DECEMBER 18, 2002

OTHERS: Peter Bondi, Richard A. Booth, Pres. Norwalk Historical Society, Arthur Rochelle.

** The following minutes have been transcribed verbatim from the tape recording of 12/18/02 **

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Chairman Diane Rochelle. Ms. Rochelle announced that Ms. Gunn was excused from the meeting due to illness. Ms. St. Aubyn and Mr. Iannaccone were also excused.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The following changes were made to the Minutes of November 6, 2002:

Page 2 – Buildings, 2^nd Paragraph: Change "Oakwood Room" to "Oakhill Room"

There were no changes made to the Minutes of November 20, 2002.

** MR. FEDERICI SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD

Ms. Rochelle asked the Commissioners to review the calendar of meeting dates for 2004 and said that since Ms. Gunn was not present, she was not sure if there were any dates on the calendar for budget review at this point.

Because the November minutes were distributed by email to the Commission members for the first time, Ms. Rochelle inquired if all Commissioners had received their minutes and inquired about was any problems. She stated that since there were no problems, the minutes would continue to be sent by email by Ms. Hayes until further notice. Ms. Rochelle stated that she would like the January 2003 agenda included with the emailed minutes for December in order to save money on mailings. Mr. Bloom reminded Ms. Rochelle that he and Mrs. Morrow do not have email capability and that their copies of the minutes must be mailed to them. Ms. Rochelle noted that Mr. Bloom and Mrs. Morrow would continue to receive their minutes by regular mail until such time as they were able to receive the minutes electronically.

Ms. Rochelle stated that she was sure that the minutes from April 25, 2002 were not completed although Ms. Gunn and Ms. Hayes were absent and could not be questioned.

Ms. Rochelle remarked that she had hoped that all the Commissioners would have received a copy of the NHC Budget, however, she did not see copies for each Commissioner at the meeting; she only saw one copy for the file. Ms. Rochelle stated that all the Commissioners are to receive a copy of the Capital Budget, so when Ms. Gunn returns she is to make copies for everyone and get them to the Commissioners before there is a Capital Budget hearing. Ms. Rochelle stated that the Capital Budget was completed and turned in on time.

Ms. Rochelle said that she had planned to ask Ms. Gunn if the encumbrance had been removed from the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Capital Budget of $19,200 and requested that Ms. Gunn call her when she returns from her illness. Ms. Rochelle also asked Ms. Gunn why there was still money left in the Fitch Special Appropriation Account and said that the Commission is carrying a balance of $4,384.00. Ms. Rochelle stated that she needs the answers to these questions before the next Commission meeting.

REPORTS – HISTORICAL COMMISSION

LOCKWOOD MATHEWS MANSION

LMMM report

Ms. Rochelle announced that Marjorie St. Aubyn of LMMM was not in attendance and that Mrs. Morrow would speak on her behalf.

Hoffmann Contract

** MR. FEDERICI SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

Ms. Falasca reminded Ms. Rochelle that at the November 20 meeting, Ms. Rochelle had asked Ms. St. Aubyn for a copy of the LMMM lease, and that Ms. Falasca send Ms. Rochelle a copy of the Fire Marshal’s report from the Antique Show in order to enable Ms. Rochelle to compose a letter from the NHC to the Junior League. Ms. Rochelle said that she had received the copies but had not yet had time to write the letter. Ms. Rochelle said the letter would be completed before the end of the year.

Ms. Rochelle stated that she had received an invoice from The Hour for the bid advertisement, totaling approx. $153.00. She requested that Ms. Gunn pay the bill out of Capital Account #CO186, which is the account that the LMMM drainage project is to be paid out of. Ms. Rochelle stated that the invoice from The Hour is not to be paid out of the Commission’s Operating Budget.

HISTORICAL CEMETERIES REPORT

Ms. Rochelle distributed a report from Norwalk Historical Society members Lynn Friedman and Dana Laird regarding repairs at the four historic cemeteries for the members’ reading.

** MR. BLOOM SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

Mr. Bondi asked to be recognized. He informed the Commission that a large tree limb was down in the Brookside Cemetery and that the sign for the Kellogg-Comstock Cemetery was missing. Ms. Rochelle asked that Ms. Gunn contact Mike Moccaie of the Recreation and Parks Dept. to remove the tree limb.

