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Minutes 04-11-16MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCES PRESERVATION BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 100 E BOYNTON BEACH BOULEVARD, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016, AT 6:30 P.M. Present: Barbara Ready, Chair Eric Salomonsson, Vice Chair Jason Shaffer Dr. Ginger Pedersen Susan Oyer Hollis Tidwell, III, Alternate Cheryl Black, Alternate Absent: Roger Cope Michelle Dion 1. Pledge of Allegiance Warren Adams, Historic Preservation Planner Chair Ready called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. Vice Chair Salomonsson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 2. Agenda Approval Motion Ms. Oyer moved to approve the agenda as presented. Dr. Pedersen seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 3. Approval of Minutes Mr. Adams made one correction to the minutes, Item 5, Old Business, the Women's Club as follows: He described the report and said it was assumed all widews windows would need some work. Motion Ms. Oyer moved to approve the minutes as amended. Vice Chair Salomonsson seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 4. Communications and Announcements None. Meeting Minutes Historic Resource Preservation Board Boynton each, Florida April 11, 2016 5. Old Business: A. Boynton Woman's Club grant -funded window and door repairs Mr. Adams advised the second progress report was being prepared. The plan specifications are almost finished and the bid documents should be available by the 15th. There would be a three-week bid period with bids to close on May 6th, and four bids have been submitted. He was organizing a meeting with REG Architects this week to review the documents and discuss potential bidders. B. Small Matching Grant 2017 Mr. Adams learned last week that the City's grant application will be funded by the State and the grant award agreement should be available in June. The City asked for $32,942 to develop an interactive website focusing on the City's African-American, Bahamian and Black Heritage. The grant was ranked in second place, behind the St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement, but the State confirmed the funds were appropriated. Mr. Adams noted this was their third non- matching grant award in four years. The majority of the grant monies will stay within the City and the City would update and maintain the website. Mr. Adams thought the project was long overdue and the fact the project ranked second showed the importance the State put on the project. Some people Mr. Adams approached did not take the request seriously because they did not think the program would be funded, but the Board could start promoting the program. Chair Ready recommended organizing a gathering at the Sims Center and inviting the community. The Library staff agreed to scan photographs and give the documents back to the owner on a flash drive. They would copyright and credit the photos to ensure they would only be used on the website. The Board will also assist. 6. New Business: A. Presentation by Victor Norfus: Black History in Boynton Beach Victor Norfus not present. Mr. Adams had asked Mr. Norfus to send him information but had not received anything. Motion Ms. Oyer moved to table until Mr. Norfus arrived. Vice Chair Salomonsson seconded the motion that unanimously passed. B. Proposed Honorary/Memorial Street Name Program At the last meeting, the members had contemplated a naming program and street signs. Since then, the City Commission tabled the item and officially requested the Board's input on a program to recognize significant people. The Board had to determine the options in place and what may be available while considering maintenance, funding, aesthetics, cost effectiveness, E Meeting Minutes Historic Resource Preservation Board Boynton Beach, Florida April 11, 2016 and the potential for confusion regarding street signs. Mr. Adams was concerned if they established a program to recognize significant people they must ensure the program is workable, affordable and wanted. It would be detrimental to turn people away because the Board did not have the funds. Mr. Adams noted the Division of Historical Resources, Florida Heritage Site or Florida Heritage landmark signs are $1,900 for a single -sided sign and $2,200 for a double -sided sign. The applicant pays the cost of the sign, but normally half is paid through a Small Matching Grant program. If the Board had half the money for the signs, they could apply for a grant to pay for the other half. Mr. Adams explained a marker application must be approved by the State before submitting a grant application and they missed the deadline. Two options were the City could cover all the costs, or the Board applies for one or two next year. Dr. Pedersen noted another option was the Historical Society providing half the funds. The signs indicate State recognition of what is significant. Mr. Adams advised he did not have the time to obtain the cost for pavers, monuments, or expanding monuments. Plaque programs were about $200. While the Board was aware of some significant people in Boynton Beach, it was anticipated their research into the African- American and Bahamian community would identify a lot of people. All agreed the website should include the names of significant people and the recognition program would potentially be a fairly large program. Ms. Oyer recalled the last time the members discussed historic versus honorary and considered Wells Avenue because that was the original street name. The street name could be historic and the names of people could be honorary. Mr. Adams reiterated the Board would develop a program and present it to the City Commission who will make the determination how to move forward. Ms. Oyer thought the no cost items such as dedicated sites, adding to the mobile app and new website for Boynton Colored Town should automatically include historic or honorary persons or item. Ms. Oyer liked street pavers, and thought the applicant should contribute to the cost and the Board should investigate funding, grants, City or Historical Society funds or any other co -funding. Mr. Shaffer requested clarification the discussion was about a program for people. Mr. Adams confirmed it was, but someone significant may have