A. Call to order

1.  Introduction of members present: Jennifer Ehle, Eileeen Persons, Cindy Bacon, Chuck Anthony, Gerald Neath and Rebecca DuBey, Jean Hanson and Mark Hanson

B. Communications

1.  WSJ Newspaper article about New Glarus group that purchased old town hall for $5,000.  Plan to upgrade and make it useable.  Perhaps we can learn from their experiences.  Article: ‘Heart of the town' being restored'   Group bought the 1886 town hall, and volunteers are fixing it up.

2.  Hauge Church "Historiske Hauge Nyheter" newsletter

3.  A follow-up letter prepared by the Stoughton Area Resource Team was passed around. This was sent to contributors and is like an annual report because it summarizes what the team had accomplished that year. The committee felt that our group could do a similar thing and send by email or snail mail to people not having Internet.

4.  Mark and Jean brought in samples of the brochure which was printed in late November by the Woodward Printing Company.

C. Old Business

1. Report to Board: Jean reported on our presentation to the Rutland Town Board.  See summary prepared shortly after the meeting.   http:www.rutlandchurch.org/documents/email_rutland_board_11-11.htm.

2. Interested local contractor: Jean reported that Mike Schmudlach, (phone 455-2005), a local contractor, had volunteered to do an assessment of the property and estimate costs of various repairs.

3. Grant applications: Becca has obtained a list of people who have prepared a successful nomination.

4. What is needed by the Historical Society for a nomination:

a. From the Wisconsin Historical Society, generally, the nomination process requires two steps:

First, the submission of a preliminary "Questionnaire" that provides basic information about the property to determine if the property appears to meet the criteria for listing

Second, the submission of a "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form" that is completed according to state and federal standards.  Any person or organization may nominate properties to the registers, but because it is a complex process, private consultants are usually employed.

b. Items to be submitted to the Historic Preservation Division:

1)  National Register 10-900 nomination form

2)  Original USGS quadrangle map prepared in the standard method required for National Register nominations

3)  Black and white glossy photos showing the exterior and significant interior features of the property and significant outbuildings.

4)  The negatives for the photographs

5)  Color 35 mm slides fully documenting the appearance of the property, including interiors, associated outbuildings, and the physical setting of the site.

6)  A computer disk with the full nomination text is also required.

5. Becca has bids from two nomination preparers:

a.  Emily Pettis, an architectural historian.  Quoted a range from $3000 to 4500, depending on amount of work already done.  They are doing historic survey of homes in Oregon.  Other names have been provided.  She would need approximately a month or more to put the survey together.

b.  Elizabeth Miller on Tokay Blvd, said $1000 to 2000.  She did the historical district survey for downtown Oregon.  She is a consultant.

6. Why go ahead with the registry:

a.  is prestigious, which attracts people. Might impact our funding. Expertise and knowledge of the Historical Society could be a result too.

b.  gives us leverage with Wis. Dept of Transportation. (They are already aware of the church and the cemetery, reports Jean, based on hearing for Hwy 14 relocation recently.)

c.  would allow us to trade off certain codes and trade off others, if we wanted to open the building to the public.

d.  the building becomes eligible for the Historic Building Code, which may facilitate rehabilitation.

e.  eligibility for official State Register of Historic Places plaques

7. Decision: Team made up of Chuck, Gerald, Becca, Mark, and Cindy will meet with Pettis and Miller to discuss what they would propose.  We need to collect the questions we have.  Meet with two and Division of Historic Preservation, Joe DeRose, of State Historical Society.  Becca will set up the appointments and then email us.

8. Jennifer will talk with a friend who may know either of the two architectural historians.

9. Questions:

a.  Photos: Mark do? Digital possible?

b.  Time: to do paper work; processing

c.  When may we start restoration work ?

d.  Why have building registered?

D.  New Business

1. Should we draft letters to selected individuals to make "significant" contributions to our project?  We concluded that we should wait until we have a ball park estimate of what repairs will be costing.

2. Distribution of brochures

a.  Need some kind of a poster/display with a pocket for the brochures.

Jennifer will check with Staples for a brochure display holder

Mark will call AcriFab in Sun Prairie

b.  We're waiting for a call from Jan Walker, treasurer of Rutland Township, so that we can stuff the brochure in the outgoing tax bill envelopes.

E. Adjournment at 4:30 p.m. Next meeting: January 8 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Prepared by Mark Hanson
December 4, 2003