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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 12/18/2023APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2023 7:00 P.M. Meeting Heritage Rooms, City Hall HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Schumacher (Chair); Paul Thorp (Vice-Chair); Rod Fisher; George Maxwell; Robert Bowes; Andy Ludowese; Melanie Willett; Catherine Lau STUDENT MEMBERS: Abha Gupta, Abhinov Koutharapu, Amuktha Pothamsetti, Berit Berggren, Nikhill Andrew, Owen Caruth, Sasha Allen COMMISSION STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Schumacher called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Absent was commission member Willett and student representative Andrew, Koutharapu, and, Gupta. Resident Ted Melby joined the meeting and Steve Clifton. II. READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT Caruth read the land acknowledgement statement. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Lau to approve the agenda. Motion carried 7- 0. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Bowes to approve the minutes of the November 20, 2023 meeting. Motion carried 7-0. V. NEW BUSINESS A. DISCUSS 2024 WORK PLAN Novak-Krebs displayed a PowerPoint and stated it would be presented to the City Council by Chair Schumacher at 5:30 p.m. on February 6, 2024. She described the format of this presentation. This meeting would be used to go over the EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 18, 2023 Page 2 accomplishments for 2023 and the work plan for 2024, and then the commission would have the January meeting for any final revisions. Novak-Krebs briefly displayed the commission’s charter, mission, and member list. She went through the 2023 accomplishments. 2023 Accomplishments These included a joint meeting with the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission, Human Rights and Diversity, the creation of subcommittees to work on projects between meetings, the Citywide Open House, the presentation of the Training Curriculum to the two new commissioners, tour of Eden Prairie’s Historic Cemeteries, and tour of Camp Eden Wood. Other accomplishments were the Harvest to Halloween event and tours of the Dorenkemper House, welcoming new members and student members, renewal of the voluntary Heritage Plaque Program, and completion of interviews of seven individuals with knowledge of the 1968 Comprehensive Plan. The Heritage Preservation Award had been presented to Katie Qualey. The commission had continued researching the old Depot site and the old Mill site for possible nomination for designation as local Heritage Preservation sites. Language was reviewed and a grant application submitted for two interpretive panels for the Pegasus (a.k.a. Flying Red Horse). Research was begun for the Red Rock at Birch Island Lake. Maxwell suggested adding that Thorp and Fisher had returned the sacred red rock to the custodial tribe. Discussion followed on the proper naming of the Old Mill Site. Maxwell added the commission would also work with the Parks Department to notify homeowners adjacent to the Old Mill Site not to dump lawn clippings there. Schumacher stated the commission first needed to decide how to interpret or utilize the site since it was difficult to get to. He suggested having volunteers to help clean out the site. Maxwell suggested a sign. Lau suggested wording for the sign, but Thorp stated this might not be the right approach. The City was not willing to have staff clear the site or put up a sign. Discussion followed on commission members clearing the site. Discussion followed on the wording of a sign. Novak-Krebs stated the 2024 Work Plan could have subheadings for clarity. Schumacher stated he had received feedback from the City Manager and the Mayor for the commission to prioritize the commission’s projects, and the Old Mill site was not as important as, say, Birch Hall at Camp Edenwood. He suggested a prioritization schedule. Thorp stated the Old Mill Site would have to be a volunteer effort. Novak-Krebs stated timing also factored into this; for Birch Hall, for example, the commission was not ready to apply for the grant until EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 18, 2023 Page 3 LeBlanc did his work, but the commission members could assist LeBlanc with his assessment. Bowes stated the Eden Prairie Lions presented LeBlanc with a $15,000.00 check for initial work. Schumacher and Novak-Krebs agreed priorities could be set in subcommittee. Melby raised his concerns about the few remaining big woods in the area. Fisher stated this might come under the purview of the Park Board, as the HPC was charged to protect human history. Schumacher offered to meet with Melby and perhaps refer this to a subcommittee. Schumacher urged inclusion of the commission’s efforts to tell the Native American story, such as the Battle of Shakopee and the return of the Red Rock. Other suggestions was the revival of the History Hunt, the students’ projects and coordinating with True Friends on the Birch Hall and Holasek House projects. Novak-Krebs offered to add the suggestions. Schumacher commended the plan and called it a good starting point. Novak- Krebs offered to bring the next draft to the January meeting. B. DISCUSS STUDENT-LED VIDEOS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES Schumacher asked the students if this was possible to arrange during this meeting, how they wished to designed their projects, and what help they needed. He suggested a video of the Cummins Phipps Grill House (three to five minutes) to be posted on