Westport News

Present
Member: Jim Collins, Janet Jones, Jane Loos, Donna Lubell, Geraldine Millham
Alternate: Norma Judson, Christine Vezetinski

Absent
Member: Wendy Goldberg
Alternate: Anne (Pete) Baker, Sean Leach

Others in attendance:
Jim Coyne Board of Selectmen
John Long Westport
Rick Mercier Architect for 1963 Main Road, WPT
John Miller 5 Windward Way, WPT
Beverly Schuch 1963 Main Road, WPT
Robert Trippp 1834 Main Road, WPT
Dennis Talbot Builder for 1963 Main Road, WPT
Dorothy Vezetinski 1990 Main Road, WPT

Vice Chair Jim Collins (JC) opened the meeting at 7:00 pm in the basement meeting area at Town Hall. JC named Alternates Norma Judson (NKJ) and Christine Vezetinski (CV) as voting members for tonight’s meeting, bringing the total to seven.

A. General Business
1. Minutes of July 5,2011 Meeting. Jane Loos (JL) explained that the draft minutes had been circulated electronically to all members. Geraldine Millham (GM) suggested some revisions and clarifications. Janet Jones (JJ) moved and Donna Lubell (DL) seconded a motion to approve the draft minutes as amended. The vote was 5 in favor, with two abstentions because they had not attended that meeting (NKJ, CV).

2. Treasurer’s Report. GM presented the report as of July 27, 2011 (Attachment 1):
(a) WHC expense account had a balance of $725. Revenue balance is $0.
(b) WHC Trust Account balance of $9,754.31. The Wolf Pit School Trust balance is
$6,459.61.
(c) The Town Farm expense account balance is $1,316, with an additional $674 encumbered
from FY2011. The Town Farm Trust balance is $11,297.56.

JL moved and CV seconded a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report. The motion was approved unanimously.

3. Mail.
(a) JC read to the meeting a note from Sharon Connors expressing her thanks to WHC members for our joint years of service.
(b) JC passed on to GM to handle a request for a new house sign in the Point Historic
District.
(c) JC read to the meeting Wendy Goldberg’s July 11, 2011 letter to the Board of Selectmen concerning locking of Town Hall doors, requesting that all WHC commission members be included on the list of those who can pick up a key at the Police Station (Attachment 2).
(d) JC read to the meeting a letter from Town Counsel to the attorneys for the owners of 1875 Main Road, reaching agreement for them to withdraw a request to depose WHC members (Attachment 3). JL summarized the current state of the lawsuit, and how this deposition request/withdrawal fits into the steps leading to trial.

4. Preliminary Review for 1963 Main Road. Beverly Schuch, owner, introduced the revised proposal, thanking WHC for its comments and suggestions offered at the July 5, 2011 preliminary review. She explained that by taking some of WHC suggestions, the revised project design suits her needs even better, besides settling in better in the context of the village architecture. Dennis Talbot, builder, and Rick Mercier, designer, assisted in the presentation. The current proposal retains the east/west roofline, and adds a second story on the front part of the western-most building, all on the current footprint. Rick Mercier explained that they would borrow details from the neighboring buildings to finishes, trim, brackets, etc.

5. WHC members complimented the revised design, and offered only a few additional comments/suggestions concerning the height of the north chimney, design of the rooflets, and scale of corner boards and trim. Ms. Schuch thanked WHC for its comments and indicated that they would finish the design work and submit an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness, hopefully in time for the September meeting.

6. Briefing Note on Clearances for Projects Using State and Federal Funds. JL updated the meeting about WHC’s July 19 consultation with the Planning Board about the above noted briefing note and historic preservation processes for the Citizens Union Savings Bank’s proposed building in Central Village. JL updated the briefing note and will circulate it with the minutes of tonight’s meeting (Attachment4).

7. CPC and Oscar Palmer Farm. Janet Jones (JJ) briefed the meeting about the latest CPC actions for funding some of the proposed historic preservation work on the Oscar Palmer Farm house, barn and building #5. JJ explained that the new owners presented a proposal for roof and masonry work totally about $120,000 (compared with the $166,500 allocation remaining in the CPA-funded grant), all consistent with the terms of WHC’s Certificate of Appropriateness granted at WHC’s July 5, 2011 meeting. The new owners are now assembling a third bid for each of the proposed contracts, and hope to be back to CPC in September for approvals. The CPC voted to proceed with the $166,500 grant, and not exclude the possibility for requesting Town Meeting approval for additional funding at a later date.

8. Appointment of WHC Members/Alternates. JC noted that the Board of Selectmen (BOS) has not yet acted on these appointments. Jim Coyne, BOS member, explained that the BOS intends to take up these appointments at its August 15 meeting. In response to JC’s question, Jim Coyne indicated that he did not think that the BOS needed any further information from WHC or from the applicants in order to take action.

9. WHC Subcommittees. GM noted that there are three subcommittees for the three large projects outside the Westport Point Local Historic District and that one subcommittee needs additional members:
Handy House – GM, WG, Pete Baker
Oscar Palmer Farm – GM, WG, JJ
Town Farm- GM
JC and CV volunteered to join the Town Farm subcommittee. JL suggested that the subcommittees review all details of any proposals that require WHC approval, and present the subcommittee’s recommendations for WHC actions when the proposals come to WHC for decisions. JL hoped that the use of these subcommittees would streamline the review/approval processes during the public meetings, and facilitate the work of the applicants.

10. GM presented a report on the WHC Handy House subcommittee’s July 19, 2011 meeting (Attachment 5).

11. Work in the Westport Point Local Historic District. CV and DL brought to the meeting’s attention activity on two houses in the historic district and inquired if WHC had issued certificates to them. JL undertook to double-check the list of active certificates, and advise WG if follow-up action is needed.

The Meeting was adjourned at 8:35pm. The next meeting will be September 6, 2011 at 7pm.

draft prepared by JL, approved September 6, 2011

Attachments:
1. Treasurer’s Report as of 7/27/11
2. WG July 11 Letter to BOS
3. Town Counsel July 21, 2011 letter
4. Updated Briefing note on Project Review for Projects using Federal or State Funds
5. Handy House Subcommittee Report on July 19, 2011 meeting