SOMERSET COUNTY CULTURAL & HERITAGE COMMISSION Minutes January 13, 2016

Transcription

1 SOMERSET COUNTY CULTURAL & HERITAGE COMMISSION Minutes January 13, 2016 I. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Commission President Robert Bouwman in compliance with the Open Public Meeting Notice Act, Chapter 231 PL II. III. Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Commissioners: Robert Bouwman, Mark Else, Don Esposito, Kathy Faulks, Phyllis Fittipaldi, Phyllis Konen, Ann Rosenblum, H. Kels Swan Advisory Committee Members: Jan ten Broeke, Raymond Sanderson, Larry Engel, Brian Faulks, Rory Britt, Jaye Barre Staff: Pat McGarry, Thomas R. D Amico, Kaitlin Bundy IV. Election of Officers for 2016 Don Esposito, as chair of the nominating committee, asked Phyllis Konen to read the Committee s recommended slate of officers for Ms. Konen said that the Committee recommends Robert Bouwman, President, Tom Buckingham, Vice President, Phyllis Konen, Treasurer and Ann Osterdale-Rosenblum, Secretary. Motion made by Mark Else, duly seconded by Don Esposito and unanimously approved. Approval of December 2015 Minutes A motion by Mark Else, second by Phyllis Fittipaldi to approve the December minutes as submitted. The motion was unanimously approved. V. Correspondence: The following correspondence and invitations were shared with the Commission by Pat McGarry and Tom D Amico: An invitation to The Center for Contemporary Art s Winter Exhibition A thank you letter from the Manville Library for the 2016 LAP award. The Bernardsville Library s Winter newsletter

2 A letter from Bobby Wolf inquiring about the Brook Theater management. Tom replied that the Commission does not manage the theater and directed her to the Brook Theater contact. Kathy Quick sent a letter announcing the new officers of the Freeholder Board. Tom D Amico read correspondence from George Apgar, also known as Old Palatine Gorge, who was asking for maps of Washington s Headquarters. Tom will send these materials. Tom D Amico presented a letter from Washington Crossings regarding the Battle of Bound Brook. Pat McGarry announced that Denise Wolf (Green Brook) is stepping down from the Advisory Committee due to another ongoing monthly (same time) commitment. Larry Engle, who is taking her place, was welcomed as the advisory member from Green Brook. VI. Reports, Old & New Business 10 th Annual Weekend Journey through the Past/Oct 10 & 1, 2015 Pat McGarry reported that she is still waiting for approximately 6-8 participating historic sites to submit their one page feedback form so she can complete the State Discover NJ History Grant for submission. She is also waiting for approximately 8-9 Weekend Journey banners which have not been returned, but needed, so the banners can be removed from her office and packed for storage and reuse New Jersey State Council on the Arts LAP Grant: 2015 funded organizations (18) Final Reports have been received, with two exceptions; All received to date have been reviewed for compliance and final funding disbursement released, with exception of a few that still need follow-up for missing elements or errors; information (statistics, financials, & some pertinent text) has been extracted and documented to collate and merge with agency activities when that portion of the final report will be worked on New Jersey State Council on the Arts LAP Grant: Pat McGarry reported that individualized contracts for each of this year s 13 re-grantee organizations have been created and are ready for review and packaging with cover letter, instructions and other pertinent items to send electronically & by US post. As noted at the December mtg. all re-grantees will be required to submit a formal ADA plan with their 2016 Re-Grantee Agreement in March. All were advised of this commitment in early November for a heads-up and to provide adequate advance preparation time to comply. The C&H Office also widely promoted and sponsored an ADA Workshop in early Nov 2015 to explain the ADA Plan process and to identify and promote handy online resources to support their efforts for this requirement. Re-grantee Agreement Deadline is March 11, 2016.

