September 2, 2026 – Historical Commission – Video & Transcript

September 2, 2026 - Historical Commission

Autoscroll:

Welcome to the Wayland Historical Commission meeting for September 2nd, 2026. This meeting is both in-person and by remote access. This meeting is being recorded and will be made available to the public on WACAM as soon as possible after the meeting. Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025, this meeting will be conducted in-person and via remote access in accordance with applicable law. Anyone can watch or participate remotely with the meeting link that can be found in the agenda. And I have extra copies of the agenda here and the minutes if anyone needs copies. 20 minutes, I guess. Okay.
My name is Rick Honard, and I'm the acting chair of this meeting. And I'm calling the meeting to order at, is it 102? Do we have a volunteer to take minutes for today's meeting? I guess it's my turn.
Okay. But they are not going to be in all of the minutes. We're sharing all of the minutes. We're sharing all of the minutes. Do we have anyone on the Zoom? Okay. I hope everyone can hear okay. If at any time during the meeting, nobody can't hear, please let me know. We'll speak louder.
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for joining us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have any public comments?
There's nobody online. Okay.
In light of our guests here today, I think we'll discuss the library first, and then review the minutes of our last meeting. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Chris, do you want to? Yeah. Oh, I should go around the room and ask everyone to please introduce themselves. Thank you. As I said, I'm Rick. I'm Tony Larvey. Sherry Ann Bryant. I'm Dr. Westcott. Sandy Coy. I'm Brad Carver. So I'm Chris Lindquist. I'm the director. I'm Joanne Lee. I'm the assistant director. I'm Andrew Liu. I'm technical services, local history and reference. I didn't catch her name. Joanne Lee. Joanne. I'm the assistant director. Sorry, I called you Joanna, but it's Joanne. Welcome. As we've discussed in previous meetings, some of us on the commission and other people have concerns about the library plans, some of which have already been done to relocate. Some of the local history material that we feel is very important to the town and citizens. So Chris. Yeah. Well, I appreciate that. And I think, you know, and I'm going to refer to some of the information we provided. I hope you've received that. If anybody needs copies, we have more. Anyone else? I don't have one of that. That was the handouts. That was the handouts. Yes. We do have copies, if you need. So hopefully this will be informative. But we did consult with the State Preservation Officer, Jessica Collati, who is the preservation specialist at the MBLC. And we use acronyms, but that's the Mass Board of Library Committee. That's the State Preservation Agency, which is a state agency that governs libraries in the commonwealth. And we've worked with Jessica before, but she came to the library over the past few months. And we had a discussion about whether or not the large custom wooden cabinet that the former library director, Cindy Records, obtained to house our local history materials was appropriate or not. And I've been a librarian for four years now. No, sir. I'm not catching all of your words. Okay. Speak louder. I will speak louder. Thank you. Would you like to switch? Would you like me to come over there? Yeah, come over and sit next to Chris. Normally people tell me I speak too loudly. I like that. I will attempt to maintain that. So I've been a director for 30 years, but a librarian. Since 1989. And I've worked in many libraries that have special collections equal to or greater than the scope of the collections at the Wayland Free Library. So I'm very well versed in the preservation and care of special collections. And I'm also aware that, you know, the standards for housing special collections have not really changed in many years. And in our case, the former director purchased a large wooden cabinet, I think you're aware, that housed the bulk of the collections. Unfortunately, when you put special collections in a cabinet like that, the cabinet off gases and there's preservatives that are in the wood. And over time, and it might take 50 or 60 years, but over time, it degrades the paper. And that is not an appropriate way to house special collections. The most appropriate way is to house them on open metal shelves. Because, as I've said in my handout, the cabinet continues to off gas over time, degrades the paper, becomes brittle. And obviously that's not an appropriate preservation. And that's not an appropriate preservation method. Our main focus is to preserve these items, you know, for the use of researchers for a long period of time. So we consulted with Jessica Collati. She met with us at the library. She agreed that the wooden cabinet was not an appropriate storage method. And originally, as many of you may know, the items in the special collections were already stored upstairs. In what we call a cage. We are going to rebrand it and call it the archives alcove. But for our purpose, the cage is a, you know, accessible location on the mezzanine next to the elevator. And that's where the items were stored originally, before the former director put them in the wooden cabinet. So our plan, as we're working on it, and Andrew and Joanne and I are currently in the midst of relocating those items, we've taken everything out of the wooden cabinet. They're currently stored in my office on a temporary basis until Andrew is able to complete the relocation to the cage. I think we're hoping that that will be done by October 15th. Yes. And that the finding aids, which Andrew will be working on and updating, will be done by November 15th. So it's in process. I do respect that it's a change. And I do respect that. You know, it may have been more convenient, you know, to obtain and review those materials on the main floor. But having worked in special collections for many, many years, the standard is to go to the reference librarian or archivist. And the archivist or reference librarian assists the person who's interested in using those collections. They're special collections. That's why we call them that. They are not circulating collections. They are for the long-term preservation of local history. And putting them in a secure location, which the cage is, is the appropriate way to handle and preserve them. And it's simply, I think, the best way to make sure that those items are not damaged or stolen or, you know, misplaced. Most libraries have an area where they keep special collections in a secure location. And so keeping them out on the main floor is not standard. And I think that, in my experience, you know, putting them upstairs where they are still accessible is, in this particular instance, you know, the most appropriate storage place. There may be a long-term solution. But only if we're able to add an addition or do a renovation, and perhaps someday our dream would be to have a local history room, which some libraries are fortunate to have. We don't have the space. We, as you know, we have limited space. And we have many different, many different needs that we're trying to balance, including, you know, our circulating collections. So for the time being, our plan is to put them back in the cage where they will be accessible by consulting the library. Consulting with a reference library. Does Andrew have a degree in librarianship? I'm currently in process in getting my MLIS. And you're going to? I'm going to be going to Drexel. I'm sorry? Drexel. Drexel? Drexel, yes. Chris, could I ask, are you talking about all local history materials? I appreciate the question. Yeah. So that's our plan. No. I know, and Rick, you know, it's helpful to have these questions so that we can, you know, kind of address them. I know that you had asked about town annual reports and town meeting warrants. I think that is certainly a conversation we can have. If the historical commission is interested in those being more accessible, perhaps, I think we have to have that conversation. As you're aware, the town clerk obviously has everything that we have and more, right? So they duplicate what we have in terms of the town report. The town reports and the warrants, and Andrew can speak to, you know, where those items are currently. Yes. Yes. But I think if you wanted to have that conversation, I think our main priority is to maintain those really unique items in the local history collection in the cage. I would say that the town warrants and the annual reports could possibly be outside of the cage. But we'd have to identify it. You know, we have limited shelf. But we'd have to identify where that would be. So, is that something you would like to, you know, discuss further? Well, I would like to discuss it further. Sure. What unique items that you have that are not available elsewhere? Well, everything that was in the cabinet. No, that's not quite true. Okay. Go ahead. There are other ways that you can get some of those things. The only unique thing is that I can think about are library trustees minutes, maybe the books of holdings in the library at different years, but I don't recall anything else that was unique to the town of Wayland that would require protection and safety issues. So, I take your point. I think that because the library has responsibility to maintain and preserve those items, that we need to do our due diligence and to make sure that, you know, they are kept in a, I would say, secure environment. Where they were on an open- Can you remove from that secure environment- Sure. Of the archives? Would you call it archives- Archives alcove. Archives alcove. Archives alcove is what we're rebranding it. Yeah. Where do they go that they're still secure? Because that's a teenage area- No, but that- I mean, they can't work up there. No, the teenagers are outside of the cage. The cage is- Yes, I know. They're outside the cage. The cage is actually locked. But the patron is not going to be sitting up in the teenage section. That's correct. Yeah. Our plan is, and I think I mentioned this in my handout, we are creating a, what I would call a quiet zone- Mm-hmm . In the reference area where these items were before. Okay. And that is going to be, you know, we're going to be, we're going to be, you know, hopefully, it has been installed, it will be an enclosed space behind a glass wall partition, and that will be the space where the reference librarian will bring the items down so that they can be used in that secure space. Well- Yeah. I believe that they are in a safer place the way they were because they were not behind a window and the librarian could hear tearing a paper, say they want to take a picture out of the yearbook. And also, it was so close to the desk that they, by just common observation as reference librarians do to what's going on around them, they would observe what's going on. So you're not offering a more secure location. In fact, you're offering a less secure. I'm sorry to disagree. I think it is going to be more secure. And Joanne, who's the reference librarian, can speak to our plan. Yeah, I mean, I see why you would think that, Kay, but we're always helping patrons with lots of things. Help us locate a book. Help us with the computer issues. So we're constantly stepping away from a desk. And we're not always looking. We're not always looking to see who is removing files from the archiving materials, who is reading through the yearbooks. In the past, I've worked at a library where one of our yearbooks was missing because the reference library cannot always keep an eye on that. But wouldn't that be true even if they're behind the glass door? You're stepping away from the reference desk. But the thing is now you're retrieving it from the cage. So you're removing it, you're bringing it into the newly created reference area, the quiet zone, and where now we are planning to have like glass wall. So it's more of an enclosed area that's quiet. So in my mind, that's more of like a safe area. I understand that. But the point is that you're still stepping away from the reference desk to help other patrons. So therefore, it's not any more secure. It's less secure because now you can't. Even if you're. There, you can't hear tearing a paper. You're not observing any more, you're observing less because you're using your eyes when you can, but now you have lost the use of your ears. Not necessarily because the way they were placed before, they were archival boxes here, there, a lot of places. So it's more spread out. But now we're retrieving a material item from the cage, bring that file to the person. And they have that one file to lead through and sit. Whereas now things are here, things are there. So things are more scattered. So it's harder for us to keep an eye on where's the patron? Where are they right now? What are they removing from which shelf? But that could be easily solved by telling whoever's looking that they have to sit. There are tables there that they have to sit there to use the materials. You would think that, yes, but sometimes they do get up and then they get comfortable. Like, oh, no worries. I'll get up and put. And things get put back in the wrong location. That's how. Well, you can solve that by asking them to return them to you. A lot of librarians do that. Return to the reference desk and we'll put them away so that you're sure. Now, I will give you my background, Chris. I graduated in 1988. Sure. And I have had nothing but local history background collections. And there are many libraries that have open collections. Many librarians that have. Close ones. But once they open the room, the patron is left totally on their own while the librarian returns to the reference desk. And in fact, I I talked to Jessica myself. She said she did not tell you to put things any place or the other. She made more of a pros and cons list. And she sent me some very interesting literature. And she said, put them in an enclosed place. But that was 2005. That was 20 years ago. That's not up to date. What she sent me was 20 and 25. And they are advocating for more openness, more browsing collection, because they know local history is a browsing collection. A patron come in and ask for X, Y, Z book. And the librarian can look up whether they. Have it and find it in the alcove and be able to go and retrieve it. But it doesn't allow for the patron to look and find something in a book that they didn't know that or they weren't knowledgeable about. And I don't think Wayland has the staff for a archivist. I don't think they have reference librarians who are that familiar with the collection that they can make. And I don't think they have any referrals like, oh, you're interested in this. I think you should look at this book or that book. Those libraries that do have archivists. That is, although they do reference, they also are specialty in the local history and they are able to do that because of the size of the staff and the limitation of their skills right now. You don't have that. So to go and be able to browse and look at things. Even if I had to return them to the reference desk. To be put away is a benefit for me as a patron, because it will take me a half an hour versus an hour. And it also keeps your staff closer to home. They're references. They're now no longer having patrons waiting for a turn to get help because the staff member is upstairs trying to find a book. A.
