ITEM 3.6C OHPC 10.14.2014ITEM 3_EC
10-14-14 Otsego Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting
Present: Toni Seroshek, Chris Wilson, Lisa Fahey, Zonja Matushenko, Gail
Anderson. Mayor Jessica Stockamp, City Clerk, Tami Loff.
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 and minutes from the last meeting were
approved. A letter was modified and approved to send thank yous to the farm
families who loaned us items for the Prairie Festival booth. Our booth was
deemed a good success. Gail will send the finished letter and addresses to Tami
Loff tomorrow for dispersal.
Tami Loff, Otsego City Clerk, presented information and questions re:
the Laserfiche system which is now being used to digitize the City of Otsego's
official records. An intern has been hired short term to do the scanning. The
priority list of Laserfiche projects is: 1) Property files; 2) Commercial files; 3)
Development files; and 4) OHPC files. The intern is still doing City business.
Otsego Laserfiche system
Tami had questions about what picture quality would be desired by OHPC. The
system can copy color but not on the larger sizes such as large maps or blueprints,
which are only black and white. Materials can be public or non-public and are
hosted on a site other than the city site for security purposes. The Laserfiche
system would not be good for our old photos as it is a sheet fed machine rather
than a flat screen scanner. Our photos would need to be hand scanned, stored in
TIFF files and then imported to the Laserfiche system. The City needs to know
what our priorities are for scanning to estimate it as a budget item. We had
questions about what could be attached to pictures scanned in terms of
information (sounds unlimited but much extra labor by someone because the
typing in of this info is not something the intern does.) The budget questions for
next year have a deadline of October 27.
Determination of priority of OHPC materials to be scanned in Laserfiche
After Tami left, the Commission discussed what our priorities would be. We
decided that our OHPC history books would be the first priority. They would be
scanned and stored and kept in a non-public file. Lisa has been leading the
Commission on the goal of rebinding the existing books with new covers (which
Lisa has offered to do at no cost to the City) and better pictures where possible.
Lisa will bring copies of possible binding options next meeting. Jessica will share
this priority with the Budgeting committee at the next meeting. Lisa cannot
rebind the books until her slow time at her family's business which would be next
spring. That would give Toni time to find the original photographs available for
redoing those pages with poor photos. We will consult with Kim Welter re: design
of the new covers.
Joan Vasseur's letter
A letter was received from resident Joan Vasseur thanking us for the Festival
booth. She also reported an error as she determined from her research on the
date of the opening of the first bridge built between Elk River and Otsego. Toni
will research the question and respond to Joan.
Zonia Matushenko's oral report on the National Conference on Historic
Preservation
Zonja was able to attend two days of the National Conference and met Michael
Koop introducing herself as a Commissioner from Otsego. She acknowledged that
much of the presentations were geared to museums but that the theme of the
Conference was really about collaboration between or among history -focused
organizations. For instance, she networked with Farmington Commissioners who
staff a booth at their Farmers Markets to publicize their history. Another example
she gave was of a VFW and a history group who worked together to create an
exhibit honoring veterans from WWI. She went on a tour of the historic Dove Hill
house, adjacent to the JJ Hill house, which she deemed quite fascinating. Zonja
will submit a written report to Dan Licht, City Planner, of her experience after she
learns what the requirements are.
Meeting adjourned. The date of the next meeting will be changed from
November 11, a public holiday, to November 18, 2014 at 7:00 pm.
Gail Anderson,
Recorder