At the bottom of her report, Ms. Friedman requested permission from the NHC to apply for the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for Brookside Cemetery. Ms. Rochelle called for a motion on Ms. Friedman’s request. Mrs. Booth stated that she hoped all the City’s historic cemeteries would eventually receive this recognition.

** MS. BRYANT SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

ROGERS RITCH MERRITT HOUSE REPORT

There was no report on the RRM.

MILL HILL BUILDINGS

Norwalk Historical Society report

This report was distributed to the members for their reading.

Repairs: Bell Tower & Smith Street

** MS. BRYANT SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

Ms. Rochelle wanted to question Ms. Gunn as to whether repairs have started on the Smith Street property. Since Ms. Gunn was not in attendance, Ms. Rochelle asked that Ms. Gunn report to her with this information once she has returned to work.

Ms. Rochelle asked Mr. Booth to report on the status of the bell tower repairs. Mr. Booth had gone through the previous quotes and met with Mike Sgobbo, and the decision was made to hire Walter’s Construction Company for $3,900.00. Mr. Booth spoke with Walter’s and seemed confident that this company could handle the repair. Ms. Rochelle said that the bell tower has not been leaking noticeably since the Commission requested the money but does need repair, so she is proposing that the Commission hire Walter’s Construction to repair the tower for $3,900.00 plus the contingency which would bring the project total up to $5000.00. The Commission does not have to go to Land Use on this project. After some discussion, Ms. Rochelle called for a vote on the item.

** MS. FALLON SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

Mr. Booth asked Ms. Rochelle if the City could give Walter’s Construction a document to authorize the repairs. Ms. Rochelle replied that because the project was under $5000, the Commission did not need to go to Land Use. She requested Mr. Booth obtain a specific invoice with a definition of the work that Walter’s Construction was planning to do to show the City, and she would call Mr. Lo at Land Use to see if anything else was necessary.

Ms. Rochelle stated that "Paul the Plumber" visited to give a quote on the water heater, but she has not yet received the quote so she was not aware of the amount.

Mrs. Morrow questioned the status of the hotplate/stove issue. Ms. Rochelle reminded her that everything was on hold until the professional venting system problem was solved. She mentioned that it would be a possibility that, because the bell tower repair quote is so low, the leftover funds could be used towards the venting system.

NORWALK MUSEUM REPORT

Due to Ms. Gunn’s absence, there was no report on the Norwalk Museum.

Discussion followed regarding the December 11, 2002 complaint letter received from Michael Bromley. Ms. Rochelle remarked that the letter had been sent to Ms. Falasca and the Museum Committee, Mayor Knopp and the entire Common Council. Since no one else on the Commission received the letter, Ms. Rochelle copied it to distribute to the members for their reading. She requested a motion to ask the Museum Committee to review this letter and bring an evaluation to the January 22nd Commission meeting.

** MS. FALLON SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

Ms. Rochelle stated that she did not want to discuss the letter at this time, but informed the Commission that she had been notified by Mr. Lo that he and William Krummel had requested her presence at the Land Use meeting. Ms. Rochelle asked that her appearance be postponed until January as she had a prior commitment. She also felt that the Commission should have the courtesy to evaluate the complaint before discussing it with anyone else. Ms. Rochelle stated that in the meantime, she had taken some steps, since this was a letter of complaint.

Ms. Rochelle stated that she would approve a motion for Cross River Lock to open the museum safe mentioned in the letter for 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8^th for a charge of $400.00, to be taken out of the Operating Budget Account #5269. Ms. Rochelle remarked that Mr. Bloom had been very helpful in this matter and had assisted her with research of the records of The Friends of the Norwalk Museum which they worked on together. Mr. Bloom discovered that a William O’Dwyer, now deceased, was the original person who opened this safe for Cross River Lock in August 1997. Ms. Rochelle said that Cross River Lock employees are researching Mr. O’Dwyer’s estate in the hope that there is a record of the combination. Ms. Rochelle stated that the soonest that Cross River Lock could open the safe was January 8, 2003, and she has invited the Mayor to attend, the Land Use will be invited, the event will be videotaped for posterity and that she hoped the press would not be present.

Mrs. Booth inquired as to the location of the safe in the museum. Mr. Bloom replied that the safe was located in the former treasurer’s vault on the first floor next to the Merchants Court. He stated that when the building was acquired and the City departments left the building, the combinations to this safe and safe doors to the one in the basement were lost. Cross River had to be called in to access the safe. Mr. Bloom stated that the Lockwood Collection silver was part of the inventory in the safe. Ms. Rochelle reminded the Commission that she would approve a motion to have Cross River Lock open the museum safe at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2003.