The best for the staff side. For the patron side, they can look for a subject or something, a family name or an action that happened, an event that happened. They can look in the table content index, decide it's not appropriate, put it back or to the desk and look on. And that will go faster than having to stand and wait for a book to be retrieved or books to be retrieved. So I'm sorry to disagree. We do have capabilities. We have a lot of staff. And I think that our reference librarians are prepared to help more than one person at a time. And we also have Andrew. And so if somebody wanted to spend time browsing up in the special collections with Andrew there, I think we can do that. There may be cases. You didn't say that before. Yes, I'm sorry. So I think, you know, because we have more than one reference librarian, we always have one reference librarian on. But Andrew is also available. To consult with, in addition to Joanne, in addition to others on the reference staff. And, you know, because I've done this before and I've worked as a reference librarian, it's always more convenient if somebody calls ahead and they make an appointment. Now, I know that is not always possible. I know that is not always possible. Some people come in from California and they want to research their family history and spend a few days doing that. It's nice if they call ahead and say, by the way. Right? I'm coming in and I'm going to be looking for these materials. Would you mind having them available? That doesn't always happen, obviously. No, it does not. So I think, you know, in our case, I think the optimum is for our reference librarians to be prepared to help, you know, either bring the person up to the CAGE archives space or bring it down into what we're calling the library. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right.
Well, I don't think your staff is prepared because a patron went in and inquired about something and there was confusion about if you had it, if you didn't have it, where was it located? Yes. And there was talk about, well, we need to make a list of things we have to have. But that list already exists and it's on your webpage and your staff doesn't even know that. So I respect the fact that we're in transition. And I think, you know, Andrew is obviously... Wearing multiple hats, as did MJ, as everybody at the library does. And I think that we have multiple responsibilities. Andrew, you can speak to it, but he is also the bibliographic person and the cataloger for the library. And I will mention that my predecessor did spend more and more time focusing on local history rather than bibliographic services. This... It is a large... It is a large job. It takes a lot of mind power. It takes a lot of effort. When you're trying to juggle two completely separate things at the same time, it can be very difficult. No, I understand. And a lot of libraries wanted me to work in that field also because I happen to be very good at it. Yeah. So I understand that it's not an easy job making decisions for the local library. I mean, they come in with everything for the broader sense. Correct. For the local library, sometimes you want to narrow it down a little bit. Correct. But the point is that the library is open more hours than the town hall. That is true. It is open more hours than the historical society. It is open more hours than the historical commission is. And therefore, it's the duty of the library to make easily available... I mean, you... Mm-hmm. If you have a patron who comes in on a Saturday... Or a Sunday, or you have a temp on the desk, this is not good customer service that I know that you offer. Sure. So that's sort of part of the point, that this patron can now independently do their work, do it efficiently, do it quickly, and be satisfied with the materials that they find at the library. Yeah. And that's all true. But I think... The overriding concern on our part is safety and security. But you don't have any uniqueness. I've worked in libraries that had items that are very similar, right? I mean, most libraries have some local history materials where there has been theft, and there's been loss, and there's been damage. You know, in most libraries, there is a controlled environment in handling the special... They've got lists of all several libraries. And just in the local area, I have 11 libraries who've told me they have open policy for their local history collection. Yeah. That, you know, I think each library is unique, right? Each library is unique. And we want to... I mean, and this is my profession. We want to preserve these materials. And, you know, we're digitizing things as well. And make them accessible online 24-7, as MJ did a lot of work on that, as you're aware, on the Internet Archive, as well as the Digital Commonwealth. And we're continuing to do that. And we're actually going to the Boston Public Library to meet with Jake, who is the gentleman who does the digitization at BPL. So I think we're invested. And I'm sorry that this change is coming about. We are open to, you know, your feedback. But, again, I place a high priority on the preservation and security of the items. Could I ask a question?
Well, just one comment to start. If you just keep preserving something so that somebody can look at it, but nobody ever looks at it because it's so inaccessible, what's the point? So that's one thing. But the other thing is, is there a possibility with the silent room, the quiet room? Yes. It's going to be glassed in. Is that right? Yes. So I'm thinking about the Boston Public Library and their special collection up on the upper floor. Yes. That's a glassed-in area. But they have their collection inside that one. And they have a table. Yeah. And they have a librarian who keeps an eye on it. Yeah. Like could be done from the reference desk at the Wayland Library. Yeah. And just have it in there instead of upstairs. Yeah. Where you have to have somebody from the staff. Mm-hmm. To sit with that person while they're browsing and or at the very least to retrieve something and then keep an eye on them. So I'm wondering now that that cabinet isn't there, there's a whole wall and I would think in the quiet room, you could have, you know, shelves that came up to here and line the rest of it with that. So there's eyesight. Yeah. The other thing is that I believe I read in the trustee's minutes. That they were thinking about putting some kind of electronic detection devices on or barcodes or something. RFID. Yeah. I do. I mean, that would be the place to start, wouldn't it? Is putting that. So good question. You bring up, we actually have just finished doing the RFID project on our circulating collections. Yes. Not on the non-circulating collections. Well, there you go. Yeah. Just do that too. We can't. They're actually adhesive. Strong adhesive. We can't be putting that on fragile papers. Absolutely not. Well, that paper, but books, I mean, you could put it on a book. Books are, I'm sorry to step in, but books are also very fragile. And that's what he's talking about. There were a lot of books in that off-gassing, which by the way, did you call and ask if, because I was told, I too asked about the off-gassing when it came in and I was told it has been totally sealed for off-gassing. Yeah. So that it, so the question becomes. Either I was misled then or you're being misled now. So have you called the company to ask? Yes. We consulted with Tucker Library Interiors, and we actually are currently consulting with them now. So on some new furnishings in the new reference desk, Corey McGrath and Bob Mcgrath. And, and by the way, and I'm sorry to say it, but the former director did not consult with them about the purpose of the cabinet and the board of trustees was not aware of the purpose of the cabinet. So. So there was some miscommunication perhaps, but the manufacturer was not aware it was going to be used for special questions. And we spoke to her and she said, I would not have recommended a wooden cabinet. But I think Sandy has a point. You could bring down powdered seal, shelving to that area to make it more variable. I respect that. I think we have multiple needs. We're trying to balance the needs, right? And we have limited space. And I would say that at our current plan, we're trying to create this quiet zone because that is our highest need for a space where people can go in for quiet study and computing and perhaps small meetings. So what happens when that's being used by somebody else? I'm not sure. What do you mean? The behind glass doors. I mean, you're not going to leave it empty. You're going to use it for ESL tutoring or something else. Somebody is coming in to study. Yeah. So now you have a patron who comes in and wants to look at the, you know, wants access to that. Where are you putting them when you bring down the material? There's going to be multiple tables. Yeah. Multiple tables. I'm sorry. I guess I don't understand the configuration. Sure. Yes. Yeah. We didn't bring them out, but we can, we can share that with you. We have a configuration that we're planning for. So we're, I think up to 12 people could be using that space. So how much does it pick up through Nook that was ESL and the reference area that, that housed it? Do you want to describe the space? Well, the ESL collection used to be on the first floor, right? I don't know if you've been in recently, it's been moved to the upstairs. I realized that, but I'm just trying to identify the space down there. There's that Nook. Mm-hmm. Then there's the middle and then there's the computers. Which sections will be the glassed-in area? The whole area. The entire area. The whole area. Or the entire area. Yeah. Yeah. All the way over to where the travel section is. There's a kind of open. So if you're, yeah, if you walk in the door and you're looking at the reference area right in front of you, like that entire area behind the desk. So you're looking at the, the collection of things out of that area? Well, that's going to stay over to the right. And, and, and we can absolutely share kind of our conceptual, you know, plan. Um, it's, it's a work in progress, but we have proposed that we kind of create this, what we're calling a quiet zone. And by the way, um, needs evolve. We did our most recent strategic plan was about two years ago. Some of you perhaps were part of that. And we did a community survey. It got a lot of good feedback, but I would say the number one need is a quiet space. I mean, most people come to the library. It's an open space. Yeah. You know, and, and they're always looking for something where they can quiet, you know, study or, or, uh, use a computer, uh, meet with a friend. And, and that is, is the highest need at the moment. Well, the, um, study also said that people were interested in local history, 55%, which is more than half. It's true. So you need to kind of move that up higher on your, you know, I, I respect the fact there were multiple, multiple needs and, and we try to balance. And I, I think we're trying to reach that, um, balance. Well, I think that they had moved forward into the 21st century by moving it out of the cage. And I see this as a step back and not the, the point is the heat rises in the summer and there is no air conditioning in the air. Actually, I'm sorry, but so we are putting in a whole new HVAC system. Uh, it's coming in another two, two months. So we're working with Mike Faye of the town. Uh, facilities director, this has been in the planning for many, many years. Um, as you know, we've been doing some other work. We put in a new elevator, we put in a new access into the children's room. Uh, we've done some other accessibility upgrades and the, uh, HVAC is kind of the final phase of that repair and maintenance after a number of years. So the HVAC will be completely upgraded. That's going to be happening, uh, in the next few months. An outlet in the alcove. It will be. Yes. So that is open. It is not enclosed. So it has one wall that's open with it. It is a, uh, a space that will be open to the HVAC and will be actually optimum. Um, we are currently doing some, uh, environmental monitoring using data loggers that we got from the MDLC. And Andrew can speak to that. Yes. Uh, the temperatures generally hover around 73 degrees humidity is generally around 40%. It doesn't really change that much. Well, 40% isn't great. Yeah. It's not ideal. And, and, and that is why we are upgrading our HVAC. I mean, obviously the HVAC system we have is not, is not doing the job. I don't know that. So if we have this conversation, let's say in another six months after the new HVAC system has been installed, I think we will see even more optimum conditions throughout the whole building. But yeah, we have, we have. Loggers throughout the building. And it's pretty consistent throughout the building. Yeah. It's not ideal because it's the fluctuations, as you know, that, uh, damage materials, right? Is it possible to divide the glass room into, well, it's, you know, I, I think that's a question I, I, I can show you are constant. No, I'm an ESOL. Yes. Yes. And, um, and I've never found the Wayland library, even though that's my base. Yes. I don't find it particularly good. Um, so I, I. Oh, I actually go to Framingham and they all have little alert rooms, small. Yes. In their main life tutor. Yeah. Yeah. Um, no, okay. Uh, smaller rooms that you can, you know, reserve. And, and I was also thinking if you did have make that center room, your, your, your, uh, secure area and, and, and also why not, if you're worried that. Even, even if somebody was in a secure room, right under your nose, they still might steal something. Okay. What if you, if there was on shelves, what if you had shelves, but instead of enclosed with glass, do like a, like they used to do with the, the, uh, airing closet where you have, I don't know, mesh or, or, or a screen crosshatch. Melon screen that is open to the air circulation, but it is secure from theft, but it's there. And, um, and I also wanted to ask, I don't want to put you on the spot. I'm sorry. Um, you did say, and it's understandable that you've got to juggle different stuff. Yeah. In, in your job description, your understanding, how much percentage of your effort is expected of you in relationship? In relation to the local collection. You're talking to Andrew. Yeah. Um, well, maybe I should be talking. No, no, no. No, that's generally the general understanding was it was probably going to be a much smaller percentage than what MJ was doing because I am focusing on bibliographic services as much as I do and kind of pushing, I'm pushing the bibliographic services in the library to where it is supposed to be. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.