3 Cultural & Heritage Gallery The ARTsee exhibit ended last Friday on January 8, The show was well received and one work of art was sold. Currently showing, is the Contemporary Art Group, which will run through February 19, The group is excited to be able to exhibit in the C&H Gallery again. Cultural & Heritage Commission Budget Pat McGarry said that there is no news to report at this time. Teen Arts Kaitlin Bundy reported that planning for the 2016 Teen Arts Festival on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 is underway. Kaitlin has begun engaging artists for the festival and has already identified some new and exciting individuals for the festival. Additionally, Kaitlin has been working on items for the State Teen Arts Festival, specifically the Arts Ed Now Campaign Video Contest. She will be attending a meeting on the State Festival on February 2 nd. In the past month, Kaitlin has been working to get a solid understanding of the county volunteer background check and fingerprinting policy. 1. All volunteers for the Teen Arts Festival must be finger printed and background checked through the County Sherriff s department. (If the individual has been background checked by their local police department or a private company within the last year, the County Sherriff s office will be able to obtain this information). 2. Volunteers for the festival must be finger printed and checked every year. Currently the system used by the Sherriff s department deletes the scanned finger prints every days. (It is being looking into to see if they can get state approval to keep the volunteers fingerprints so that they can just be rerun the next year). 3. Interested volunteers must contact Marissa Benner in the Sherriff s office at (908) to make an appointment to be fingerprinted. Fingerprinting is done at the Sherriff s department Mon-Wed. 7:30am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm. (We have scheduled 2 night sessions for those individuals who are unable to make the day time hours the Sherriff s office provides. Appointments can be made for Wednesday, February 17, 2016 or Tuesday, March 15, 2016 from 6pm to 8pm (A snow date will be scheduled if the weather makes either of these dates impossible).

4 NJ Historical Commission (NJHC) County History Partnership (RE-Grant) Program FY CYCLE Pat, Tom and Kaitlin attended the Association of NJ Cultural & Heritage Commissions in December. The State Historical Commission presented additional information on the regrant program. They listened to all the counties concerns regarding the program. The State expects to have a template out for each county to conduct a needs assessment by late February, early March. National Agriculture Month Kaitlin met with Planning Division Staff, Tara Kenyon on National Agriculture Month in March to discuss some ideas to incorporate art into their Ag Day events, including using the Gallery space at 40 North Bridge to display photography and paintings of the farms from Somerset County during March. Historic Preservation Grant Program Tom noted that all of the 2015 vouchers have been submitted but we are still awaiting contracts for the Van Wickel House in Franklin and the Dr. John Vermeule House in Green Brook. He stated that he has received s from David Maski, Planning Director of Hillsborough Township that they are hoping to get the Van der Veer-Harris house project moving forward this spring. He was interested in getting a 2016 application. They currently have an outstanding County 2012 Historic Preservation Grant in the amount of $211,550. Tom also has had a discussion with Michael Calafati consultant for the Kennedy-Martin- Stelle Farmstead concerning the handicap accessibility for the English Barn. It appears that an option has been agreed upon by the Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead, the Township and the County. Tom was contacted by a representative of the Dunster-Squipp House concerning placing a County historic marker along the frontage of the property. The 2016 Grant Guidelines and Application Form has been completed form will be sent out the first week in February. Historic Preservation and History Awards Tom stated that the Historic Preservation and History Awards Program Guidelines and Applications have been completed and will be distributed tomorrow by and regular mail. The Commission must decide on when and where to hold the event, as well as a keynote speaker.

5 VII. Other/Announcements Tom D Amico reported that the Reorganization Meeting for the Planning Board will be held January 19 at 6 PM in the 3 rd floor Freeholders Meeting Room of the County Administration Building. Robert Lane from the Regional Plan Association of New York will be the speaker. Tom also noted that the Fitz Randolph House at East Jersey in Olde Town was the home of his great (times 6) grandfather. Phyllis Fittipaldi requested that a planning meeting of the finance committee be scheduled. Bob Bouwman replied that it will be held before the March 2 Commission meeting at 6:30pm. Kathy Faulks distributed a flyer for the Staats House Tory Jack event on Feb. 13. Ray Sanderson reported that the Lane-Brokaw House on Milltown Road in Bridgewater is in need of a new tarp on the roof. Tom D. said that the town is in charge of this, not the County.Tom also noted that the Township has a historic Preservation Grant for a historic Structures report and a National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Don said he will call the town. A motion was made by Phyllis Fittipaldi and seconded by Phyllis Konen to adjourn the meeting. All in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm. Next meeting will be February 3, Respectfully submitted, Kaitlin Bundy, MPS Program Coordinator