[MassHistPres] Cemetery Commission Rumble

[Dennis De Witt]

Jonathan

Perhaps my confusion was because we have NRDs which are not LHDs (and  
vice versa).  I take it from your answer that the cemetery is in an LHD.

If so, does your bylaw restrict your commission beyond the minimum  
exclusions set forth in 40c so that you can't consider the grave  
markers as being within your purview?

If not, then I should think that you could (if you haven't already)  
write guidelines covering cast iron grave markers.  For instance, it  
has been determined here that we can write guidelines for our  
historic street name signs as objects within our LHDs (with some  
limits relating to state or federal funded projects or state roads --  
none of which occur in our LHDs).  Obviously like-kind repainting  
would be allowed but sand blasting could be forbidden -- as many  
guidelines forbid it with respect to brick and other masonry.

What about Fruitland's board?  I should think that, as this is a  
matter of policy as well as of relations with three town boards, a  
topic like this would be handled at a board level in any case.

Dennis


On Nov 13, 2007, at 11:16 AM, Jonathan Feist wrote:

> Hi Dennis,
>
> Harvard has one Historical Commission. It functions as both   
> Historical
> Commission and a Historical District Commission (two districts).
>
> From our bylaws, chapter 48-5:
>
> "The Commission shall have all the powers and duties of an historic  
> district
> commission as provided by M.G.L. Chapter 40C, and subsequent  
> amendments
> thereto, and any other powers given to the Commission by vote of  
> the Town
> Meeting of the Town of Harvard pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40C, Section
> 10(i). The Commission shall also have the powers and duties of an  
> historical
> commission as provided by Chapter 40, Section 8D, and shall be  
> entitled the
> 'Harvard Historical Commission.'"
>
>>
> http://gcp.esub.net/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll? 
> clientID=128476&infobase=ha1931.nfo&sof
> tpage=Browse_Frame_Pg42
>
> I'm chair.
>
> Fruitlands is all ears, but unfortunately, without a full time  
> conservator,
> at the moment.
>
> --Jonathan
>
>
>
> on 11/10/07 2:59 PM, Dennis De Witt at djdewitt at rcn.com wrote:
>
>> Jonathan
>>
>> I assume when you say HD you don't mean LHD.
>>
>> I think this is the point at which you ought to be reaching out to
>> the selectmen, if you can and if you haven't.  They should be
>> responding as honest brokers with the town's best interests in mind.
>> They also have the power of appointment over both your boards, so
>> they may get everyone's attention more than the administrator.  If
>> you are perceived as reasonable in a situation like this, one would
>> think they should do what is necessary to work out something
>> appropriate.
>>
>> Clearly, the discussion must be framed only a matter of technical
>> appropriateness and not of control.  All concerned must know that
>> these gravestones are artifacts of national importance.
>>
>> And what about Fruitlands?  Wouldn't they speak up?
>>
>> (Also, whatever you think, I'd stifle the word "bozos.")
>>
>> Dennis De Witt
>>
>>
>>
>> On Nov 10, 2007, at 1:26 PM, Jonathan Feist wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> The Harvard Shaker Cemetery issue has taken an unsuspected turn. To
>>> summarize the history, the Harvard Cemetery Commission proposed
>>> sandblasting
>>> and powdercoating the cast iron markers in the Harvard Shaker
>>> Cemetery, to
>>> be funded by the CPA. I’m a member of the CPC as well as chair of  
>>> the
>>> Historical Commission.
>>>
>>> The applicants met with the CPC to discuss their project. I
>>> summarized the
>>> concerns articulated here regarding silica sandblasting, and
>>> others, and
>>> suggested that as a first step, they get the advice of a
>>> conservator who
>>> specializes in antique cast iron. We offered to accept an increase
>>> in the
>>> requested amount in their application to fund this.
>>>
>>> The applicants then flipped out, shouted at us that we were petty
>>> bureaucrats, withdrew their application, swore an oath to fund
>>> their project
>>> another way, and stormed out of the meeting, while members of the
>>> CPC sat
>>> gaping.
>>>
>>> So, here’s my question. The Shaker cemetery is within the borders
>>> of the
>>> Harvard Shaker Village Historical District. Our town administrator
>>> doesn’t
>>> think that the HC’s jurisdiction trumps that of the Cemetery
>>> Commission. Is
>>> this how you understand it as well?
>>>
>>> I am trying to arrange a meeting of the two boards, facilitated by
>>> the Town
>>> Administrator, hoping to create some sort of dialog and joint
>>> approach to
>>> issues such as this. Honestly, though, I’m not hopeful that this
>>> meeting
>>> will bear fruit, as the Cemetery Commission seems to have some real
>>> turf
>>> issues and not much sense about historical preservation. Plus, they
>>> are
>>> bozos.
>>>
>>> Opinions? Strategies?
>>>
>>> --Jonathan
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ===============================================
>>>
>>> Jonathan Feist, Chair
>>> Harvard Historical Commission
>>> 978-772-4864 (home)
>>> 617-747-2148 (Berklee office)
>>>
>>> Preserve Historical Harvard, MA:
>>> http://www.jonathanfeist.com/Pages/HarvardPreservation.html
>>>
>>> Blog: Writing about Music
>>> http://jonathanfeist.berkleemusicblogs.com
>>>
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