[MassHistPres] Historical Markers For Houses

[David Temple]

In Medfield, the homeowner pays for the house plaque. 
At our last commission meeting we briefly but inconclusively discussed possibly changing our DD bylaw to create a list of protected properties.  (Town meeting approval would be needed.) We have used the common 50-year standard since the DD bylaw was first enacted in 1994, but now of course it requires us to hold a hearing on any of the numerous split-levels or garrison colonials built before 1971. 
Your town administrator raises a question that's never come up in Medfield...but could...about favoring friends or relatives when giving out free plaques.
A homeowner would value a plaque that s/he paid for more than a plaque that was given away.
In your reply, please include my original message. 

David F. Temple 
President, Medfield Historical SocietyChair, Medfield Historical Commission
300 South Street 
Medfield, MA 02052 
H-508-359-2915 M-508-613-6606 

 

    On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 12:34:36 PM EDT, Lee Caras <lee.caras at gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 At the Maynard Historical Commission, we have two programs, one for historical markers, and one for historical house plaques.  The markers are paid for by the commission and are for buildings that are listed with the Town as being protected by our demolition-delay bylaw.  The house plaques are paid for by individual property owners.  They do the property research (sometimes with commission help) and present that information to the commission.  Our markers and plaques are modest in price at $90, but attractive.  Lee Caras, Clerk, Maynard Historical Commission

Sent from my iPad
On Mar 11, 2020, at 10:33 AM, Liebowitz, Jonathan J <Jonathan_Liebowitz at uml.edu> wrote:




In Littleton, we're asking homeowners to pay for their plaques though in the past the Commission has done so.  We've never heard that it would be a conflict of interest; I guess that issue just never came up.  We decided after some discussion to have property owners to pay because we thought if lots of them applied it would be a drain on our very modest budget.  We get them for about $60.  Price, of course, depends on size, materials, design, etc.

Jonathan J. Liebowitz

Littleton Historical Commission




Jonathan J. Liebowitz
History Department
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, MA  01854
USA
978-934-2530
From: MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> on behalf of RafaelRobertDelfin <rafadello at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 9:14:56 PM
To: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Historical Markers For Houses This e-mail originated from outside the UMass Lowell network.Hello everyone,
I launched a Historical Marker Program in my town, Dighton last year and I and other members of the Dighton Historical Commission have just approved the application of a resident whose house is over 100 years old and has a lot of historical significance. 

Initially, the Commission had voted to pay for the manufacture of the historical marker by using funds that the Town of Dighton had granted to the Commission. The average cost of a historical marker is $125. However, when the Town Administrator learned about this, she suggested that paying for the marker would be a conflict of interest (ergo, "unethical" and possibly "illegal'), and that the recipient should pay for the marker himself/herself. I have always thought that the Commission is acting on its own jurisdiction and that we have the right to use the funds as we see fit as long as it assists in the preservation of local history.
I am addressing my questions to members of town historical commissions who grant historical markers to residents: "Do the recipients have to pay for the marker, or does your commission pay for it?" And would you agree/disagree with the Dighton Town Administrator's statement? I guess I am looking for a legitimate recourse to bring to the table when the Town Administrator attends our next meeting on April 10.
Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Sincerely,-- 
Rafa Delfin, Vice-ChairDighton Historical Commission774-766-2928
rafadello at gmail.com
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