WASHINGTON PLANNING BOARD

Town Center Vision Subcommittee – Working meeting Minutes

August 30, 2019

Members present: Jim Crandall, Ron Jager, Lolly Gilbert, Kevin Provencher, Bert Bodnar and Nan Schwartz.

Visitors: None

1.0 Call to Order - The meeting was called to order by Chair Lolly Gilbert at 9:00 AM in the Town Hall.

2.0 Gilbert opened the meeting and shared her agenda to go over items from the small group committees. She said that with the Old Schoolhouse things have happened that we started. Thanks to Provencher for finding the architect that has been working with the BoS to get the project on track, this was critical to what is being done on the building.

She mentioned the Suggestion Boxes and Schwartz shared the list document that will go with the boxes. The boxes will be at the Library, Town Hall, and other sites. Gilbert asked that we get the boxes in place soon.

Gilbert said she talked to Steve Hanssen about parks items and they are happy to meet with us. He has a bench to place and a site needs to be chosen.

Crandall talked about Bill Mulcahy who is working with the Upper Hall committee and P&R to get a sound system and screen. P&R would like to hold movie nights but licensing is complicated and they may work with the church to partner on this. Crandall said they are also working on making some changes to the stage area, installing drapes and they have purchased new chairs and tables. This makes the upper hall a destination for cultural events!

On the walking tour item, Gilbert asked Bodnar if he had a list of historic sites. He mentioned the two museums, the cemetery, general store, Library and historic homes should be included (Lovewell House, Faxon House, blacksmith shop, Town Pound, etc.). Schwartz suggested numbers on the sites corresponding to the brochure. Crandall suggested doing a slideshow or short movie that could be used upstairs as a teaser before events. Schwartz said that the town is planning an Old Home Day celebration for next summer (2020); she would like to have the tour ready for that. She will speak with Jean Kluk, who has worked on this and has a list and information to use.

Kevin talked about the relationships with universities and he feels that Harvard is a dead end at this point because of the distance problem. Dartmouth could be possible but we would need to pitch them, they have an engineering focus. He was hoping to come out of any collaboration with a streetscape mockup. He said Northeastern has a cooperative learning program but they would need to be pitched. We need a landscape architect to focus on that. Provencher, Crandall and Ed Thayer toured the road and looked at problems with the drainage. Next summer the state is repaving the Rte. 31 section through town, but this work doesn’t include drainage. He thinks if we do a walkway from the church to the Library it should happen at the same time. He is thinking of a stepping stone walkway on his property to get people off the road and away from the drainage trough. Provencher said it is state property (the right-of-way) but he is willing to put the walkway on his property, he has talked to Jon Gibson and he would be in favor of doing it. Provencher said we should get in touch with Ruth Ward. Schwartz suggested speaking with Ed Thayer because he has a relationship with DOT and he can work with them. We should arrange with Ed to get the DOT section manager to come out and talk with us.

On Parking, Access and Landscaping Crandall spoke about the increasing of parking at the Library lot. He met with Ed Thayer who thought it might be possible but the BoS were not in favor because of the amount of fill and the few spaces that would be gained. Crandall thinks there might be room behind the existing park but access is downhill and difficult for access and plowing.

Jager said that our major issue is parking, landscaping and access around the Town Buildings. He thinks we have a great opportunity to do a nice job but we need a thoughtful plan with easy walking access and make it attractive. He said this will cost money and we should do a presentation at next Town Meeting and show how it would work. We would need drawings and a cost estimate to present. He said a professional landscaper is needed to come up with a plan. The grounds are an unfinished project right now and it should be finished off properly, there is great potential there. He said he met with Noah Chidester and was favorably impressed, feeling he could bring the professional help we need. Schwartz said we would need to pay him to consult and work on the project. Jager said there is a need for localized parking for different purposes around the buildings. We need attractive walkways and access to the buildings (maybe ramps or broad steps). Schwartz said winter access needs to be considered. Jager said we should make all of this the conversation that is being discussed. Crandall said we should get some money for Noah to work on this. He and Schwartz will bring the issue to the Planning Board and see what is in the budget. Jager said the goal is to get a plan done and money to do the planning. Schwartz suggested getting the project into the CIP to save up money for the future project.

Bodnar reported on the Town Pond talks with the BoS and Tremarcos. They met and the town is having Ed Thayer clean out the sand and restore some stones to the walls. The Tremarcos want to coordinate with Ed on timing. Bodnar said that the brush needs to be removed and the Tremarcos were going to have Atkins do that. Jager said the subcommittee wasn’t involved. Crandall suggested eliminating on parking space to keep sand from going back in the pound. There are shrubs to remove. Tom Marshall suggested that Ed put a jersey barrier on the end of the parking area before winter to protect the pound (and remove it in the spring). Bodnar said he emailed the Historical Society board about restoring the sign for the pound. Jager has drawn up some words for the sign and he is concerned about Ed’s instructions. He wants to use the words “site” of the Town Pound on the sign and doesn’t want the stones used to restore the wall. Everyone felt that putting the available stones neatly on the walls was fine, we are not trying to fully restore the pound to its 30’X30’, with full height walls.

Schwartz said she heard from Penny Whitman asking how we are doing and whether their work has had any impact on our projects. She will write her back. Gilbert said we should think about other ways to use Penny and Jared.

Bodnar spoke about the stage curtain and he contacted a woman from Vermont who does presentations about them, she is going to do a presentation for the WHS next September 14^th. He said because it is a curtain owned by the town there are Moose Plate Grants to cover the cost of having the curtain cleaned, prior to the presentation. Jed Schwartz has sent her pictures of the curtain and has been in touch with her. Jager thinks it was already cleaned within the last 15 years and Sally Krone led the effort. Jager will look into this. Bodnar said she is coming down in October to look at it and if needed she will write the grant. Crandall said he is concerned about the ropes and mechanism and thinks they should be checked. He said they are looking at some lighting and drapes for the stage.

3.0 Next meeting – We set the next meeting for Tuesday, September 24^th at 6:30 PM if Andrew Hatch can attend or at 9:00 AM if he is unable to come.

Meeting adjourned at 11:15 AM.

Respectfully submitted:

Nan Schwartz, Planning Board Secretary