Item 4.1 3-12-24 OHPC Meeting MinutesOTSEGO HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
Lily Pond Conference Room at City Hall
Thursday, March 14, 2024
7:00 PM
Call to Order.
This mee1ng was called to order at 7:01 PM.
Roll Call: Chair: Toni Seroshek; Commissioners: Jim Penick, Kelly Kiffmeyer, Brooke Nault, and
Tami S1nski, and Chris Wilson (Alternate) City Council: CM BriLany Moores and CM Ryan
Dunlap.
1.Annual Business:
1.1 Elec1on of 2023 Heritage Preserva1on Commission Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary
Commissioner Seroshek has agreed to take on chair for another year. Commissioner S1nski
volunteered to be vice chair. Commissioner Nault will stay on as secretary. Mo1on to approve:
Commissioner Wilson. Commissioner Kiffmeyer seconded.
2. Consider Agenda Approval:
Commissioner SHnski to approve the agenda as wriNen. Seconded by Commissioner Wilson.
All in favor. MoHon carried 6-0.
3. Consider the following minutes:
3.1 December 12, 2023.
Holton was spelled incorrectly and needs to be updated to Houlton.
Commissioner SHnski moHoned to approve the minutes as wriNen.
Seconded by Commissioner Wilson. All in favor. MoHon carried 6-0.
4. Discuss the move; storage bins and their contents; cabinets in Prairie Center.
Chair Seroshek has everything in bins with inventoried sheets. Laptop access - computer stays in
Lily Pond Room. Backup on thumb drive - in same bin as lock box. Ar1facts are inventoried and
Toni took pictures of what is le[ at the Prairie Center. The books OHPC sell are s1ll in the NE
room of Prairie Center.
5. Ini1a1ve Founda1on
Community support within central Minnesota; historic preserva1on is not a focus or part of
their funding. Commissioner Seroshek ques1oned why they had the mee1ng at the Wright
County Historical Society / Museum. Commissioner Seroshek reminded OHPC that they cannot
do any kind of grant request without talking to city council first.
Item 4.1
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6. Interview Agreement Forms
Commissioner Seroshek passed along interview release forms and noted if any interviews are
performed, OHPC needs to get the interviewee to sign the release form in order for the
interview to become property of Otsego. The following are poten1al interview leads.
5.1 Carol James: Lives in the old school house. There is a lot of family history and Otsego
history. Commissioner Seroshek will take lead on secng up an interview with Carol James.
5.2. Swenson Farm: Has all the white barns in front and there is a lot of history here. Call
Chuck Hartell who now owns the farm. Commissioners S1nski and Wilson will take the lead on
secng up an interview. Commissioner Wilson recommended John Waldon to take pictures.
5.3 Guardian Angels: Commissioner Nault reached out to Elk River Guardian Angels and
le[ contact informa1on with Lisa. There has been no contact from them at this point.
5.4 Sarah Cooley: Jim was tasked with learning and wri1ng about her. The music teacher
at Otsego elementary is also a Cooley. CM Moores will email the music teacher at Otsego
Elementary to see if there is a familial 1e.
5.5 Other Ideas: Commissioner Nault suggested an interview with Crow River Farm
Implement. Commissioner Seroshek men1oned to first check out the Otsego View on the Joan
Vassar ar1cle. Commissioner Nault will follow-up on this.
Commissioner Kiffmeyer men1oned a project to document living history and will come
up with an idea next month on how to proceed. Commissioner Wilson suggested having a live
camera to document changes in the landscape and growth of the city.
6. Round Barn PowerPoint
Commissioner Seroshek shared the power point she created on the Round Barn.
Commissioner S1nski asked if the round barn’s informa1on and pictures are accessible on the
city website. Commission Seroshek said the park signs are on the website, however, she was not
sure if the Round Barn, Na1ve American posters were available on the website yet. CM Moores
will double check and if they aren’t online, will have them added. Commissioner Nault asked if
any of the Otsego schools would want a presenta1on on the Round Barn. CM Moores will reach
out to the elementary school on this.
Commissioner Kiffmeyer inquired whether there has been any discussion on crea1ng a
Facebook page for the OHPC? Commissioner Seroshek responded that currently there is not. If
someone were to take this over, they would have to maintain it and also make sure any
correspondence and posts are within the city’s guidelines.
7. Naming Ashwood Park (75th and Odean)
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CM Moores shared that Dan, the city planner, has done a 1tle search on Ashwood Park
and the names that OHPC had come up with did not pass muster. CM Moores said the Walesch
Property is next to Ashwood. Commissioner Seroshek said the Walesch name is associated to
one of the earliest developments in the city and what caused Otsego to become a city. She said
they may s1ll be an ac1ve land developer and in which case, unless they are going to pay for
naming rights of the park, does not make sense.
CM Moore’s men1oned Dan thought the OHPC had more plat maps to which Commissioner
Seroshek replied OHPC has only 3-4 old plat mats.
8. Updates:
8.1 Updates on City Council ac1ons.
City Council CM Moores dated OHPC on City Council Ac1on Items.
8.2 Updates on Heritage Preserva1on items.
9. Adjourn.
Commissioner Nault moHoned to adjourn the meeHng at 8:23 PM.
Seconded by Commissioner SHnsky. All in favor. MoHon carried 6-0.
Minutes prepared by Commissioner Nault.
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