** MS. FALLON SECONDED.

** MOTION PASSED.

Ms. Falasca questioned whether the $400.00 would be taken out of the Commission’s Operating Budget. Ms. Rochelle stated that the $400.00 would be taken from the Other Repair Maintenance Account #5269, which was established for repairs to the Norwalk Museum. Ms. Rochelle said that Ms. Gunn reportedly was seeking other funds to pay for the safe opening, and if so, the money could come from that.

Ms. Rochelle remarked that the letter of complaint also discussed the inventory of the archives and the collections. Ms. Rochelle said that this inventory was something that Mayor Esposito had asked for 2 ½ years ago and that she was aware that it had begun, but that she really wished that Ms. Gunn were present to tell the Commission how she was coming along with it. Ms. Rochelle stated that the Commission now had no more time and that she would accept a motion to approve immediate inventory of the collections, supervised by the NHC’s Museum Committee. Ms. Rochelle suggested the establishment of two priorities for this inventory. First, the physical items on display and in storage, and second, the paper items, particularly in the reference library and what might be on display.

Ms. Rochelle suggested four phases for the inventory. First she would start with a list of the items, their access numbers, and description. Phase Two would be a comparison of this paper inventory with the card catalog and any inventory already being done so that they know what’s what. Phase Three would be a review of the differences between the two lists to find out if there is anything missing or damaged or whatever, because after 2 ½ years of not having any inventory at all, who knows where anything is. Phase Four would be the implementing of the inventory into a computer database.

Ms. Rochelle said that she would like to begin the inventory in January and that at least Phases One and Two be done by June. Ms. Mathies suggested that the listing be done on paper and in the computer simultaneously to save time. Ms. Rochelle replied that she would like to have someone on the Museum Committee be a shepherd or steward to the inventory because this inventory should report to the Museum Committee that the Commission has established, and since the collections are under the jurisdiction of this Commission, a Commissioner should be

present. Ms. Rochelle stated that the inventory will not inconvenience Ms. Gunn or her time schedule, as there were enough people with keys to the building and Sonitrol codes to enable a Commissioner and volunteers, perhaps from the Historical Society or the Friends, or just people that the Commissioners know, to do the inventory work whether it is done on a laptop, or listed on paper.

Ms. Mathies questioned who would be doing the inventory. Ms. Rochelle answered that the Commission was, with volunteers, as they have been waiting 2 ½ years and now they don’t have a choice as they have been called on the matter publicly and have to respond to it somehow. Mrs. Booth asked if there had been any ongoing inventory done in the 2-½ years. Ms. Rochelle asked Mr. Bondi if he could clarify the question, as she didn’t know.

Mr. Bondi replied that Ms. Soltes has been compiling a daily inventory. He stated that Ms. Soltes is the only one working on it because she is the only one qualified. Mr. Bondi remarked that it takes specialized training to do the inventory, requiring the person to be able to, among other things, identify time periods and take correct measurements. Ms. Rochelle replied that Mr. Bloom would be the perfect person to assist with the inventory due to his experience.

Mr. Bondi reminded the Commission that Ms. Soltes has been having a hard time keeping up with new accessions as the Museum has been receiving items daily and that some donations can have many pieces, all of which must be entered individually. Ms. Rochelle replied that she was aware of this and that everyone had been working hard on it, but the point was that obviously the Commission had to show some response to the letter and that this is the response they are choosing. She stated that the priority was for the inventory of the collections that the Museum already has.

Mr. Federici stated that Ms. Gunn had said six or eight months ago that she would be constantly updating the inventory. Ms. Rochelle said that in the first month that Ms. Gunn assumed her position the inventory was a major priority because Mayor Esposito wanted all of the collections found and catalogued. Mr. Bondi remarked that the inventory could not be done with only one person. Ms. Rochelle said that that was why the Commissioners are going to step in, lend their expertise, bring volunteers with them, and can be trained to inventory the collection. She stated that the inventory would begin in January, that there will be a report every two months, and that something should be accomplished by June, certainly a list of the old inventory in the storage areas and compare it.