We're focusing a lot more on the acquisition side. We're focusing more on the budgeting kind of the, these are the things that other tech services folks are doing that we're kind of neglected at the Wayland Library. So there, there is a lot, there are a lot more things that are being done on that side of things than were previously being done. Is it? Is it? Have you considered the possibility of getting a part-time local history? That would actually be awesome. Because I bet MJ would do it. You know, I don't know if we want to get into names right now in a public meeting, but I mean, we are considering actually, and you may want to speak to it. It's just something we've talked about recently in terms of trying to get somebody who has some archives experience. Yeah. But we have not broached that. We have not brought a proposal forward to the board. But we think that with Andrew focusing on bibliographic services and doing some local history, that he may need somebody to help him. I mean, now that I understand that people can actually go into the Alcove and browse with somebody there. If you had, I mean, yes, you have to have an appointment, I suppose, because they're a part-time person. It's only going to be part-time. Correct. But you could say, this is a time when you could come. Yes. And there would be somebody to help you who's knowledgeable. Yes. And it wouldn't take away from the other stuff. To me, that seems like a great solution. Agreed. I would agree with you on that. If money was no object and the board said, okay. I think our budget, you know, at the moment, as you know, I think the town in general is planning for an override vote. And so things are. They're rather constrained. I don't know that we're going to be adding any full-time positions for sure, but we may have an opportunity for a part-time assistant. I would really ask you to also consider making a portion of your new room that is, that would give you more places. People want a silent place, but they don't necessarily themselves want to be silent. True. So if you're ESOL tutor. Right. And you're talking. Talking with your student and somebody else over here is trying to work on their computer, you're going to be bothered. Yeah. Just, we want to make sure. So the ESOL is now up in the mezzanine. It's going to stay there. They are up in the mezzanine. Oh. So they will be upstairs and, you know, their voice does carry occasionally, but for those who are in the quiet zone, hopefully it won't be an issue. So anyway, if you could put shelves on there, put them behind a grid so that there's airflow and put them on a metal shelf. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. And they would be completely visible. They would be browsable to a better extent if you couldn't get a part-time librarian, even if you did. Sure. The other thing that we haven't talked about is before all of this, before anything, there was a horizontal cabinet right at the right hand of the reference librarian that went on the corner into the nook. Yeah. Yeah. There was a. There was a. The. Filing cabinet. Filing. I see. Yeah. And that was browsable. It has a lot of papers. It was called the vertical file. Yes. It's actually vertical. Yes. And then later it was horizontal. Right. It went into the cabinet on the drawers. Right. Right. And that would be a help right there because living room or a child, you know, the, the, the book, the different other kind of books. Yes. Personally, you already had to ask for them to unlock it. Yes. Right. Yeah. And I think that's going to be the next thing. Yeah. Yeah. That's right. Mm hmm. It wasn't really any more browsable, really. Well, it was. So that was in a metal filing cabinet, original. Yes. And that lower drawer in the wooden cabinet was totally browsable. That was not locked. And that was great because there's a lot of cool history in there that is not available. It might be at the Wayland Historical Society, but that is in a small office with a bunch of other stuff. It's totally not browsable. So that could make it, that could be like a middle ground. I appreciate that. I think there's a conversation we can have about those items. Yeah, absolutely. And as far as other materials that I would consider for kind of leaving out of the cage, the microfilm does get requested surprisingly a lot. People are oftentimes looking for different things. They enjoy. I mean, in the, thank you, in the town crier. And we have it digitized, but we can't post it. I'm sure you've all heard of it. Yes. We're working on. Yes. But, you know, stuff like that, stuff that through observation, I've noticed some things get used more than others. So we could potentially, if we find the right configuration. Have those like things that get used regularly housed outside of the alcove, which could make them, you know, more generally browsable just to get it on the record. So with respect to the way of in town prior, and, you know, we did get some CPA funds to digitize a very high quality of scans and digitization of the full run of the wind time prior, right? We were fortunate MJ worked on that project and we have those. And our hope is that we're going to be able to negotiate. We're going to be able to negotiate with Gannett, who owns the rights to the way on time prior and about 90 other legacy newspapers in the Commonwealth, by the way, in many other communities. And Gannett is a conglomerate, as you can imagine, and difficult to negotiate with. MJ tried her best, was not able to get an agreement. So we are now going to try to go in as a group of other libraries and try to negotiate with them as a group. Because we have the digitization, we have the scans. We want to provide online access to it. So that is our kind of hope is that we will be able to do that and provide kind of a online platform where the way on time prior will be searchable online. So I don't think the newspapers were really in question, but I think Sandy brings up a good point about the students having access. They definitely don't know what to ask for. They definitely don't know what to search for. And they're often given class assignments. Yes. Local history. Yes. And that's another reason they have it browsable so that they can look. Do you want to speak to that? I personally haven't had any students approach me or any of the reference staff because they would usually send it to me. But I have not yet had that experience. Well, one thing that might be because it's hard to find out what you can. And that is because all these kids. Right. And most of the rest of us are going through the web. Right. And when you come to your homepage, you have to choose between catalog and web. Yes. And I thought, oh, this is part of your catalog because it's part of your collection. Yeah. Wrong. Wrong. All of that information is under the other one. It is. So I said, I wonder what other libraries do. Sure. So I looked at, for example, Concord. Sure. They on that homepage. They have a very clear. And the great thing is you guys already have. Yes. It's just not easy. It's not. Good feedback. Yeah. If the kids were told by their social studies. Yes. Go on. Just probably is who this is where they they may not even know what you have. They might say they don't recommend it to their students because they don't know what you have. Yeah. So that's something I think we can address. I mean, yeah, for sure. You are correct. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Prior to me, prior to Joanne and Andrew. But I think when the former director and the former assistant director were here, they kind of revamped the website. They created those two options. And the website is a separate option, as you've said. So there may be some things that are in the catalog, but most of it is on the website. Right. Right. And MJ did a lot of work on that as well. Yes. I mean, we just say, like, if you look at Concord, for example. Sure. They have, they address local history as a. Right out subject, right there. Yes. And then once you start in that path. Yes. It opens up and opens up. Yeah. So you get into, and they have obviously a huge collection. Of course. Yeah. But it follows in a very intuitive pattern. Yeah. And I will say, to Kay's point earlier, I've gone over to the Sudbury Library, and it used to be they had a locked room. You had to get the key. I always wanted to go in there. Yeah. I always felt intimidated. I never asked for the key. I really wanted to look, but I never did. All right. Now, they changed it. They unlocked the room. You can go in anytime you want. Now, they're doing some construction right now. That's not true. It will go back to being an open room. Yeah. And I've been in there now, and it's pretty interesting. Sure. Now, they have open wooden shelves. Yes. They have file cabinets. They have index cards. They have their own separate. Yes. I mean. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. This is completely open, and this is completely out of sight of any library, and it's often another. Well, Joanne worked at that library. Do you want to speak to that at all? Yes. I oversaw the local history room there in Sudbury. So, the goal was, so I was there for the renovation. So, the goal was to create more study, quiet study tables, because we didn't have enough tables, even in Sudbury, and ultimately, at the end, everything will be open. Everything will be locked. So, there are vertical files. There will be file cabinets. They will be locked in the end, and all of the things are put in the glass cabinets all around that room. Everything should be locked. That was always the plan. I think it's still in process, and I don't know who's in charge overseeing that now, but the fact that they're not being locked, I don't know. I hope nothing's not ruining it. I feel like wooden shelves. Can I interject something here? To me, this is really fascinating, but we spent 15 minutes on this, and it's really challenging. a very long agenda item and if there's this much interest right should we have a separate meeting just for this because we're happy to come back yeah like i said this is minutes and it's been very helpful i really appreciate the feedback i think andrew and i and joanne would be happy to come back if you want to reschedule or not well that's just my view i mean because if you guys disagree uh it just like i said we have a long agenda it is fascinating it's very helpful yeah i think it's been very helpful i do too i do too and i think this was yeah it's true it's time time yeah proportionately speaking but we'd be happy to come back if you want so helpful yeah and our last meeting the um suggested writing a letter to you yes and the trustees sure we're just wondering how engaged the trustees are involved yeah issue of you know i i think they they are aware that you know you know you know you know we're relocating the special history items. I don't know that they have gotten into the fine details. We haven't done a presentation.
You know, I think a letter might be a little premature. I mean, you're certainly welcome to write them, but I think they are not focused on the, what I would call the fine details of our plan. So whether or not AIDA, who's the current chair, would like to add that as an agenda item for a future board meeting where perhaps we could have a representative from the historical commission come. I think that's something that might be appropriate, but up to you. Well, I agree that this has been a great discussion. Maybe we can continue this. I would like that. We'll be meeting of our commission. In the meantime, I think if you could let the trustees know of our concerns. Oh, sure. And I think AIDA has been copied on some of the emails, so she's aware. I don't know that the full board has been copied, but certainly we will update the board as I do monthly with my reports to the board. And, you know, perhaps again, it might be appropriate at a future board meeting to have somebody from the commission come. And, you know, we could schedule that as well. Well, I think timing is important because look at the White House. Yes. Tell me about it. Supreme Court said, well, it's almost built. So even if it's unlawful, in fact, we have to go in. Yes. So if we get to the point where we say, well, now it's the right time to support. And they say, well, we've already done it. No, I appreciate that. I'm sorry we're having to be discussed in the same sentence as the White House. Well, you have my point. We've been too long. It's too late. Yes. No, I do. I do appreciate that. We're still in the planning stage. Yes. No, I'm glad that we're having this conversation now. If you would like to schedule another meeting, just to focus on this, happy to do it. Whatever works for your schedule would be fine. But thank you for the feedback. And I think we will, you know, keep you informed and continue to have these kind of conversations. And if there are others, I think we probably would like to meet with, you know, the Historical Society as well. I know some of you are also wearing multiple hats and Scarlett and others from the Historical Society, because obviously you have an interest as well. And this is the president of the Historical Society. Yes. So. Before we decide on that, it sounds like you've already made up your mind that it doesn't matter really what we have, our opinions are. So I'm not sure that it's beneficial unless you could let us know what our conversation to you has made you stop and think, not to beg. Yeah, no, I appreciate that. Thank you. I think it's important for us to commit to, before we all gather again and spend another afternoon together, Yes. hashing over Kenyon versus Myon and so forth. Yes. Yes, no, I think you have raised some legitimate issues in terms of which items could potentially be out and more accessible. And I think certainly the items that are in the filing cabinets could be. Oh, absolutely. I think the town warrants and the annual reports. Yes. measure shelf space and see what we could make available um so my suggestion is you could put the warrants in the locked area because only people who are delving deeper into a particular event or thing that happened you know like parking lot yeah would they go to the war right to see what was written in the warrants versus what was written in the town report which covers warrant some years customers not all years yes so it's sort of more of an open discussion of what town histories maybe could be put out rather than put away uh certain biographies genealogies could be put out versus others that could be put away that kind of thing would be a better conversation than but it can't thank you no that's really good feedback yeah absolutely well helpful feedback i mean you as you're aware i mean we didn't grow up in whalen we're not from whalen we are not steeped in in it's an amazing history but we obviously have no uh knowledge comparable to yours and then some of the people around this table but we respect the fact that you know we want to be the stewards of of these collections and and care for them appropriates so that's again it's helpful feedback and you know if you may pay a ton of money to live here yes and they've they want to know about their property they want to yes they want to be proud of their town they want to feel it's worth it yes and there is a ton of history here yes and the more they know about it the better they feel about it that's a that's so i'm suggesting perhaps instead of a board or trustee meeting that we have people representing thoughts public sure somebody from the trustee somebody from your staff or you yeah and a couple of representatives from us and we kind of a working we have a smaller working group that isn't a subgroup that has to be registered with the town clerk for everything i think that's a fine idea yeah that'd be that'd be fantastic i really do because i'm sure sure when you took care of the local history collections both of you that you have an idea of what people come in looking for and i certainly have over 40 years of yes what people are coming in and looking for yes because i worked in libraries before i got my degree and i know and i was taking care of the fremmingham room at that time and so yeah yeah i think that's a great idea actually
thank you thank you so much thank you very much we appreciate that the time coming in and we appreciate it absolutely yes thank you very much yes thank you we thought it was important appreciate it thank you have a good day
good to see you all
okay moving on to our agenda good point brad good point brad
that was a longer discussion than i anticipated
as i do it's going to be long videos anyone read copies of the draft minutes of the last month's meeting forgot i have extra i don't have to if you have a spare i made i need a couple you know she's not going in there seriously just from anyone else i made a bunch of copies i can't say no no no this is the august 7th yeah i have that this is too
that's not your problem
maybe i think why didn't you give me anything i don't seem to have it
there's another copy
yeah
i'm accepting so grammatical it was spelling for the most part and so i did go through and um made that made those changes i forgot the t and k's name some i had westcott spelled correctly other areas i did not i had a macris not capitalized i'm not not capitalized when i should have so thank you rick for that now i've opened i've got i've got my copy here on the screen let's make any adjustments yeah you didn't get the topic that i sent you yes you did get the copy that i sent you yeah i didn't get the copy that i sent you No, never got that comment. Well, I will ask that we hold off on this until, because I don't have it with me, that I can make the change, you know, that we can discuss the changes. And there, I did it as comments on the side, and so I don't have them in my head. And if nobody minds that we hold off on the minutes until the next meeting, hold off on the minutes until the next meeting, so I can share my comments with the minute taker here. Sure. If somebody has any, any of the rest of you have comments. Yes. Maybe at our next meeting, Sherry Ann can make whatever edits come from me and Kay, and then produce a new version of the draft. And it's, that we can discuss at our next meeting. Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm sorry to ask you to do that, but I appreciate it. Thank you. I'd also like to say thank you for allowing me to put my, I don't know, maybe more than two cents. This is kind of the public comment part. Thank you for participating. And with regard to the spelling of Kay's name, I've made that mistake too. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Email address that email never reached. Never reached.