lived in a historic site, that could have a historic site plaque. If they performed at The Continental Club where Tina Turner played, it would have a paver. Mr. Shaffer thought a monument in a park in honor of a person was appropriate. It was a one- time cost item and the Board could add plaques or names to it later. Ms. Oyer agreed. Mr. Shaffer asked if veterans' names were on the monument at Veterans Park and learned they were, but it was noted there is a monument in Veterans Park and one in the Heart of Boynton. Mr. Adams thought it was appropriate to have a park in the African-American Bahamian neighborhood because they were researching the history of the area. Ms. Oyer was concerned it would be exclusionary. Dewey Park listed the names on granite of the original pioneers which would be appropriate. Ms. Oyer thought they could recognize everyone that was not a veteran at Dewey Park and K Meeting Minutes Historic Resource Preservation Board Boynton each, Florida April 11, 2016 veterans would be recognized at Veterans Park. Mr. Shaffer wanted all to be in one place and thought pavers around town would be too scattered. The members discussed they could designate more significant sites, add additional sites to the Cultural Mobile Resources Application, and have more proclamations. Recognition of significant people from the African-American and Bahamian community could be achieved through the Interactive website that was just funded. As much information that could be obtained could be added to it and they could add more names to existing Heritage and Veterans Memorial Parks. All of these could be accomplished without a cost and the members approved of the suggestions by consensus. The members agreed and discussed cost items should be submitted to the City Commission for consideration such as expanding the Heritage Trail Program. The signs cost $1,600 each and were different than the double -sided signs. The Board would try to get as many signs as possible, but all would be contingent on funding. Recognition could be achieved by expanding existing monuments or constructing new monuments. The City could utilize the historic site bronze or copper plaque program for officially designated historic sites. The signs cost a few hundred dollars and would be used more for a building being designated as historic because of a significant person or event. A plaque program for significant persons if the site was not historic could be used. An example was if a significant person lived in a home, but the home was built in the 1960s. The plaque would recognize the person and not the building. Dr. Pedersen noted the Murray House was not historically designated, but one could make a case the Murray's were one of the first families and also being the first Mayor and apply for a State of Florida Historical Marker if the property owner agreed. Mr. Adams explained these would be ideal for someone who did not want to recognize the building as historic. This item was also a cost item. Another option if the building no longer existed, was to use a potential street paver program. If there is a vacant lot or a new building on the lot, pavers could be placed in the ground identifying what was there or who lived there and at the last meeting, the members discussed the potential memorial, honorary brown sign program for significant persons. There was agreement these items should also be submitted to the City Commission. The members did not favor creating a list of names of significant persons for developers to use to name streets within their developments Mr. Shaffer thought memorial or honorary brown street signs would be confusing because they were adding another name to a street. Mr. Adams explained the brown signs with white lettering would not be located at an intersection, it would be somewhere else on the street. The members were amenable to this option. Mr. Adams explained only a few sites would qualify for the Division of Historical Resources signs which are the most prestigious signs. The signs would be appropriate if they were installed on Wells Avenue or at Dewey Park because the signs include the name and tells the M Meeting Minutes Historic Resource Preservation Board Boynton Beach, Florida April 11, 2016 full story. Dr. Pedersen indicated the State approval process requires the property owner's signature, but one of the most difficult aspects of obtaining the signs was the delivery because they are heavy. Dr. Pedersen clarified the Historical Society received funding through the Nef Foundation, who paid for everything and Mr. Nef was listed as a donor on the bottom of the sign. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) also purchased several plaques, but there are no active chapters of DAR. Mr. Adams was confident not all of the Board's suggestions would be approved, but after the City Commission decides what they want, the Board would determine how to implement the program. Chair Ready recommended the Board oversee the program and serve as a clearing house. Reverend Bernard Wright, 713 NW 2nd Street, noted there are three elders in the Heart of Boynton and he would try and obtain pictures from them for the website program. He commented on Wells Avenue and pointed out Mr. Livergood had no issue with an honorary sign, which would be brown, indicating Robert E. Wells Memorial Avenue. He did not want to cause confusion where a sign would be and thought the sign would prompt inquiries who Robert E. Wells was, thereby promoting his history. He thought Robert E. Wells, his grandfather, deserved and warranted at least a street name and no one would know about or appreciate a proclamation. Without the proclamation, he could not go to Nassau and claim anything as an heir apparent. He appreciated what was being done as it would make for a better Boynton. He advised he has a street ministry and requested he be given a budget because he wants the children and grandchildren to have something better to do. Reverend Wright advised he definitely wanted the street signs and commented Commissioner McCray wanted the signs for Lincoln, Washington and other families. He asserted everyone wanted the sign, but those other families did not have an inclination to be memorialized. Dr. Pedersen advised the Historical Society could help obtain a marker. Reverend Wright noted