HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-07-10-MMC-min Monuments and Memorials Committee
Minutes of Meeting
July 10, 2014
Hadley Building, Room 121
Attendance
Sam Doran, Chair; members Linda Dixon and Charlie Price;prospective member Kathy Jacob;
Liaisons from the Department of Public Works Chris Filadoro and Shawn Newell; and
Guest Margie Gibbons of the Merriam Hill Association.
Chair's Remarks
Chair Sam Doran welcomed the group to the initial meeting of the committee. As no quorum
was present, all votes will be deferred until the next meeting.
Discussion of Committee Charge
Sam invited the group to offer comments on the Charge to the Committee, which had been
distributed earlier. Highlights of the discussion were:
• Kathy Jacob, whose committee membership is due to be approved by the Selectmen later
this month, will use her background as author and researcher to serve as our"Memorials
Scholar." Her first project will be to check with several professional associations to help
answer the question, `what actually constitutes a memorial'? Shawn will also contact
colleagues on his listsery and Charlie will talk with administrators at Minuteman National
Park.
• The creation of a database with an inventory of all town memorials, continually updated,
would be a huge asset to the town.
• Chris and Shawn described the Geographical Information System (GIS), a digital map of
the town built in layers, each layer containing one element of town facilities such as trees,
hydrants, etc. It would be possible to build another overlay that would pinpoint the
location of all known memorials in the town.
• Judy Seppola is the GIS expert. We might invite her to a future meeting to explore
possibilities.
Priorities
In terms of priorities, age, size, condition, safety, and historical significance should all be
considered. The group agreed that restoration of existing monuments/memorials should take
precedence over new construction.
Condition of Minuteman Statue on the Green
The Minuteman statue needs considerable repair. Given its importance to the town, the group
felt that this project should be addressed immediately. The New England Cultural Resource
Center, Collections Conservation Branch, has prepared treatment plans for several monuments
for the Minuteman National Park. Shawn will contact them for information. Chris feels that his
department(Public Grounds) could pay for a consultant to develop an overall plan and could
develop the overall project budget.
With a plan and budget in hand, the Committee would then submit a funding request to the
Board of Selectmen. October is the due date for budget requests and hearings.
Somerset Road WWII Memorial
Margie Gibbons of the Merriam Hill Association briefed the Committee on the history of the
current unofficial memorial to five neighborhood soldiers lost in the last weeks of World War II.
The parents of one of the soldiers who lived on Somerset Road decided to create a memorial for
the young men. They planted five trees in an adjacent lot and added a bench and some rocks.
For years, this spot served as a quiet sanctuary but today it is no longer viable. The Merriam Hill
Association is proposing that this memorial be moved to a small piece of town-owned land
located at the V created where Somerset Road splits (known to the neighborhood as the "green
banana."
Chris Filadoro, who serves as Tree Warden, noted that his department was planting 70-80 trees
this fall and he was confident that he could accommodate the request for five trees. He would
like to visit the existing site first before making any further recommendations. Regarding a
plaque, perhaps the neighborhood association could provide one. The Committee will probably
begin to design its own plaques with standard design requirements.
World War II Memorial
There was some discussion that the existing World War II memorial lacks significance and does
not render proper honors to those who served. The names, for example, are displayed on plaques
inside Cary Hall. Perhaps there is some way to place the names on the memorial stone.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Submitted by
Linda Dixon