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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 08/17/2026Meeting Agenda Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission 7 p.m. Monday, August 17, 2026 Heritage Rooms City Hall 8080 Mitchell Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ATTENDEES Commission Members: Bob Bowes (Chair); Paul Thorp (Vice-Chair); Rod Fisher; George Maxwell; Andy Ludowese; Prima Sisinni, Lisa Rude, Nancy Cass, Betsey Woods City Staff: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary AGENDA I. Call the Meeting to Order II. Reading of Land Acknowledgement Statement III. Approval of Agenda IV. Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held July 20, 2026 V. New Business A. Presentation and Discussion about Replacing the Purgatory Creek Bridge (Steve Olson) B. Summary from Attendants of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions FORUM VI. Old Business A. Discuss Heritage Plaque Inventory VII. Reports of Subcommittees A. Native American Outreach B. New Heritage Preservation Site Designation C. Renovation/Maintenance/Development D. Documentation/Historical Recordings/Outreach Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Agenda August 17, 2026 VIII. Reports of Commission and Staff IX. Reports of Students X. Reports of Historical Society XI. FYI Items XII. Next Meeting – September 21, 2026 XIII. Adjourn Unapproved Meeting Minutes Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission 7 p.m. Monday, July 20, 2026 City Center Heritage Rooms 8080 Mitchell Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ATTENDEES Commission Members: Robert Bowes (Chair); Paul Thorp (Vice-Chair); Rod Fisher; George Maxwell; Andy Ludowese; Prima Sisinni, Lisa Rude, Nancy Cass, Betsy Woods City Staff: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison; Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary MEETING AGENDA I. Call the Meeting to Order Chair Bowes called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Commission members Ludowese, Rude and Sisinni were absent. Eden Prairie resident Steve Clifton and Historical Society member Devyn Stanton joined the meeting. II. Reading of the Land Acknowledgement Statement Cass read the Land Acknowledgement Statement. III. Approval of Agenda MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Fisher, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 7-0. IV. Approval of Minutes A. Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held Monday, June 15, 2026 MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Thorp, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission Tuesday, June 15, 2025 with the change that Woods shall be listed on the Documentation Committee instead of Native American History. Motion carried 5-0 with one abstention (Maxwell). V. New Business HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 20, 2026 A. Proposal from Authors for Phase 1.5 Bowes stated five commission members would attend the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Forum in Minneapolis this week. The pre-conference started Thursday, and the conference would be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There would be good seminars on indigenous culture at this event. Novak-Krebs requested attendees write out which sessions they attend and give a summary to the commission at the next meeting. She added the City would announce on the website that there could possibly be a quorum at the Form. Novak-Krebs stated the final grant application would be submitted on Friday. John Fulton with the State Historical Society reviewed the pre-application and provided comments to improve the final grant She also met with Mohlis with Maravelas to go through the comments from the State Historical Society on making the application stronger. Novak- Krebs stated she felt this was a stronger application after making changes. The grant application was submitted She expected a response in October or November. She offered to send a copy to the commission members. Mohlis and Maravelas submitted a proposal for Phase 1.5, which includes making contacts, development relationships and interviewing experts in native culture. The proposal includes interviews with 5 or 10 experts in Native culture. Mohlis and Maravelas will share the list of names with the HPC Novak-Krebs recommended 10 to interview. She added, the City would provide funding, but this was still under discussion. Maxwell asked for and received confirmation that different areas of expertise were being sought (knowledge of ethno- botany, et cetera). An MOU would specify each person’s role. Mohlis and Maravelas would meet with and take notes of these meetings. Discussion followed on the difficulty of telling the stories in an oral tradition where there is no easy consensus and even differing views. Novak-Krebs clarified the individuals retained would guide the process as individuals. Mohlis and Maravelas probably had experts in mind. She added Maravelas expected a difference of opinion, and the resulting book might present different sides. Cass agreed this would be the best approach. Novak-Krebs stated the grant application included the following items:: a kickoff meeting for the Dakota Advisory Group, review of chapters by the HPC and the Dakota Advisory Group, a check-in process halfway through, then a panel discussion at the end to introduce the book and share it to the public. Thorp stated the Lower Sioux just put out a documentary about the Lake Pepin tribes and he recommended commission members view it; it was entitled “The Last Winter Count.” He added Sheldon Wolfchild would make a great expert in Native culture but might not volunteer due to health concerns. Novak-Krebs stated the commission would see a list of HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 20, 2026 candidates soon. Cass stated she was pulling together possible resources and would share them with Novak-Krebs. B. Heritage Plaque Program and Inventory Bowes stated Stanton and Woods and Thorp reviewed the heritage plaque inventory and came up with new addresses. Thorp stated Stanton located all the heritage plaques. Novak-Krebs summarized the project for Cass and Woods. Stanton stated most of the plaques needed replacement; only the Albertson-Innerson House had a new plaque. Some properties did not have one at all. Novak-Krebs stated there was a partial replacement effort in 2017. Thorp asked if permission from the homeowner to replace the plaque was required, and Novak-Krebs replied in the past the materials were provided. Discussion followed on how to replace the signs. Maxwell suggested sending a notification letter first for sign renewal. Thorp offered to work with Stanton on a list of addresses to bring back to the commission. Novak-Krebs asked if John Bushy was on their list. Thorp and Stanton, after discussion, agreed it was. She requested a copy of the final list. Thorp stated the Train Depot site had been bulldozed and trees were planted. The commission had records of the site before demolition. Bowes stated it might be a good idea to designate the basements at the Mill site. VI. Old Business VII. Reports of Subcommittees A. Native American History B. New Heritage Preservation Site Designation and Documentation and Research C. Student Project Engagement D. Documentation/Historical Recordings/Outreach VIII. Reports of Commission and Staff IX. Reports of Students X. Reports of Historical Society HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 20, 2026 A. Report of Historical Society Members 1. Bowes stated the museum was still closed due to remodeling. 2. Thorp stated the records would be removed in the fall. XI. Other Business A. Novak-Krebs stated in September the commission members would be meeting in the new Heritage Rooms. B. She announced the Engineering Division hired former HPC Chair Steve Olson’s company to redesign the Purgatory Creek Bridge. Review of a COA would come before the commission. XII. Next Meeting The next Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting will be held on August 17, 2026. A joint meeting with the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department would be held October 5, 2026 at the Cummins Phipps Grill House. XIII. Adjournment MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Maxwell, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0 (Fisher). Chair Bowes adjourned the meeting at 7:42 p.m.