some of the contents which
refer, particularly, to Otsego. Norman also said he has a good picture of
Father Trobec which he expects to give to us. Father Trobec was a priest at
St. Andrews in Elk River many years ago.
Some of our materials are here which will help in marking our property
such as the Stamp referred to in last month's minutes. We are still waiting for
some other items.
It was suggested we make a list of things we will need in our preservation
project to be taken care of after the first of the year -- such as archival folders
to preserve documents and pictures, plastic folders; if ordering a certain amount,
the company adds an album (3 -ring notebook) for $1.89. This would come from
Century Plastics in L.A. We need these plastic folders asop.
=2=
Frieda mentioned she has access to 2 steel flat files, 5 drawers each,
at a reasonable price. They seem to be what we are looking for and can be had at
any time.
It was suggested that our By -Laws be corrected in #7 to read as follows:
11Recommendations to designate historic sites and/or structures
for preservation shall be referred to the City Council and City
Attorney for approval after review and acceptance by the Planning
Commission as provided for in Otsego City Ordinance #94,9."
Elaine made the motion that referred #7 as written out above be accepted
and approved. Motion was seconded by Norman and carried unanimously.
It was also recommended to us during the past week or so that we
prepare an official list of sites and structures we want to be held for possible
preservation. The following seem to be of interest at this time:
1. The Peavey/McDonald House
2. Old Town Hall
3. LaPlant's House
4. Lefebvre's Old Round Barn
5. Cemetery site
The Heritage Preservation Commission is hereby going on record that the
above entities are of prime interest to our commission, and we wish to have these
sites undisturbed. The foregoing resolution was made by Norman and seconded by
Arlene, carried unanimously.
Discussion was conducted on storage of Township Records with State
Archives Department.
Janet has volunteered to write a memo to the City Council asking for
permission to have the Minnesota State Archives Department send a representative
to our City Hall to survey the records accumulated since the 1880's to determine
what is worthy of keeping and what is not. They will not disturb or remove anything.
Their service is free of charge and when given written permission to transer such
items, they will go to the Minnesota Historical Society, State Archives Department,
and are available for viewing and review. A copy of Government Records Information
Leaflet No. 1, Township Records, is made a part of these minutes.
The next meeting isscheduled for December 28, 1995 at 7:00 PM.
There being no futher business to come before the meeting, Norman made
the motion for ajournment and Janet seconded the motion, carried unanimously at
9:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Frieda Lobeck
Secretary
MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIE'T'Y
STATE ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT
345 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102 - (612)297-4502
Government Records Information Leaflet No. 1
Township Records
Many historically important records remain in the custody of Minnesota townships and town officials. This
statement identifies some of the most valuable series of town records. Many townships will have examples of all
these records series; others may have very few. All records on this list, whenever feasible, may be transferred to
the State Archives in the Minnesota Historical Society. Transfer of such records to any other historical agency,
public library, or museum is expressly prohibited by Minnesota statutes.
CLERK'S BOOKS, including minutes of supervisors'
meetings and clerk's financial records; clerk's books
are sometimes separated into minute books and
volumes entitled Clerk's Financial Records; early
volumes may be called "Town Records".
TREASURER'S BOOKS: in later years sometimes
called Treasurer's Register of Receipts and
Disbursements.
BIRTH and DEATH REGISTERS: kept by the town
clerk until 1953. Some of these records have been
transferred to the court administrator or county
recorder. Others have been retained in the towns.
Because this function is no longer performed by the
towns and because of potential access restrictions,
these records should be transferred to the Archives
immediately.
BURIAL PERMITS, or permits to remove bodies,
frequently found with the death certificates.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE DOCKET BOOKS:
sometimes divided into civil and criminal dockets.
Docket books may contain a record of marriages
performed by the justice. This function is no longer
performed at the town level. All records should be
transferred to the Archives.
WOLF BOUNTY, tree bounty, gopher bounty, grass-
hopper bounty, and crow bounty records.
EARLY REAL and PERSONAL PROPERTY
ASSESSMENT BOOKS and tax lists, especially
those before 1902.
LAND TAX, road tax, and poll tax lista and warrant
books, especially before 1913.
ELECTION RECORDS: only the register of electors
(or poll lists) and the final abstract of votes need be
preserved. Ballots, flag certificates, absentee voter
certificates, judges' oaths, etc., caw be destroyed one
year after the election.
ROAD RECORD BOOKS and petitions for road
improvements.
- over -
TREASURER'S ANNUAL STATEMENTS:
compiled in preparation for the town's annual
meeting, these summaries should be kept or
transferred to the Archives unless they are duplicated
in the clerk's book.
BOARD OF AUDIT minutes and reports.
CLERK'S MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL
MEETING: recorded on a special form for use by
clerks throughout the state, this summary should be
kept or transferred to the Archives unless it is
duplicated in the clerk's book.
CHATTEL MORTGAGE RECORD BOOKS and
INDEXES: recorded by the town clerk until 1913,
when function was transferred to the county register
of deeds (recorder). Some townships turned in these
books to the county. Others retained them in the
towns.
Some townships will have early correspondence files, petitions, etc. These records should be transferred to the
Archives for selection and disposition. Much of this loose paper will not be kept permanently, but frequently
selected items of interest are found.
Many townships have in their custody important records of CLOSED RURAL SCHOOLS, RURAL TELEPHONE
COMPANIES, CEMETERIES, or other COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. These records, if no longer needed,
may always be transferred to the Archives.
The preservation and orderly disposition of records of Minnesota townships are governed by Minnesota Statutes
138.17, Subdivision 1. No records of the townships can be destroyed or removed from agency custody without
signed authorization by the Records Disposition Panel as constituted by the statute. Further information and forms
on which to request permission to destroy records on a one-time basis or to transfer noncurrent records to the State
Archives are available from the State Archives, Minnesota Historical Society, at the address and phone number
shown above. Information about the establishment of a records retention schedule giving on-going permission to
dispose of government records is available from the Minnesota Department of Administration, Information Policy
Office, 320 Centennial Building, 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155; (612) 296-6879. The Information Policy
Office also has for distribution a model approved retention schedule listing how long each series of township records
should be kept.
DLA:2/1993