ITEM 3.8B OHP 11.18.2014 MinutesITEM 3_8B
11-18-14 Otsego Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting
Present: Toni Seroshek, Chris Wilson, John Noll, Zonja Matushenko, Mayor Jessica
Stockamp
The meeting was called to order at 7:03 and minutes from the last meeting were
approved.
Changes to the Agenda: Item 4, "book revisions/scanning project" was tabled as the
issues had not yet been discussed with the full council. There was also nothing new
to report regarding the park signs/grant issue (item #6).
Open Commission Seat: The open position on the HPC was advertised in the most
recent publication of the Otsego View and is also posted on the Otsego City website.
The commission spent about 1/a hour going through miscellaneous history and/or
Otsego history documents from Chris Wilson's home library, determining what to
recycle and what to add to the HPC collection.
New business:
Mayor Stockamp shared several pieces of good news. First, she has found a possible
use for the Old Schoolhouse. She recently learned that the Otsego Lions will be
taking over the "Gifts Anonymous" program that is currently being managed by
CAER. Donations to the program have and are currently being stored on private
property with distribution happening at Handke Center in Elk River. The Otsego
Lions would instead use the old schoolhouse to store donations and potentially use
Prairie Center for distribution. Note, for this year the Otsego Lions are shadowing
the program, plus the Prairie Center is already reserved the weekend planned for
distribution. A motion was made to approve the proposal to use the old schoolhouse
for the Gifts Anonymous program and was approved unanimously.
Jessica also mentioned the possibility of the HPC being included on a tour of Patti
and Richard Lefebvre's barn (the carpet place on Parrish.) They have a large variety
of historical and other interesting items on display in one of their storage barns.
This would most likely happen in warmer weather. Chris mentioned that there
might also be a chance to tour the round barn at some point in the future.
Lastly, Jessica told us about a local Otsego resident, Stella Lenz Lefebvre (103 years
old), who would be a good source of local history. Her husband, Robert Lefebvre
was on the Town Board at one time (not sure of the exact dates). Next step is to
determine whether she would be willing to be interviewed.
Meeting adjourned 8:25.