Delray Beach has a similar sign on 5t" Avenue. He thought it would be nice to have a sign at the site of the former Club Continental to tell its story. Reverend Wright commented he was now on radio on Friday nights and was trying to build a listener base and platform. He purchased radio time for two months as the community does not have a media outlet and no one knows what is going on in the African-American community. Mr. Adams explained they have to go back to the City Commission and give them options. Reverend Wright did not want to confuse or compound the issue, but explained Mr. Adams was tasked specifically about the signs for Robert E. Wells. The program under discussion was different. He wanted to know if the Board approved of three inexpensive signs memorializing Robert E. Wells Avenue only. Mr. Adams explained the City Commission wanted the Board to come back with recommendations how to recognize significant individuals and the street sign was one of the proposed methods. Chair Ready explained the members are the Historic Resource Preservation Board and they do not have the authority to approve the signs, only recommend. Reverend Wright wanted the Wells sign to be separate from the program, but Chair Ready explained the sign would be in ;7 Meeting Minutes Historic Resource Preservation Board Boynton Beach, Florida April 11, 2016 the program, not separate. She further explained the members liked his idea of the sign for Wells Avenue. Reverend Wright commented the Denson Pool was named after a lifeguard. Carolyn Sims deserved recognition, but Mr. Wilson only donated land. He commented the City has all these names of individuals that do not deserve recognition and the City was having a problem recognizing his great grandfather, a pioneer who built the first church and school, was the leader of the Negro Civic League, who donated land and had other accomplishments, coming from Nassau with nothing. He commented there was history. Reverend Wright noted there were eight Board members and there was no African-American on the Board. He commented what the Board thought was good for the African-American community, was not what the African-American community thought was good. There has not been a leader since Samuel Wright. Reverend Wright asserted the community received lighting because of him, clean bathrooms at the park and clean drinking water because of his efforts. It was explained the Board was doing what they were charged with and Reverend Wright disagreed. Chair Ready explained the Board was working on the signs and the recommendations will go before the City Commission the first meeting in May, during National Historic Preservation Month. Reverend Wright asserted there was six degrees of separation and if Commissioner McCray had not said what he said, the signs would have gone through. Reverend Wright contended he is a Black man that the Board cannot "jive" and he was intelligent enough to know what was going on. He knows what the community needs, not the pastors or clergy or anyone else. He has a house, is married, he would not leave and there will be some changes in government, but the one thing he wants to see is Robert E Wells Memorial Avenue. Motion Ms. Oyer moved to approve the different options they agreed to as a group to recommend to the City Commission. Dr. Pedersen seconded the motion that unanimously passed. Mr. Adams reiterated the City was awarded nearly $33,000 for the creation of the website and the project will take time as it is completely community driven. They have made progress and the Board is addressing issues. The Board had designated sites, proclamations, grant funding, the Heritage and Cemetery Heritage Trails and the smart phone application to show what they have done during the past year and a half. Ms. Oyer suggested when meeting with the City Commission, in reference to Reverend Wright's comments, they note that all the City boards need members and alternates. Ms. Oyer noted it takes a long time before anyone applies when they have an opening. Mr. Adams commented he had asked someone to sit on the Board who was considering it. Mr. Adams did not want to commit to a program if it was not funded, sustainable, or recognize someone every year or two. He wanted a program that if someone deserved to be recognized, they could do so. The program should not cost $3,000 to recognize one individual. The cost may be appropriate for a memorial, but not every time they want to recognize someone, M Meeting Minutes Historic Resource Preservation Board Boynton Beach, Florida April 11, 2016 C. North Broward Preparatory School Career Day Mr. Adams spoke to five classes at North Broward Preparatory School Career Day. Mr. Shaffer and Vice Chair Salomonsson were both present and pictures were taken. Vice Chair Salomonsson commented the talk was appreciated 7. Other Mr. Adams announced the Historical Society presentation would be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday the 18th at the Library. Mr. Adams would be speaking about what was achieved and the progress that was made with grants, awards, State recognition and other items. Mr. Adams thought they made impressive progress so far. They also received the Florida League of Cities Award and they helped the Woman's Club be funded. The biggest accolade was the State asking Mr. Adams to speak to other cities about the program. 8. Comments by members Dr. Pedersen advised last Wednesday she met with Myrna Macho, the daughter of Clyde Miller. Ms. Mocko, who is 89 years old and very sharp, is the last surviving child of Clyde Miller who had many different roles in the history of Boynton politics, having served on a lot of Boards and was on the City Commission. Ms. Mocko had many recollections she shared. Years ago, Mr. Miller ran a nursery on the current Benevenuto and nearby development sites. Ms. Mocko agreed Janet DeVries and Dr. Pedersen could see her in May and they would scan her photographs and brochures. Mr. Adams explained this was a perfect example of projects they were proposing and the type of people they want to recognize throughout the City. 9. Public comments 10. Announce date of next meeting — May 9, 2016 11. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, Chair Ready adjourned the meeting at 7:37 p.m. Catherine Cherry Minutes Specialist 041216 7