the website and Eden Prairie Facebook page, possibly led by Sasha Allen. Allen proposed a Camp Edenwood project Owen Caruth suggested researching and overseeing the Holasek House remodel, with a connection to its history and how the house evolves. He would document the changes. Schumacher suggested the student representatives choose their projects and a coordinator for each, with completion within the next two months. Lau suggested a deadline for the March meeting. C. UPDATE ON MEETING WITH SHELDON WOLFCHILD (THORP) Thorp stated Wolfchild was one of the elders of the Dakota who was also an actor who had been in Dances with Wolves, and had authenticated the Red Rock. Thorp was trying to get him to look at the Birch Island Red Rock for his opinion. An archeological study had been done in the 1980s on the fire ring site but not the rock, which was based on testimony of the former landowner. Thorp also asked Wolfchild about the battle of 1858 (Battle of Shakopee). Wolfchild said this should be commemorated, and he would not be offended by a sign, but Thorp stressed this was one person’s opinion. The sign had been taken EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 18, 2023 Page 4 down and the plaque was gone, during the widening of Flying Cloud Drive in the 1920-1930s. Thorp stated Lowell Peterson, Siever Peterson’s older brother, lived on south side of the Minnesota River and remembered a Red Rock there. It was close to the Village of Little Six but Scott County had no knowledge of it, and apparently neither did Wolfchild. Wolfchild was in favor of a kiosk sign on Birch Island that was general in nature. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. FOLLOW UP ON DISCUSSION WITH JOHN LEBLANC RE: HOLASEK HOUSE Schumacher stated the Holasek House was originally near Lifetime Fitness, not the old school, according to newspaper articles. Discussion followed on the location. Schumacher stated the house had been offered to the City, the City declined it, and the house was then moved into Minnetonka in 1986. When Camp Edenwood was looking for new administration building they moved the house to its final location. Caruth stated John LeBlanc gave him some of the documents, including how steel girders were placed under the foundation to move the house. Schumacher stated the actual house was being assessed so LeBlanc could move forward with renovating the inside with the commission’s oversight to exterior original character and décor. MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Lau that True Friends had the Commission’s support to renovate the Holasek House interior to modern standards, but was strongly encouraged to preserve the exterior so it maintains the historic character, under commission oversight. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. VII. REPORTS OF SUBCOMMITTEES A. NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY/OUTREACH Schumacher announced Willett resigned from the commission. Bowes offered to volunteer for this subcommittee and Thorp offered to share information with him. Fisher stated the subcommittee had met. They had visited Shakopee tribe, Scott County Historical Society, and the City of Bloomington staff. Bloomington had hired a Minnesota Historical Society historian to write a 100-page history of indigenous people in Bloomington. “Bloomington— the Native History.” The Native American subcommittee proposed to EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 18, 2023 Page 5 suggest to the City Council that it commission a similar report for Eden Prairie. He suggested using the same person, Peter DeCarlo.. Fisher offered to send the link containing the information. The cost was $6,000.00 for the report and presentation. Maxwell suggested the commission could raise the money if Council did not allocate funds. The commission members agreed funds could be found in some way. Novak- Krebs stated this was also a discussion item at the presentation of the Work Plan. Bowes suggested this would help the commission tell the story of the Battle of 1858. MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Bowes to continue the process of exploring interest from the City to hire a consultant to create a report to document the Native American history of Eden Prairie. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. B. NEW HERITAGE PRESERVATION SITE DESIGNATIONS Thorp stated any work done would have to be volunteer and the Historical Society could be a resource. He would meet with them next week. The nomination should come from the HPC. C. RENOVATION/MAINTENANCE DEVELOPMENT This committee did not meet but members did discuss the Holasek House and the dining hall at Camp Edenwood. There was no further conversation about the cemetery and records apart from ensuring the records would be properly preserved. D. DOCUMENTATION/HISTORICAL RECORDINGS/OUTREACH This committee would focus on helping with the students’ videos. VIII. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF IX.. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Schumacher stated the Society members in the commission would also present the commission’s work at the Historical Society’s meetings from now on. The Christmas Tree sale was ongoing, as was Santa’s sittings at the Cummins Phipps Grill House. X. FYI ITEMS XI NEXT MEETING EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 18, 2023 Page 6 The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Heritage Room. XII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Bowes to adjourn. Motion carried 7-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m.