Don't blame it on me. Don't blame it on the New Englanders who don't say Westcott. Okay. Wayland Reef 250.
Well, can I comment? Sure. Did you all receive the emails that we got for our, thank you for our sunday play of rendezvous with rachel revere and i believe um jayland also said that there was a telephone comment which she did not relate to us but other than it was a very positive comment that was given to the town um i received one from the to the historical society which i asked the person to relay to the commission and she did that was one of the ones that you received i'll tell you they came walking out of there talking chatting shaking my hand thanking me for bringing this group in for those that did not were unable to attend uh it was rachel revere during a time period while hall was on the safe side of the charles river she involved the audience in the play she stayed in character answering questions that people had about it and then she became judith calora and um gave a little history uh lecture and uh one gentleman came out he said i'm a history major but i learned more in the last half hour than i did all four years so he was very excited about it and i think it's just the way it's presented but and she does cost money she cost about twelve hundred dollars so we can't continue to do this this is money that the 250 is paid for and um we just need to be appreciative that we have the ability to have her out twice one says deborah sanson one is rachel revere and that we might be able to do it again next year also had the ability to have Francis Perkins presented by Therese Harris and Hanson I mean and
I just think that we have been very successful with our share of the 250s anybody else have anything else to say well a huge crowd I mean we have 137 well we had 123 signed up but reservations it was almost a full house
and and we have one and we have walked in right right and we collected we received a few donations toward our particular ball field proposed sign we're working on getting some money for so then this is a little off the 250 topic since she introduced the the ball field the sign I talked again yesterday the Catherine about the speaking of Catherine Brenna right here
can you step into our meeting for a moment Catherine I'm happy to well we were just discussing the networks that we've been receiving for the historical sign the particular ball field I'm gonna put you on this are you still interested in working with us on that so it's a great parking we have been working over the past two years on kind of a master plan for that park and some other projects so we probably fold it in to the larger plant easily so the point is that it's a positive response from the recreation and we appreciate that and we as you may have heard that you know we have like four five six seven hundred dollars already great and we will be collecting at the Wayland Festival and hopefully we'll have some more money to share the pot with because I know it's not fair to ask any one group to pay for it do you know what kind of sign you're looking at I can't hear you what kind of sign is your interested well they'll be like the rail trail signs okay we proposed to use the same person who did the design of the signs and then we know she's $1,200 per sign well designer oh the design yeah absolutely we have to give her the material and then she places it so it's interesting and people will want to stop and look at it okay and then um um , so input from you about what you want to sign is helpful pictures that you may have would be helpful sure and the historical society has already offered to do the same and um then the the way it stands will be the same way that the rail trail does it's a cement base and the stone bridge and I mean yes Jones Bridge is also using her as well so it's sort of a standard look across the town for historical systems and does the town is built with the same kind of sustainable design and then the Internet yes it's our long term goal to ensure it does have an infrastructure as it is but whatever we're building at the moment I only want to do at the moment or does the contract announced I don't know at this point as I'm sure it does cost to installation the installation right is a questionable like this that we have not made any decision and that's something to be worked on I mean we don't have the money to get the design or yes to go out. But yes that's part of the thing that we'll be working on and hopefully with your support we'll do that but I'm not sure if we'll do it since it's too late. We can get something done. That would be great. I don't see she'd walk in the back door. I have a wonder here, just to express our interest in participating in the Whalen Festival on October 3rd. Yes, I talked to one of our planning committee members, and she said they're already on the list. Great. And is there a website for reserving things? It should go up by the end of this week. Some information would be more formally joined. Good. But whether or not this group has formally joined, you're on two lists, actually. Thank you. Well, we certainly appreciate that so much. No, it's going to be a great event. It is going to be great. Thank you for stopping. Thank you. Thank you.
Is there anything more on the Whalen Red 250? I don't have anything more. I don't know what anybody else has. All right. The next item on the agenda, we just talked about the Whalen Festival on October 3rd. I did contact Ann Gordon. She sent me electronic copies of several of the handouts from last year. Like, what is the difference between the commission, the society, and the historic district? Okay. And there was another handout. I looked today in the archaeology lab, but I haven't been able to find the poster that was made last year. So, Ann is still in Canada, I understand. Won't be coming back until after Labor Day, so we'll arrange for that. The case that we displayed the artifacts in last year, Brad, with your list, is still in Canada. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So, we'll discuss what to bring for that on October 3rd. Will that be, that may be before our next meeting, right? Yeah, our next meeting, I think, is the 7th. So, we'll have to do some things. You have to do some deciding today. Okay.
Amanda brought up last time. on the handouts that nowhere on the um historical commission is mentioned that we do education for the town uh and maybe we need to add that to the list didn't catch what you said there's no mention of how the commission is supposed to be educating the town as to the history and the stories of the town and i think that's an important thing because we do try to do that i mean we've been doing more programming than anything else uh hiring people to come in but still it's the cemetery a lecture that we gave on the cemetery markers that came out of our uh budget so and the uh when we did that house history of the richardson farm that came out of our our budget so we do our best to educate on the limited funds that we have so i think it's kind of important and we would welcome schools to invite us in to talk about archaeology or whatever so i think that's important women's ever done that recently i know well they don't know we do educational that's why we need to put it on the handout maybe we need to have an article in the paper that's fine if it's somebody in the archaeology lab needs to write it out yeah i was thinking about and that's fine i love that that that um i think an outreach rather than waiting for them to come to you because most people don't even know there's an archaeology department in the town the one thing and they have probably no clue how much available at the historical society they probably don't even know the commission exists um so i'm wondering about just developing a little flyer with possible topics that could be given to the teachers you know at the schools the history department can be a good approach but so much or not so much is available do you have any advice for us as a community in the historical society the historical society is the largest historical association in the country and you know those are a lot of and have a member of whatever aspect of the historical group would come and speak to a class. Like I know in the second grade, they do a local history unit as part of their curriculum. And I'm sure if you look at the curriculum, you would start to think of ways of connecting. But I think if you had something that could be given out to the teachers, they would probably love to know about possibilities to enrich the kids. Do you want to speak on that, Amanda?
Well, I think we should always continue to try, for sure. We have done things like that in the past. We had an open house, and we had flyers around about the open house, both for... for employees at the building and for the general public. We, for, I don't know, for like at least 10 years, Tanya did the backpack auction, where... Speak a little louder so Tanya can hear you. Sorry. So I was just speaking to the educational things we have tried to do in the past.
So we used to... They used to have a backpack auction to raise funds for, I guess, the PTO or something. And Tanya... Tanya always, even before I came on board, had donated her time to, you know, for a lab visit for a group of kids. So it was good PR. I think only one time did a child take us up on it, right? It was fun. That was in one of the schools. No, the one that was here in the lab. And you brought your... She brought things from home, like a reconstructed something. And... And I made a cake that was made in archaeology layers. And we had... So we had a brief lesson, and then the kids got to SIF, didn't they? They did... It was fun, but it was a small group. And so we have tried things in the past in regard to going into the schools. The students, the teachers are extremely strapped for time. And in fact, that's why or the reason why this music issue happened at Logar, because they are... They are so strapped that they can't, they don't have enough time to have specials and extras. We used to have at the Historical Society, separate from here,
a third grade tour for years, many years before I came. And it tied in with their colonial history. And actually, they do do a Native American unit. And that's probably what you were thinking of. And I tried to bring that into when I was volunteering. I was volunteering over there, speaking about it when we were... Because part of the tour included a cemetery visit. And we would talk about the Native people in that portion of the unit. They since decided, I think, that either the rentals of the buses were too expensive or the time was too long. So we brought a museum on the go to... Then we offered it to all the elementary schools. And we offered it to all the elementary schools. And we offered it to all the elementary schools. And we offered it to all the elementary schools. And we offered it to all the elementary schools. And I believe only one elementary school, in the end, responded and invited us in. And maybe two the first year, you know, just one. And I don't know if they're even doing it this year. I don't know if anybody's reached out. But and here we have a director of the Historical Society who is a graduate of these schools and knows some of the teachers. And I knew some of the teachers because I had a son in the system. And it was a hard sell, which was shocking to me. It was free, right? We weren't charging that. So that was elementary, did you anything about middle or? Well, on the flip side, the high school also has difficulty. We have a book award at the Historical Society. We couldn't even get the chair of the history department to respond about who he might want. to give this book award to it's it's a very strange situation i don't know what's going on exactly but all of us to say it's a great idea and we should keep trying well i'll say it was it was there's native american then there is um the uh actual town history when my daughter was there um and was really a like the tour like the tour books but you were supposed to find certain items and then you made a little notebook and blah blah okay there's that and now they're also doing genealogy family genealogy so those are the on-ramps i know of in the grade school um i guess with mr delaney no longer there at the high school exactly that's it's a different ball of wax and and uh scarlet is very friendly with their own first name basis and yet they still aren't giving me the response well that's really strange i remember once it must be 40 years ago i went to one of the schools twice and uh one time a little guy a little tiny kid took something out of the display box tucked it in his pocket and i noticed it was missing so we got it back he got gave it back and another time i went and my son came home and said mom mr so-and-so is stupid and i said why do you say that he says well he tried to tell us that the indians didn't use the the the the kind of artifacts i knew they had and he said it says in the book tim that they use um flint and i my son knew they didn't and he says mom we i tried to tell him but he said it says in the book so i said well if i ever get to go talk to your class uh i'll tell him so we went and and i and i made sure that i lectured about all the stones that i see in our lab and the teacher was listening very carefully but i didn't say i said yes they used flint but they used it more toward the west of us way west of us like ohio and uh but i'll never forget that but you're right i wish we had more chance to go into the school it would be really i think nice for the little kids because they're interested in that that's when you catch their attention now what about base after school they're always looking for stuff to do but if we could get back to the topic yeah that well i think i mentioned the previous meeting that it was the last meeting but right now there's a lot of work to be done so we have a lot of resources that we're adding over the next few weeks and and some of this is going to be kind of pre-arranged and the other thing that we are seeing is you know what's really great about the way we see that the lab has really has an understanding that we have a structure that's really better for uh for we have resources and resources and resources that are helping to contribute in any way that we it's actually my 50th wedding anniversary and i'm going to be uh out of town congratulations you guys never live here okay did you just see your 50th yeah yeah wow you get married at 18. yeah that's what i was thinking you must have been in a rainbow marriage met at my senior year in college oh well you look fantastic for your birthday thank you so i will be out of town so i apologize which is too bad i'll be around i've got it on my calendar as well too i need to rotate among places as i told you rick i have an event that i'm committed to october 2nd in new york city yeah but i will come home and i try to get here as soon as i can and maybe if you put me on the last shift like you did last year okay well like sherry and i will be shifting between those uh the society the 250th in the commission now from what i understand from mary antis who attends their planning meeting it's going to be history row we're going to all three be across right next to each other and uh rick we have secured a second location second quote-unquote table location right next to the commission for uh steve's diorama of the uh now we i believe you said he had a a tent or a cover of some sort available maybe a canopy oh canopy he doesn't need a table because it's free no i know we're we're not i could i put that in quotation marks because it's a table space not a table but a table space and it's next to the commission so that's okay that's clear but he has to bring his own canopy and and table andutation you heard katherine that
