[MassHistPres] Staffing questions wrapup

[Chris Skelly]

Ralph, 

You may want to consider the Certified Local Government Program.  Since
Springfield has many local historic districts, Springfield meets the
minimum qualifications to become a CLG.  The city would still need to
apply and then receive CLG approval from MHC and the National Park
Service based on the CLG guidelines.

As a CLG, you could apply for a 60/40 matching grant from MHC for things
such as additional survey, LHD public relations brochures or staff
support.  I would be happy to discuss this with you further.  Chris.

Christopher C. Skelly
Director of Local Government Programs
Massachusetts Historical Commission

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of
slater at alum.rpi.edu
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 11:35 AM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Staffing questions wrapup

I will admit to being very surprised that there are few paid staff
members directly dealing with historic preservation in the responses
I've received.

In my opinion, Springfield is not doing the following things well:

1) Monitoring the progress of approved projects. The HC approves, but no
one checks to see if the project is constructed as proposed. Or worse
yet, when the project involves a demo/rebuild, whether the rebuild
portion has been completed.

2) Follow up on properties that have performed unauthorized work. We
catch at least 20 of those per year, I'm sure more have gone unnoticed.
This would involve communicating with the property owners, and also with
the city's law department if the property owners are unresponsive.

3) Tracking of properties that have time restrictions on modifications
-- for example, a handicapped ramp, a fence for special circumstances.

4) Advising residents on proposed work. The process is currently "pick
up a form, fill it out, and submit it". We get a lot of people whose
only knowledge of renovations comes from Home Depot.

5) Maintaining lists for the public, including approved projects and
materials. This would provide guidance for future petitioners.

6) Surveying the properties. One problem we have is in the area of
unauthorized work, our properties have not been photographed since 1975,
and we can't prove that work has occurred recently.

7) Identifying new opportunities for preservation, creating new
districts. It has been 30 years since our districts were created, and it
may be time to recognize that a neighborhood of well-built craftsman
homes qualifies for historic preservation.

8) Marketing the districts by creating brochures, etc.

9) Working with various external entities to ensure that significant
non-district properties are maintained and protected. We just lost a
1870's mansion that had been used by American International College as a
dormitory. I only heard that it was to be torn down by reading of its
demolition in the paper.

10) Coordinating with various city departments regarding building
permits, stop-work orders, and structural problems, or even pending
legal action. Basically, managing the interaction with other municipal
agencies.

Although a lot can be done by volunteers, unless one volunteer is
willing to serve as a free full-time municipal employee, it is difficult
to perform the above duties consistently. 

How do other districts perform those duties? Is the problem here that
Springfield is administering a large number of properties that include
people who aren't preservationists, and that requires more effort than
most towns?

Ralph Slate
Springfield Historical Commission 
******************************
For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly.  PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
WHOLE LIST.  
MassHistPres mailing list
MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
********************************


______________________________________________________________________
LEGAL NOTICE

This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to
which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged,
confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any
unauthorized dissemination, distribution or copying of this
communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify me immediately by return email and
delete the original message and all copies of the message and any
attachments to it. 
The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth does not accept any
liability for viruses.  Please ensure that adequate virus protection is
in place before opening any attachments.