ITEM 3.3A OHP 5.9.2017 MinutesITEM 3-3A
5-9-17 Otsego Heritage Preservation Commission Minutes
Present: Toni Seroshek, Chris Wilson, Zonja Matushenko, Gail Anderson,
Mayor Jessica Stockamp
Meeting called to order at 7:07pm. Minutes of the last meeting were approved.
There were no changes to the agenda.
Park Signs - Toni has contacted Kelly Farm Site Manager with no response in her
attempt to get a picture of the Northwood metal polish container that Chris and
Gail saw earlier on a tour of Kelley Farm; this is for Northwood Park sign. She will
send the material she has to Dan Licht.
AVID project — No one has heard any further news about how the Rogers High
School students interviewing seniors in nursing homes has been going. Zonja did
notify the AVID Director about our meeting tonight.
SHPO — State History Preservation Organization. The Commissioners discussed
the news that the MN state governor is recommending that SHPO be placed
under control of the executive branch of the State Government rather than the
Minnesota Historical Society. We discussed the issue and we unanimously agree
that our preference be that the SHPO remain under the Minnesota Historical
Society purview so that it has a more neutral orientation and avoids political
jockeying. Gail volunteered to contact Michael Koop and ask him if there is any
organized response of objection to the idea of this change or what he suggests as
an appropriate response and if there is a deadline. Toni did write a letter of
objection to the Governor from herself.
Newspaper Clippings from the Elk River Star newspaper: Chris has clipped the last
month's news from the Elk River Star News and we all agreed this is a helpful
practice to continue so that we are collecting tomorrow's history today locally.
She will continue to clip relevant Otsego news weekly and collect it in our office.
Festival Project- Otsego Prairie Festival - September 16, 2017.
We discussed our theme of "History, Her Story, Your Story." We discussed the
Otsego View newsletter which has two issues going out before The Festival:
beginning of June and beginning of September. We would like to have an
example of somebody's story but so far we only have the stories Corey Tanner
and Jessica Stockamp. We want to consider if we should have an older person's
story, such as that of Sarah Connett. Gail will call Carol James and check on
Sarah's status currently. Toni will forward the tapes recorded from Gail, Chris and
Toni's interviews with her to Zonja.
After exploring several ideas, the most favorable idea, we agreed, was for Chris
Wilson to paint on the canvas she has, provided it is large enough, with Otsego
symbols such as the water tower, the old school, etc. which she did in miniature
previously for an Otsego map. We will take a group or individual pictures with the
canvas as back drop, with the date and place noted, and put all of them on the
OHPC website, kind of a "checking in" at the Festival. These will be taken with a
digital camera. Persons can also take their own pictures with the backdrop. It
would be of utmost importance that the background is securely fastened to the
booth. It could be the back wall of the booth, in fact, with heavy weights
attached. We would need to give people instructions on how to find their
pictures on our website, not using names, so that it doesn't get too complicated.
Chris will bring in the canvas to the next meeting for a sense of size. We are less
sure about collecting other people's stories given the lack of response from those
we have asked. Jessica will get Chris' original small symbols of the City back to
Chris.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20p.m.
Gail Anderson, Secretary