we have a table with the canopy so we should be all set you won't be standing out in the house sometime well you won't be in here you'll be luxurious someplace else
but you'll be enjoying it at some point but everybody has a lot of good sales to do in this place i just wanted to ask you a question the commission's here when you were saying some things about the saloon concoctions really about other things you said about the canopies you mentioned something else you went to欢esland and discussions andおそぶ that went well and others were wondering if they were interested in building out ausion for all the employees that there were any much like here say any skeptical of what you wanted to say Tamu kalồiをод инomeling of life is a merc 제품 um yeah what we need to do is find those posters that were so terrific that everybody was interested in yeah i'm not sure i guess because i was there in the morning until about they packed in a flat box right right i remember we set them up and i cleaned i cleaned up but and i know i saved them in the flat box but i don't know did you take them home i took everything everything was together and i delivered everything together so i didn't like to remove believe me i didn't want anything in my just moved from the other house so where did you deliver them and now i'm trying to remember i thought i remember i thought i returned everything you here but yeah i think so take another look in the lab so let me just walk around and show you what we're talking about so maybe i think i remember because there's a pretty 250th poster right yep yeah i remember yeah i do remember it that's because i thought it was yeah and they were in a box right and i had the black box and they were bond yeah helping me but i can't remember it i know yeah yeah i believe these two here well that's they are i bet they're i bet they're in the archaeology labs okay well i have the i have the 250th maybe margaret would know margaret wasn't part of it no but if i brought them back to the lab if i brought them back to the lab it might be the kind of thing she's like stored away oh i see yeah that's a good point i'm just trying to get me i think i should go tanya what so that's those are the posters that we're talking about those are yours aren't they oh yeah i don't remember that is something that i mean yeah and and have the posters made and then there's some stuff over here i don't know what that is oh it's your um deed that you had copied which is in the lab i mean in the office and here are some pictures down here that probably she had made but um that's what we're looking for okay i don't remember those i think it's because you were sitting here next to them you couldn't see them but god remember they are in fact so these are pictures it was taken last year after whalen festival yeah they're all they're on poster board right okay okay i do remember
yes we need an easel did you have the easel i brought an easel yes did you get your easel back i did because i i know i remember laying them flat down that we're thinking about in the back of my car
okay moving on uh well wait a minute you've got people set up who's going to set up i mean this is the only time you have to do the setup get people set up commitment is to take down uh what and you need to set up a schedule i don't know do we have a start time do we have any start time ah do we have a set time to start time it's 10 isn't it 10 to set up starts i think it's 7 30. the program is that 30. f
i think we get there at nine or ten o'clock yeah and as long as they've already given us the table right it won't take that long to set up right well we needed a tablecloth last year which tanya brought tablecloth tablecloth for the table
and what else i mean you guys worked the table more than i did what else would be able to bring a tablecloth yeah it was all for us to set up to know when i got there i started seeing okay it didn't take that long it took about 10 minutes to set it up i mean actually the tables weren't even there when we got there yeah one of the problems we had was that the wind kept falling me faster so maybe you need something to tie the puzzle to the right place and look at the other tables um
i didn't want to leave anything behind her donation baskets oh yeah we need our donation and this will take over yeah what else do we need for the donation that's money yes you don't have to make a donation but we can ask that because um um um Anything else? So if Amanda is at the end.
Assume that she doesn't get stuck in traffic coming back from New York. That's why I was putting her at the end. She can take the brew and sweep up. Well, that's basically what I did last. I think I did arrive at around 4 last time. I think it was 4 to 6, but it really closed up around 5.15, I feel like. Yeah, right. But you were helpful in helping to clean up and so forth. That's what counts. And so we need people to set up and people to... I'm going to be setting up with the Historical Society or the 250 at the moment, so I can't do set up for this, all three of you. And, of course, we welcome citizens. Tell her if she wants to help us. I need a lot of help. So when do you plan on coming, Tonya? When do you plan on coming to the festival? Probably mid to late morning, I think. Okay, so... How long is it going to go for? It goes all day. Well, last time it went to 5, didn't it? Do you have any records of what they're going to do, Rick? Oh, I know. It's what... It's what... It appeared in the... I believe this was the Council on Aging newsletter. It doesn't even have a date.
So I can talk to Catherine Brenna, whoever else is organizing this, to find out more details and then share those with... So what if we say 3, Tonya? Would that work for you? 3 o'clock? Oh, if that's what you need. Well, we do need you. No, no, I mean at 3 o'clock. I mean, yeah. Okay. Why don't we do that? That's late. If you have a table, if you could bring... I'll bring that. I might go have that when we set up. In the basket, too. And Rick, can you be there to set up? Yeah. Okay. And then you and I will try to help with the morning and afternoon. Depending on where we're supposed to be. And I think Steve Angelini is planning on spending the day there to look over his diary. Well, I hope so. Because I don't want to be responsible for it. Right. Somebody will have to bring over the artifacts in the morning. Well, the Wednesday before the festival, maybe you could take them and put them in your car, Rick.
Just make him sign out a... Loan out paper. Margaret has it, saying that he has them so that we know where they are. You might take off. So you might take off.
You never know. I mean, even I have to sign out things when I'm at the Historical Society. So yeah, you have to sign them up. Just so we can keep track of them. So we have the table. We have the canopy. We have... People setting up and taking down. We will, Amanda, in case you don't make it and you're there, we'll try to have somebody come down and help you for the takedown. I mean, even if we have to close up before the festival. Let me help you. I'm here by myself. At this point, we need another person on the board that you address as Andy. A person on the board? Is this on the commission or not with closing up or a person on the board? On the commission. Are you interested in a seat in the commission? That's why I stayed was because Tyna mentioned it and I wanted to see what happened. What we said about it. Yes. Yes. Yes. Otherwise, I was going to go home to my new kitty, but... Andre can wait. He's waited this long for you. He's home with Dad. Okay. Okay. Oh, yeah. You could take part in the festival at the table and that'll give you a really insight into it. Yeah. I'm afraid I'm a three o'clock. I'll need some confirmation. Last year, I stayed the whole time, so I'll be here the whole time and help close up. So can we move on? Yeah, time to move on. House plaques, right? House plaques. The last meeting I was in here, but everybody approved the three house plaque applications. I've told. The three homeowners, it has been approved. I gave them the templates that I got from the manufacturer and they're being made now. Right. So probably next week, I'll have them and I'll get them to the homeowner. So that's three new plaques, which is good. The third person, though, made the check out to the commission. Yeah. Did you... I have that. You've got that. And I've communicated with her. Asked her whether I should just destroy it or return it. She asked me to return it. So when I... Give her the plaque, I'll give her the check. Okay. Okay. Then my question is, because these are the forms that we received at the last meeting, did these get filed in the lab? Is that where we file all the applications for... Did any... Rick, did you... It don't matter. Not in the archaeology site. Yeah. But in the office. In the office. They go somewhere. Yeah, . So did a copy... Rick, did you take copies of the plaque applications to the office? Not yet. I haven't given them to Marjorie yet, but I will. Do you have copies, or you want this set? I do have copies of the applications. Okay. Yes. Okay. Yeah. I have electronic, because they were emailed to me, so I have those. And we might want to keep copies of the image of the signs along with everything in the lab. Oh. Oh, wow. I usually don't take pictures of the signs. I just get... Well, the manufacturer makes them, and then I pick them up and I deliver them. I can take pictures of them. I don't care. I have them to date. You know, I can't do anything. It might be nice to do that, as long as you're the one that receives them and then has to take them out. If it was an inconvenience, I'd say. Yeah. No, it's easy to take pictures. Yeah, I can do that. But now, have the applications... Yeah. I noticed that we had changed the application requirements. Have we posted those on the website yet? I think the changes were on the website. I think you ended that. Yeah, I ended that. Yeah. Okay, good. Yeah.
I can check.
Okay. Next on the agenda, the cemetery. Arjun? I can start off. Rick and I can both address that. As you know, it was supposed to go out to re-bid early summer. We had an issue with Kelsey. As you know, she left somewhat abruptly. Jaylen has stepped up, and Rick and I met with her, I think, on the 24th of August about the re-bidding of the project. We answered her questions. I understand that the bid documents have gone out. Yeah. We'll go out tomorrow. We'll go out tomorrow, and it's going to be advertised.
Rick just told me there's going to be a site visit now on next Wednesday? Next Tuesday. Tuesday. By any interested bidders. To which location, all three? I understand we're going to meet at North Cemetery. I'm available, so I'll attend that. Yes. We're going to meet. We're going to meet at North Cemetery at 10 a.m., is my understanding. I think last time we visited all three cemeteries, I guess we could do that again this year. Yeah, I didn't go to the last site visit, but if that's what we did, and was that, who from the town came along? Was it, was it Kelsey or? I don't know. No. I guess. I can't remember.
I can't remember who else came the last time. Is it somebody from DPW? Right. Is it someone from DPW? Could be, Tom Holder, perhaps. Jaylen said she will be coming, but she's not familiar with the cemetery, so she asked that we also be there. Right. And she can, um, ensure that we are compliant with what information we provide to the prospective fitters. Right. Have you thought about inviting the, uh, chair of the cemetery committee? Uh, no. I think that's the... I don't even know who that is. Maybe the chair of the DPW board? I'm not sure. I don't think you invited them last time because they, they showed no interest in it, but... I, I know we met with, uh, after we got the, uh, uh, or the contract, we met with Tom Holder and Epic, but... Oh, right. But he's not the chairman of the... No, DPW. He's head of the DPW, right. So, um... I, I don't even know who it is. I don't either. Well, I'd have to look and see who was the chairman of the... So it's funny that we didn't even know their, their... I didn't even know. They shouldn't exist if they clearly do not take an interest in the cemetery. Yeah. I, I had a question as to how, to whom do they send this document? There's a, there are a couple different public websites, uh, and, and local newspapers. Uh, so it's advertised in some local newspapers. It's advertised on some, uh, state websites. There's a Convise website that goes out to all prospective... Contractors' bids. Yeah, there's a, uh, booklet or online... It's now online. It used to be a booklet, uh... Central Register. Where all our fees go to be submitted, uh, and people who make bids know to go and look there normally. Okay. If you have somebody that's interested, you can notify, you know, you can notify them... That's a good point. I fell into this by accident looking for something else online, and, uh, this is the... The... Their name is Beyond the Gravestone. They're out of Storrs, Connecticut. It's a couple who does this. They do stone cleaning, repair, and plot care.