Mr. Bloom said that because he was the one most affected by this, the inventorying of the objects will go very fast because not only are they listed on paper, on hard copy, but that the accession numbers are on every object that came from donors other than The Friends. The Friends’ items are the only gifts that do not have accession numbers because they have not in fact been given. Ms. Rochelle said that the Women’s Club stores a quilt at the museum, all of the Women's Club’s silver and things are archived in the reference library; any number of other groups store their items at the museum.

Ms. Bryant asked if there was a priority as to which items should be inventoried first, and suggested that there should be a plan. Ms. Rochelle said that she wanted the Museum Committee to set this up and that it was a very good point. Mr. Bloom said that if they start with hard items like furniture and big major items, even boxed items have numbers on the storage boxes and that everything is indexed in the card catalog. Ms. Rochelle asked Ms. Falasca to speak with Ms. Soltes and obtain information from her.

Mrs. Booth asked who was on the Museum Committee as she had forgotten. Ms. Rochelle replied that Mr. Booth, Ms. Falasca, Ms. Mathies and Mr. Federici were on the committee. Ms. Rochelle stated that if this was a perfect world, they could take longer to implement the inventory, but it was no longer a perfect world. Ms. Rochelle called for a vote to begin the inventory.

** MRS. MORROW MOVED TO BEGIN THE INVENTORY IN JANUARY.

** MS. FALASCA SECONDED

** MOTION PASSED.

Ms. Rochelle stated that the Commission has discussed visiting all of the properties they oversee and that she would like to begin this evening with a tour of the Commission’s property at the Norwalk Museum. Ms. Rochelle said that after the meeting, if anyone would like to walk around and see the rooms or as much as is accessible to them, she was sure that Ms. Soltes had keys available for the Commissioners if they need to get into anything. Ms. Falasca said that she thought that this was a good night to do it. Ms. Rochelle said that she would tour the museum after the meeting is adjourned and the tour would be videotaped for anyone who could not stay. She said that the videotape would give the Commission some information with which to address the Land Use Committee if Land Use so requires. Ms. Rochelle said that Mr. Bromley’s letter has awakened a sleeping giant of embarrassment to the City. Ms. Rochelle said that the Land Use Committee will meet on January 16^th, before the NHC meeting on the 22^nd.

Ms. Rochelle stated that Mr. Bromley also complained that he did not receive minutes of the August 22^nd Museum Committee meeting which he attended. She said that Mr. Bromley attended as a member of the public. Ms. Rochelle said that the meeting did not have a quorum of Commissioners and under the Freedom of Information Act it was a public meeting, but if there was no quorum the meeting falls under a different category. Under the FOI, any member of the public has the right to request minutes from any meeting, but that Mr. Bromley did not make that request and did not offer an address to which minutes could be sent.

Ms. Rochelle told the Commission that the City of Norwalk has applied for a sales tax certificate for the museum which was in the mail and on its way but has not been received yet. Mr. Bloom asked who had applied for the certificate. Ms. Rochelle said that the City had. Mr. Bloom said he was fascinated by this and asked if the City would be purchasing items for sale in the museum. Ms. Rochelle replied that she did not know, and that if Ms. Gunn was in attendance she was sure that Ms. Gunn would have a full report, but that she was ill and did not provide a report for Ms. Rochelle. Ms. Rochelle requested that Ms. Gunn fax her a copy of the sales tax certificate for the museum when she returns.

NORWALK HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY (NHRI)

5 Elmcrest Terrace

Ms. Rochelle stated that she was confused. She had a memo from Ms. Gunn stating that she was removing a paragraph regarding photography and salvage from the letter but in the copy of the letter that Ms. Gunn sent out, the paragraph was still there. Ms. Rochelle concluded that Ms. Gunn had either sent everyone the wrong letter, or sent the hospital the wrong letter. Ms. Rochelle asked the Commission to review their copy of the letter to see which one they were given. Ms. Rochelle said that Ms. Gunn deleted the paragraph because she did not agree with Ms. Rochelle. Mr. Bloom said that it bothered him to know that they discussed sending the letter in September, and the letter is dated November. Ms. Rochelle requested that on her return, Ms. Gunn let her know if she had signed a demolition ordinance on the structure.

At this point the tape of the Norwalk Historical Commission meeting on December 18, 2002 ends.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda J. Hayes

Assistant to the Curator,

Norwalk Museum

Historical Commission

December 18, 2002

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