04-12-22 OHPC Meeting MinutesOTSEGO HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
OTSEGO PRAIRIE CENTER
APRIL 12, 2022
7:00 PM
Call to Order.
This meeting was called to order at 6:54 PM.
Roll Call: Chair: Toni Seroshek; Commissioners: Chris Wilson, John Waldron, Kathleen Beaudry;
City Council: CM Brittany Moores; Dan Licht, City Planner. Commissioners absent: Gail
Anderson and Cara Husek.
2. Consider Agenda Approval:
Commissioner Chris Wilson to approve the agenda as written. Seconded by Commissioner
Kathy Beaudry. All in favor. Motion carried. 4-0
3. Consider the following minutes:
3.1 March 8, 2022.
Commissioner Chris Wilson motioned to approve the minutes as written. Seconded by
Commissioner Kathy Beaudry. All in favor. Motion carried. 4-0
4. Updates:
4.1 Updates on City Council actions.
City Council CM Brittany updated OHPC on City Council Action Items. She also informed us of
Ross’s departure. We will miss him.
4.2 Updates on Heritage Preservation items.
Chris Wilson notified us of Joanie Vassar’s willingness to write a little about the
Vassar bricks and submit to Sabrina for the Otsego View.
4.3 Planning Items.
a. Comprehensive Plan Update.
Dan Licht reviewed the history and current options of this with the help of printed graphics. He
asked for our input as commissioners and as residents of Otsego. He also encouraged us to
share the website with other Otsego residents so they can participate in this process. There will
also be two upcoming open houses for further public input.
b. Town Hall building
Dan Licht reviewed the proper process for us to bring our concerns to the city and that we
cannot act independently, i.e., contacting state agencies without city input. OHPC should work
through our city council representative who then brings it to the admin subcommittee who
then can take it to the city council if they think it could be a priority for the city. The city council
then decides if it is a priority. Then and only then do we act on the item or project; we can’t as
a commission on our own generate, move forward on a project. We are an advisory
commission.
He reported that the public works department maintains the building and the roof is sound and
the building is secure and watertight. This was in response to Chris’s concerns.
The future of the schoolhouse/city hall is unclear. There has long been a plan for widening
County Rd 39 and part of that project would include a roundabout at the Nashua intersection
that would most likely take the property that the city hall/school sits on.
There are other limits to the property usage. It is part of the Wild and Scenic designation on
the Mississippi River so no building or expansion is allowed; it could be used as a park for
instance.
When this road project goes forward (maybe 5-10 years?), there may need to be an historical
assessment of the building. At this time however, the city does not recognize the historical
assessment as a priority so no further work should be done regarding that with SHPO.
Chris asked if the building could be moved by someone to another location as repurposing. Dan
explained that this could be a possibility again working through the channels as noted.
5. Update on Old City Hall.
As above.
6. Adjourn.
Commissioner Kathy Beaudry motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Commissioner Chris Wilson.
All in favor. Motion carried. 4-0
Adjourned at 8:10 PM.
Minutes taken/written by Commissioner Toni Seroshek.