Did they tell you who the owners were? Because we've had somebody from Connecticut. Will and Lisa Cornell. Cornell. I don't think that's her name. And I just wondered if they're in a... I know nothing about them except what I see on their website and whether they had access to however we send out. Did you say Storrs, Connecticut? Storrs, Connecticut is where their home base is. I'm told that... I think, didn't Jalen say we could notify other bidders that we were aware of? Yes, I think so, yes. So if you have contact information... Should they contact Jalen? Who do they contact? I contact Jalen. Contact Jalen. I remember, I don't know how many years ago, Amanda, I think you were there with me. We had some man come from Connecticut and I don't think he ended up doing a very good job. I hope that's not the same one. That's what I was wondering too, if it was the same guy. Remember that guy? Well, we do reference checks once. We did that last time. Assuming we get a few bidders, we divide them up and we do reference checks. But we'll have the ability to check out whoever is doing the bids. I don't remember what his name was. Well, that guy was notified of the assessment. Do you remember? And he didn't think we had enough work for it to be worth his while to make a bid on just doing the assessment. Oh, just the assessment? Yes. Yeah, very good. Well, I think coming up from Connecticut, he's got a plan for a place to stay and everything else. So that all goes into his bid for it. And it may be too high, but that's up to him to make the bid and you guys to decide. Everybody else we chose came from a distance. And two that were on the original list were from a big distance. Well, I think Watertown was the closest. That's the closest one we have. Brett, are you going to notify some of the people that we received bids from in the past just in case it's not in the re-arrangement? They'll be watching the bid contracts just like everybody else. Yeah, I suspect they will. Because that's how they found out about it at the beginning. A lot of local instructions won't. I'm sure they'll be checking it. The other company was a D.C.-based company. I'm sure they came up on their... Wasn't it one in Texas? Or was that... Maybe that was a documents thing. That's the documents. Okay.
That's the documents. So, well, I assume the bids will be due. It's in the bid documents. I can't remember the exact date Jalen put in, but it'll be mid-September that the bids will be due. And then we'll see what kind of interest we'll get.
And based on cemetery work, also on this site was this John Appleton, Apple, A-P-P-E-L-L, listed, who travels and teaches and trains local folks in cemetery care, including travels all over the country and gives free talks. I don't know what he charges to do that. But anyway, he has quite a reputation for doing this. What happened with that idea? Wasn't there... There was some reason why we couldn't have the Friends of the Cemetery room? Yeah. DPW was not... DPW was... It didn't like... DPW is the only one that has... There was no Friends of the Cemetery. No, no, no. But we had wanted to start with it. Oh, yes. We did. Right. Right. They had issues of insurance issues, that kind of thing. Okay. We may have... We talked about that. Rick and I briefly may have to revisit that if the bids come in high, and I suspect they will, whether or not we can carve out the cleaning from the bid to try to lower the cost and then revisit the issue of cleaning through... Volunteers. I don't know. You're going to have to talk to CPA about changing the way that you approach it, because they gave you money for a project which was cleaning and repair, and now you want to take cleaning out of it and redo that, and I don't know that you can do that without going back to the CPA and getting permission to do that. Yeah. But I just wanted to give you a heads up. Yeah. Yeah. What was the something I was going to ask about? Oh, the chairman of the cemetery commission, when Ann went she told me that they didn't seem to care or be interested. When I went, they were upset that we went ahead and did this without consulting them first. Okay. So that's the only reason I suggest at least notifying them that we're sending it out for rebidding and that we're continuing to pursue what has already been approved to do. Not that we're asking for anything more, but that we have already, you know, we're trying to finish the project that has been approved and started. Okay. That's somebody within DPW, I assume. I would start with the chairman of the... No, he's not a town worker. That's what I'm trying to say. He's not a town worker. He has been in the past the chairman of the Department of Public Works board. In other words, their committee that works with the DPW, but they're all volunteers like we are. Well, I can ask Tom Holder who it is. You can. Yeah. I can house Tom. Like I said, I didn't even know there was... Sherri-Ann, after this meeting, maybe you and Brad and I could go down and ask Jalyn if it's permissible to have her contact these firms that you've identified that might be prospective rebidders.
Archaeology. Anya? Well, I've been otherwise occupied for a while, so I haven't been doing very much with it. Amanda? I've also been otherwise occupied. Sorry. I showed up today for the first time in weeks because I've been otherwise occupied with medical issues. We did receive today, four smaller artifact boxes from Gaylord that were apparently ordered back in April or May. And have they been sitting in the office? They've been sitting in Kelsey's office. Yeah. And they were discovered. And so those have now been moved. Great. Thank you. To the lab. And those are approximately half the size of the so-called smaller boxes that had been previously. I saw that email. I had forgotten to follow up about it after making the order. Yeah, that was the last thing we ordered. So both Sandy and I have finished the boxes that we've been working on. The box that I had been working on, I started at the end of May. So next week we will be starting new boxes of more Castle Hill material. Yeah. And Margaret and her husband have taken some more handwritten sheets to enter into the master file of all of our artifacts. So they're pretty well caught up. Thanks, Rick. On that. Do we still have data to go to? Yeah, there was a question raised at the last meeting of whether, do we need an appointment to open up? Tanya and I need to do that together. We need an appointment. We haven't asked you if we need to make arrangements. We had hoped to do it before the school started again. I don't even understand. Is the school still here? No. So it shouldn't be an issue this year. Where did they move the school? Happy Hollow. Okay. So hopefully, Tanya, if you're feeling better and my schedule reopens, we can go up there without an appointment. But if we find we need one. Well, I was talking about that today in the lab, going upstairs and looking to see if there's any more Castle Hill. We need to decide what to do with the material up there. Yeah. I was wondering, once we get Castle Hill done, are we going to do Watertown Dairy? We can choose. Last time we did a small one because we just decided we wanted to work on a small one. But we can choose whichever one we're going to do. We're not going to do surface finds, really. I don't think there's value. There's a lot of work that you're doing, and there's not really a value in that for the surface finds. We can do something that's searchable, maybe, but there's no layers. There's none of that information that would help a scholar. It might be an interesting thing to put on the system that this box holds X, Y, and Z. But we don't need to actually inventory each to the same degree. But there's more things that need to be. But we'll re-box them, sure. So we'll figure that out. I also just had another thought that I lost. Shoot, I lost it. Related to this. There are things I would like to do. I'd like to produce some documents maybe saying how much, once we finish, for instance, Castle Hill, you know, if this type of stone was found or how many, certain types of projectile points or whatever. It'd be nice to have a report from each inventory. So, and I don't know where we could put that, but that's another idea. Will there be a website outcome from the lab? I don't think we want to host a website, and I don't know if the town, we might, we could always have a link. Because then people could see something like that, a report. If the town was willing to. And also the database that's being produced. You know, if a scholar wanted to use it, would they use it now? Well, they would need to contact me. Yeah. And would they? I mean, I think we have information up there. Isn't there a link on our web data? Yeah. Although I need to, my web, I need to fix, once again, now that I'm back on the board, I need to re-fix my, I got, in May or June, I got my email working and now it's not working again. So, anyway. Right. So, there are some ideas, but there's still a lot of work to do before we move to that stage, I think. Deciding what to do with the materials that we don't want anymore is a, is a, is a big thing. And also, Sandy, I don't think we'd use it. She can't get to her tongue. I don't think we would use this meeting for it, but I would love to hear from all the people on the council on aging that would like, that had worked and volunteered in the lab to contribute to how we can change things or improve things in the lab. I think that would be, use all the people that went on that trip, all the people that went on the trip to, to Joe Bagley's lab. I would love to hear from them input and ideas about how we could improve the lab based on their experience. I think that would be helpful. Yeah, you had a good experience. I just noticed one thing. I loved how they had in, had grouped their boxes, but the kind of boxes that we have, they had grouped them by location. And the kind of things that were in there. And in that area, they had a laminated sheet that described it. And I thought that was really great. Oh yeah, you showed me those sheets. Yeah, I thought that was good. And that wouldn't be that hard to do. Well, what would be hard to do is take the boxes the way they are now, kind of, helter-skelter, and possibly renumbering them or, I don't know. Oh no, we couldn't do that. Yeah. We couldn't renumber them. Yeah. But we could definitely have sheets that are accessible and describe what's on this row once we're done. And once, you know, we could definitely do that. So somebody wouldn't have to log into a computer. Yes. They could look and say, oh, you know, I don't know, 30 through 40 are definitely sandhill. I mean, right now what we have is just a number on the box. And Rick has a, a map of what the boxes are. And do they, do they say what's in the boxes? No, I just have a list of where the boxes are, what shelf they're on, what room they're in. Yeah. So we could work, we could start with that. You made that map for yourself or? Just when I had difficulty finding the boxes. That was great. Yeah. I love it. Sequential order. Yes. They do get moved around. The reason being, sometimes that, sometimes that thing protrudes or they're a little bit off the end and somehow they don't always fit in the logical way. But I think the intent is to have, you know, zero to a hundred in a chronological order. That would be the ideal scenario. Yeah. Well, I hate to bring this up, but we need to know what the budget's going to be for the lab so that we can see what money we have for education and other activities. And even possibly locking exhibit shelving or some, some sort of exhibit thing that we could either make portable or there. So when you bring people in, you don't have to be pulling things off the top shelf and so forth. And what I found is that was the interesting with the history that was written next to this little shard or something. Yeah. And it meant something then before it was like, oh, that looks like a piece of wood and who cares? But now it had a story to it and a meaning and why they're being saved. And it made it much more interesting. We should do a series of YouTubes. What? We should do a series of YouTubes. That's a great idea. But the point is, so YouTube, we have to find somebody that's comfortable doing it. The filming and talking and so forth. And I don't know how much, I don't know how much money you need to set aside for that, if any. And also if we have exhibits, how much money we have to set aside for that. So I asked the board to think about that because we've sort of gone in loosey goosey and hope that we had enough money for the end of the year. But it would be really nice to plan ahead to know what we need money for. I don't know what the office needs. Money for what supplies they need. I don't know what the lab needs. Anybody, you know, I don't have to be in charge of the budget. Who was ever in charge of the budget needs to know that kind of thing. Well, one thing that we found today was two boxes of big bags, large six by nine and larger. So we don't need any more. At some point we may need some more small bags, but I think right now we have enough. Is there anything on the Greenways field? Any update on that? No, I haven't been able to follow through on that. Okay. Should we move on? For Meadowview Road, the closed cell tower antenna at the last meeting, Kay suggested that we obtain the archaeology report. I did contact the company and they did send an archaeology report that I sent to Tanya. And I haven't done anything with it. But I think the operable statement in there was that the archaeologist didn't find anything of significance. They found some structural things, some brick. I looked at some of the pictures. Okay. And I don't know, not separate bricks, but bricks that were forming something at the base. Okay. I'll have to go back and look at that in depth. Okay. Did they need it? When did they need a response? By the end of last month. Oh, good. But they have already received a letter, as I understand it, or recall from the Mass Historical Commission. Saying that the project would not have any adverse effects on historical or archaeological features. Okay. That's my understanding. Okay. That's good. So at least Mass Historical has reviewed it. Well, yeah, it would be nice to have in the copy from us also a letter so that they have it for their files and our files that we've looked at it and approved it, even if it's late. Just because they'll stop asking us if we don't respond and we don't say yes or no. Okay. Moving on. Sherman's Bridge Project. I sent an email to Paul Coccoli, who is the project manager, asking him about the sign, this proposed historical and territorial interpretive sign for Stone's Bridge. Asking him whether that was included in a budget and offering some assistance from our committee and perhaps the Historical Society in the design of the sign. I have not heard back from Paul about that. Did you get my email? I sent you an email about that. You sent me an email about Stone's Bridge. Yes. Isn't that what you were asking? No. Sherman's Bridge. That's what I'm talking about. And I, I did talk with, Let's see. Yeah. I did receive that. And I did not know that advanced work had been done on designing the Stone's Bridge sign. So it's good to hear. So to bring you all up to date, Carol Holtz, who did the rail trail and the signs for us, is doing Sherman's Bridge. And she has received photographs. And this time it was done in a timeline. You just said Sherman's Bridge. Did I? Sorry. Don't worry. It's done in a timeline format, because 300 years to cover. And whittled down, whittled down, whittled down. I can't tell you how many times it got whittled down. And then she will be available in October to work on it. And has asked me to identify the photographs that I sent her so that she might place them somewhere near in the timeline where they are located. And so I've not heard anything further back than that. Sorry for Sherman's Bridge, Stone's Bridge. Excuse me. I did talk to Mike Fay this morning. And he said that they have no budget for designing or installing the sign for Stone's Bridge. That is not what he told me in the beginning. And that's the only reason I moved forward. I talked to Kelsey. And Kelsey has signed a contract for Carol Holtz to do the design of the sign. So I don't know what's going to happen now. I just found the money somewhere. Ben? I think she went on the word that Mike was going to pay for it out of his budget. Good. Well, Mike told me this morning, I think his words were, I don't have a budget for it, but we might be able to find some money someplace. Okay. Moving on. Our annual report. Okay. Well, I think all of you received the bulletin points that I pulled out of the minutes. And we are missing October's minutes. And we are missing May and June minutes. June has been posted. Okay. I'll go back and look at that. May is still missing because I've been going back and forth between and about the final revisions. So as soon as I get that verified, the May meeting post, May meeting minutes will be on the website. I can't speak to, did we just say October? I think it was October. So my question is, did we meet in October? Does anybody have a calendar that they used in October 2025? Oh, I think so. We did not. You didn't like August or something. We didn't meet in August of 2025. I don't see why we wouldn't have met in October. Well, I didn't know if the festival interfered or, or something. We couldn't get a quorum. I just don't know. That's why I'm questioning it. I have a calendar that I met on the 8th, October 8th. October 8th? You were chairperson. What? You were chairperson. I know, but I wasn't taking the minutes. And they're not posted? Yeah. I'm surprised. When I was looking through, . Yeah. Yeah. I have it down as the 8th, but I don't see any minutes. I can check with Anne when she gets back from Canada. Well, that doesn't help me. When is she coming back? After Labor Day. Okay. We may or may not be able to squeeze whatever into that. So as you see, I feel like we did a lot of work. I don't know. It's four pages of stuff that we did. Some pictures will probably be removed. Does anybody have any questions or additions that they want? Suggestions? It's a very comprehensive report, but I think we could condense it. The Tower Hill Signal Cabinet was an accomplishment last year. I wanted to look at that and see if it was in there. However, it's not done in this fiscal year. No. The installation was completed before June 30th of last year, and there is a picture of the cabinet in last year's report. Yeah, I know. Okay. So I think we could take that out and save some space. Good, because that's where I want to put in the Wayland Festival picture. Now I can do that. You could also put in a picture of Perkins or... Well, I put in a stand-in picture for Perkins. Okay. But I didn't know whether the space-wise, whether we would have space for Deborah Sampson, which we did do, and Perkins, and we may or may not have space to do that. So those were the questionables. I have extra copies of Kay's trial that I can pass out to people. Thank you. I think we can... Can I get the link? If you have extra bricks, Andy would like one. Okay. But I think we can censor them. I like the pictures of the plaques to let them go. Oh, yeah, the new plaques. Instead of referring to Collins Market, I think we ought to just call it... Is it 21 Constituent Road? I think that's the way we call it. was called. Yeah, that's better to start this mission. I'm not there. Where are we? Oh, it's not that support. We're to send your support letters. Yeah. First page near the middle. Oh, yes. What is it now? 21 constituent road. I believe that's the correct address. The above that the preservation restriction. I remember Brian saying he had inspected you had inspected the property. Yep. And was it a formal written report? Or I just wondered whether we need to include that. I think I saw I think I prepared an email reporting on the Yeah, I sent an email around. So did you send one to me? Yeah, I sent an email around. Yeah, I sent an email around. So did you send one to Margaret to put in the office? So we have a record of it? I don't think so. I think I think it just it was to everybody on the commission, but I don't I don't think I gave one.
Well, Rick, this is not the final draft. But because I had such a short time between the 17th and now, I just made bullets so that people would know that it's on my radar to report. So I'm not worried about sentence structure, anything like that. Yeah, it was a Pulitzer. Good. That's the way it was done. Thank you for your work. Yeah. Okay. I haven't had a chance to look at it. You could put an image of one of Carol Holtz's side. I don't have one. That's why I didn't do it. Well, but we have we have which we didn't have good clear ones. I didn't think the last ones I had were from Bonnie Gossels and her printing machine didn't print them nicely. They were all mixed up colors. So that's why I didn't include it. Well, if somebody has a copy, they want to send me I think we can include those next year. They haven't been installed yet. They have not. But they were paid for it. Her work was paid for in last year's budget. So the installation would be a separate thing. And, and maybe we'll have other installations to provide the Castle Hill and the
and maybe if we do the ball field. So if somebody has a sign, I think it's worth putting it. Okay. But what I'm asking is somebody have a sign a picture of the sign. That's good. It would only be Rick or we could reach out to Carol and ask, do you have an image that we have the PDFs, but I think it's premature to put them in until they're actually installed. I think we ought to save them for next year's annual report as an accomplishment. What does the majority say? I think it makes sense because they haven't been installed yet. So I tend to I tend to agree.
I think we ought to focus on our real big accomplishments. Okay, so we need a big accomplishment this year. And that'll be the signs. trail signage mentioned at the bottom of page one. I think it was actually our commission that we requested. I think it was us, our commission. Well, the commission went to the board and asked that they get the signs. A whole bunch of us went along with Bonnie. Did the select board go along with me? Yes, you were there. I don't know. I wasn't there. I was there. So we, as a commission, appeared before the select board. Bonnie did the talking? Yes.
So you want me to leave her name off totally? I would say we requested, or the commission requested that the select board.
There wouldn't have been any time to vote. Bonnie. As a part of our compensation plan, we said that we wanted to include the signage for the campaign, so we'll include the signage for the campaign. I think we're probably gonna include the signage for other claims. Because this is a great project, this is a great project. Yeah, it's a great project. we want to include all the positive things to say that we think would be part of this project. I mean, that's the key thing. We here in this group, I mean, we have other programs that are a little bit different, but I, I want to make sure we have a good part of it. Yeah, we have a few other things that we want to include. Yeah. priority well i said secure the commitment that's all i said didn't say it was done but i'm taking it out that's all right next one um it should you at ball field is that yeah i'm sure or oh uh you had a different phrasing for that um we see private donations um i just do fun but toward funding towards funding that's it i think it's special that people know we are collecting money for that i just have a question as to whether our commission can collect funds i'm using i already looked into it and it's my law we can do that great i just so i mean if we're doing the ball field and i still feel strongly we've spent years working on the signs and i think it's a good idea to do that i think it's a good idea we're working on the signs and i think it's a good idea to do that i think it's a good idea to do do i do think that they need to know the work we're doing behind the scenes that that it takes it takes a you know months for us to get anything accomplished and for them to think we're not doing anything during that time i don't know i think you have a point amanda i think that it's important for people to know that it isn't a snap of a finger that gets done that it takes planning and involvement that's long range and that we're on top of some things like the freight house painting cvw may not facilities may consider it low on their list but we have a concern that that structure maintain visibility and because it's on the rail trail so i think there's certain things that even though we say you know we've secured a commitment or whatever that something be done i think that's important for the people in town to know as you say that we're working behind the scenes on a lot of things to concern the town and the history of the town and it may generate some support for it um in in terms of a lab you know there's nothing that's really sexy that anybody's going to read that's going to depress them but the amount of work that goes into what everyone's doing in there is immense and um you know i think we need to say like we get from margaret the numbers on castle hill how many how many artifacts were inventoried and well wonderful tell me and i can tell you i can give you sandhills numbers fine okay so but i'm just going by the minutes you have to understand that which is why i'm looking for additions and i think it is impressive if you can tell me how many artifacts have been done within the last year i don't i don't know i since we didn't actually report that number last year i don't know how many um i can look in i only know from the beginning because we don't we don't keep the login date so i can tell you how many have been inventoried to date well if margaret and uh ken are putting it in they might be on their computers could they maybe figure out i don't know because she'll put it in here and she overwrites her previous you know she brings in a travel drive and puts it in the computer But she might have it on hers. I don't know. But we can just say this is how many we've inventoried since we started the project. Well, I need it sooner than later. I have to return in this report. And if you guys want to see it before it's turned in, which I hope you do, I need it yesterday.
I don't have my key for the lab. I'm leaving Thursday night. So I need to see the computer in there to get the Santel numbers.
Somebody has, I could dash over there afterward if somebody has the key. Well, I have one. You have your key with you? Do you have time right now? Or do you want me to go now? Well, not during the meeting.
Somebody has time. I will wait for you. And I can return the key to Sandy. Well, if you're waiting. If you're waiting for her and you've got a key. Show me what the key looks like. It's a bright change. That's how I identify. Mine is not a bright change. The key to the lab. I think it's this one.
Back to the draft annual report. The top of page three on the gravestone restoration. I don't know that. I think we ought to be wary. Rick, you're going to have to. I don't have to wait because I can't do two things at the same time. Take notes and retrieve a tree key. I think this is it. I think this is it.
Top of page three. The reason why the contract was terminated. I suggest. Just rewording that.
What? Rewording. Yes, I have. Now terminate it. Although the original estimate was on the low side. That was not the. That's not a reason for terminating a contract. Yeah, that's true. And also Josh's health issues. And we don't want to comment on that. Well, I felt that we did need to come in on it because here is a contractor who unfortunately made too low bid and this is what happened. They only got 33% down and the contract had to be terminated at their choice. We can say that, but that's what she reported that she wants resulting in and asking permission to terminate the contract. And that's what happened. And this is a public report to the public. To the public of what happened. That's all you need to say, though. You don't need to mention the health. What? No, you could you could revise it and say, for multiple reasons, the contract was voluntarily terminated. It doesn't really tell the truth, though. It doesn't tell the whole facts. Well, we don't want to comment on the health of Josh. I don't think that was. Well, I didn't include the health of him. Yeah. That's I deliberately didn't do that. But then it's not complete because it's that. It wasn't. That wasn't the only reason that they. Well, that's the only reason I heard at the meeting was that it was terminated because it sounded when I heard it with my ears, not everybody else's ears, that everyone was concerned about his health and thought that maybe that was a contributing factor. But it wasn't what was said. It was said that she thought that. It was too low and he requested a termination.
Yeah. And so that's why I didn't say anything about his health, because that really wasn't a major factor of why it was terminated. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I don't necessarily disagree. Or you could say multiple reasons, including this fact that indicates that this wasn't the only reason. If that. It's better sounds better.
I think if I did anything, I'd perhaps just say.
Epic reported and just take out Rachel's name. Take out what? Take out Rachel's name rather than say Epic representative Rachel Miles. Just say Epic reported that. Well, Epic representative. I mean, she. Yeah. It's Epic can't report. It's. It's just a business name.
And I don't know if you have the color version or not, but the color version, you can see the difference between the. The market that wasn't cleaned in the market was cleaned. It's so clear. Very clear. Yeah, it's very obvious. Okay. What else?
We're being down on page three near the bottom of the pound brochure representation. And I, I personally think that's more of an editorial comment than an accomplishment.
So I will suggest. It's what I included is let's say, well, I included that we requested the future printing include the historical mission, but we have to say why we want to be in the town brochure because we weren't there. I mean, this is just removing that completely. I think we did write a letter. We did write a letter asking that. So I'm sure you know, saying we didn't write a letter. And in the goals for next year, last year's report just had two sentences about goals. What you've written is a great read-in to our agenda topic on goals, but I think it's too lengthy to include in the annual report. That's my personal opinion. Okay. Well, we want to continue with the signs. We want to update the mattress reports. We want to continue with the inter departmental communications and relationship.
Maybe the last one is not important, but we do want to go for CPA funding for archeology. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Well, I don't know that we've made the decision to go forward on that this year. Really? Have we? Well, that's what we told Michael in our meeting with him about our goals. We did talk about goals, but I don't remember that we specifically said we wanted to apply at next year's meeting for the engine house. We did talk about the engine house. We did talk about the engine house. We have another project of the rail rest posts that were approved two years ago, and that's still on my to-do list to find another. We can't do anything on the engine house because the DCR won't let us install signs from the depot going west because the rail trail will be repaved, the part that's now stoned up. And that's going to disturb where the archaeology research is going to be doing? For whatever reason, DCR will not let us install any signs. Well, I'm not asking to do a sign. I'm saying that after 20 years, we need to either move or forget the project and move on to other projects. Because 20 years ago, we had a report that said we should do this interpretive site. And for whatever reason, the Commission did not accept it. They did not do it and did not pursue it and has not followed up on it. And if we're not going to do it after 20 years, we're just not going to do it. That's the basic. It's time to give up that hope. And I didn't want to give up that hope. I wanted the interpretive site. And I put in the example of the round table area. The picture is in Lakeland, not in Leyland. I know it's not in Leyland. It's an image of the site. I know it's not in Leyland. It's an image of what we hoped it to accomplish. People respond to pictures and they respond to what they could see as a possibility. But if we want to give up on doing that, that's fine with me. I'm just concerned if this is a year in which there's going to be an oral guide, whether this is an opportune time. These are not definition. These are goals. Those are long-term goals. I don't know that we've necessarily decided what two goals from the fiscal year. I asked for goals. We went and talked to Michael based on what I heard back on the goals and that these are all things on my agenda that I handed Michael, that I gave you. Well, do the sentences elaborate? I mean, I don't know how to take notes from them. I think they're in the text. And it's fun. I would've done that. on the major item have to be there? I'm sorry? Could you just leave it at the educational community value and say no more? Could you leave it at signage and say no more? And then? I think he's trying to drum up excitement and support. So that's why it's been elaborated on like that. I think it's a clever idea. I don't know if it's gonna work, but why not kind of thing. I too thought that this was a goal, this interpreter site. I don't know that I thought it was a goal for next year, but I thought it was a goal. And so I would say if you are gonna leave the picture
though, I do think there's a, period after Wendland and also maybe in small. Actually, I think the pictures in the rock plants that should go up in the rail corridor site interpretation. Which is put a little piece under it. Saying that it's probably in mass, yeah. Or giving credit to, I don't know who took the photo. Rick took the photo? That was from the Hines-Washer report. Okay. Thank you. And I was thinking that, if Steve is going to have his diorama of the rail trail and what the original roundhouse and engine house looked like,
that's the time to start promoting and getting people interested. Thinking about it. Kids and families looking at this. And we can say, this is what it looked like back in the day. And we have the remains of parts of this that we would like to create an interpretive center. And I think it's the opportunity is here to begin talking about it again. And make it a little part. Yeah, I agree. And getting public community interest. And seeing that diorama is a good way to do it. Well, that's a good idea. I mean, the question is, if we know that we're not allowed to do it though. He's talking about signs. He's talking about signs. Okay, but if they're not gonna allow signs, are they gonna allow us to do it? Well, it's not their land. It's the town land. Okay. Signs can go on town land. Okay. Not on the DCR railroad land in that stretch. Right. I think that was a very good point, Sherriann, because I think that's what I was thinking is, we have this table with the train set up. And people are going to be fascinated by it. And we ask them. We actually should have something to hand out about it. What if you put a picture of that instead of this?
Well, I do have pictures. We have pictures of the old engine house somewhere. I'm seeing it. But it's also not a toilet. I mean, the diorama, picture of the diorama. I do have that, Sandy. It's a good point. Although it is,
I have to find it again. But I do have a picture of the diorama, rather than something in somebody else's town. But the diorama isn't of Whaler though, right? What? It's not of Whaler's. Yes, it is. Oh, it is? Yes. I thought it was just a general freedom. It's not purely historically authentic, but it's a representation. Oh, that's cool. Right. And use it for this whole interpretive railroad site. Does that, not that particular item, but for as kind of like your picture on the sidebar. Good idea. The whole thing. And then you'd have to label it, what it is and who made it and all that, but. Well, anyway, as I said, my suggestion is the goals could be significantly reduced down. Last year, it was two sentences. Did we even manage last year's goals? We should probably check on that. What are the goals like in the last year? Do we have, Looking ahead, the Whalen Historical Commission remains committed to preserving the town's historic structures, artifacts and landscapes while fostering public understanding and engagement. In the coming year, the WHC will continue work on cemetery restoration, railroad interpretive projects, house plaque documentation, archaeological concerns, and plans related to the 250th U.S. anniversary celebration. That's two sentences without going into too much detail. Without any substance to them. They're just generalizations. So here's the and here's the Longwood Cedar Tower and the They're accurate, correct, and clean, but they're not going to drum up any excitement. And I think they're trying to do, like, this is kind of a marketing ploy. I think it's a good idea. If they're willing. I don't know if there's a limit on space. There may be, but I plan to I don't know. Apparently you like the bulletin point of view. It's easy to read. It's easier to read. And also pictures. Most people don't read whatever it is. The pictures that you have are good. They don't drum up. The headlines, the biggest headlines are the pictures. They're going to attract people. Think about it. The New Yorker.
I'm telling too much about things. Do we need to move on? I don't know. I've got another. I want to make sure. Can we email these out and people respond separately to me about whether they approve the report after I get it into the final final form? When do you need to submit it? What? Okay. Thank you. Oh, it's certainly.
Thank you for all the work that you've done to find this trade. It's been a lot of work in a short time.
Oh, did you all like the way I've begun it? That's what I was. Oh, that was good. I thought that was good. In the beginning, yes. I think it's lovely. What? Lovely. Oh, thank you. That's it's only me. That's what I was concerned about.
Okay. Next is the railroad and rail trail signage. At our last meeting, I mentioned that there would be a walkthrough with the contractors on it was going to be Wednesday the 20th? No. Thursday. Thursday.
August 20th. It was something that you had to Yeah, I had another commitment. Yeah, on Thursday. On Thursday, the 20th. However, I wasn't able to attend because we get started at 730 in the morning. So I Mike Fea, Bonnie Gossels and Lion Henderson, L-I-A-N H-E-N-G-E-R-S-O-N I'm sorry, what was the last name? Henderson. Henderson. First name, Lion, L-I-A-N Henderson. Who is was hired by the contractor Taylor Lofgren L-O-F-G-R-E-N Actually, it's E-M Lofgren. You could just put Lofgren as the contractor for installing L-O-F-G-R-E-N So on August 20th from 730 in the morning until about 1030 we walked the whole trail from the library to the Westin town line and back looking at sign locations where the signs will be installed. So there will be a sign for the Wayland Historic District right on the corner of the Groudherd House near where the construction is underway. There will be a sign for that underground conduit. I don't know whether they'll be able to do anything until that conduit gets the chamber that gets finished. There will be one for the library. There's one for the freight house. There's one for Adams Park Mill Pond. There's one for the level of artifacts at the cattle pass. There's going to be a bench at Tower Hill Plain Road. There's already a sign on that. There's a sign on that. There's going to be a bench at Tower Hill Plain Road. There's already a sign on that. There's a sign on the cabinet. So it's just a bench there. And then there will be a another sign near the near the marshy area east of Plain Road and then another sign at the western Wayland town line. Also after we looked at those sign locations and determined the locations we visited the Dudley Woods and we showed the contra Mike Fay I didn't go along for that part of it. The two locations for the Dudley Woods signs and then we went to Castle Gate and looked at the location there which is kind of overgrown with weeds. But you could still see some remnants of the orange paint that the town the boundary of town land. So today I talked to Mike Fay he says the contractor needs to there's been a slight change because instead of the signs being inserted into the concrete while it's being built and then the sign hardware will be attached to the brackets. So that's a modification that the contractor needs to make before they can get the go ahead. I should have mentioned that after we saw the Dudley Woods and Castle Gate signs we went out to the DPW building to see the carton in which the signs had been shipped. We saw the part of the top of one of the signs we didn't open them up to see all of the signs but the mounting hardware is there together so that the contractor's representative could see what everything looks like and that the signs could probably start to reinstall later this month September. He hasn't been given an actual date yet. Fantastic. Thank you. So was there any kind of ceremony or anything that's going to be done to when the signs include a some money for a celebration? We haven't talked about that yet. Maybe it should be on the It's assuming there are no additional complications. Could it be at the festival? Well it's kind of away from the festival. Sorry? It's away from the festival. People aren't going to leave until the festival is over and then we'll have a sign or a trifold poster that would show all of the signs and I don't know just thought would they be installed by then? I don't think so. It's not to be constructed and then they don't go down the trail to look at. Or you could also look at it as they find out about it and look for them. Right. But it might be on those posters was there anything about the rail trail signs or anything else? There could be a handout at the festival though. If you include maybe one or two signs to go with something about the diorama and being a goal and so forth. They may start to be installed by somebody else. It doesn't have to be all the signs. It could be just one of the signs or something like that. The one at the water tower. Those are fabricated but will not be able to be installed at the festival. But we have the graphics that Carol does. Maybe you could use that. Watch for these to come. Watch for these to come. Watch for these to come is a good phrase. That's a good idea. Poster with the signs. Maybe the next item is signage for Castle Gate so we covered that because the same contractor will install all those signs together. You could start with those signs. Don't have to worry about the signs for Castle Gate or Dudley Waters. Wouldn't that be part of the overall promotion of it? I thought that's what you were saying. Those are our signs, not Rail Trail signs. It will not be for these to come. Can you find these? Yeah. Well, I wish we had a great graphics person like Ann to do posters for us. I'll see what we can come up with. Or the library and look at what she did for that. He's looking surprised. Suddenly I hear my kitty calling. Moving on in the agenda, I don't want to prolong this meeting too long. Future educational programs, how much have we been spending this fiscal year unless somebody else has put in for something? I'm not aware of it. Not being chairman, I'm not aware of that. We had talked about Native American topic. We talked about that. We've been going for two and a half hours. We maybe defer that to the next meeting. I haven't looked at a clock. I can't see this. This is a problem when you don't meet often enough. We just met a long time ago. We had a lot to do on that because we didn't meet until last. In that vein, Kay, you outlined goals very well in your draft annual report. But I think those are my opinion is that we ought to reduce our goals for the next meeting. We can discuss those at our next meeting. I made the difficult decision that I'm going to be stepping off committees and some others. I've been on commission for six years and it's been great. But I do need to make decisions as to where I'm going to be devoting my time. I'm going to be stepping off the commission. Obviously, I don't want to do that. But I did want to raise that at this meeting so everybody was aware of my intention. Well, as we all react to that stunning announcement. Why, Brad? You look very nice. It's been great. It's been a good six years. You've been very supportive of the work that you're doing. I'm very grateful that you are here. I know you have a quorum so you're all set there. So that's not an issue. I can come to the next meeting tomorrow. And so to the extent that I can call references, things like that, I'd be glad to do that to try to get that back on track. Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7th? Yes, that's what I have. Is that correct? Are you available on Wednesday, October 7th? I have to look. Okay. The only other thing, membership is we're already problem, already have a problem with Ann having stepped off the board for a couple of weeks. So, we're going to be able to continue as a representative to the CPC? Yes. Great. Thank you. Do we have anything else to discuss before I go? Second, while you can, Brad. Staying. Okay. That's an aye for me. Adjourned? Yes. Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you all.