HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-01-28-MMC-min Monuments and Memorials Committee Minutes of Meeting
January 28, 2016
Dawes Room, Town Hall
Present: Sam Doran, Chair; Linda Dixon, Bebe Fallick, Kathy Jacob, Charlie Price, Suzie
Barry (Selectmen liaison). David Pinsonneault, Operations Manager, Department of Public
Works, attended as a guest.
Business
Chair Sam Doran announced that,with much regret, he is stepping down from the
chairmanship of this committee due to the pressures of many other commitments. He will
continue as Chair until the Selectmen appoint his replacement.
The minutes of November 12, 2015 were approved.
Report of Minuteman Statue Restoration Project
Sam introduced Dave Pinsonneault, DPW Operations Manager,who briefed the committee
on the actions taken by DPW to date and what is planned for the future.
In 2012,the DPW received funding approval for restoration work for the Minuteman Statue
on the Common and the Minuteman Memorial (across the street near Buckman Tavern)
with a target completion date of 2013. This project was put on hold until the Battle Green
master plan and the initial concept of the Center Streetscape project were completed.
DPW is now ready to proceed.
So far, DPW has held two public hearings and met with the Selectmen to gather citizen
feedback on whether to retain the Minuteman statue's green patina or return it to its
original bronze finish. After the second public meeting, DPW hired the conservator firm of
Rika Smith McNally&Associates (RSM), along with a metallurgist,to determine the statue's
actual condition. RSM had done prior work of this type and was familiar with the
assignment. They worked closely with Susan Bennett of the Historical Society.
RSM's preliminary report concluded that the Minuteman statue is in good shape and can
handle either of the treatments we are considering. We still must reseal and recoat. When
their full report arrives at the end of February, Dave will post it on the DPW website. He
plans to update the Selectmen at the end of February and to hold another public meeting
during the first week of March,when RSM will present their report.
Several months ago a car crashed into the stone base of the Minuteman statue, dislodging a
large rock. DPW engaged a cemetery rock specialist to study the site. The base withstood
the damage very well and is in pretty good shape. DPW is awaiting the estimate for repair
costs.
Restoration of the fountain,which has been inoperable for some time,was included in the
master plan and will be accomplished along with the statue work. Regarding the
Minuteman memorial,the plan is to eliminate the fence,which makes maintenance
cumbersome, and add an accessible path.
The target date for restoration work is the second or third week of August,which is a slow
time. All work can be done on site and should take less than two weeks to reseal and
recoat. Both memorials can be done in the same two weeks. Dave plans to meet with the
Historic District Commission (HDC) some time in April. After gathering input from HDC,
residents, and the Monuments and Memorials Committee,the DPW will make a formal
recommendation to the Selectmen on the appropriate finish for the Minuteman Statue.
Discussion
Bebe Fallick asked whether a colleague, Matthew Siegal,who heads the Department of
Conservation at the Museum of Fine Arts, might be involved in the project in some way.
Dave is happy to entertain a bid from him on doing the restoration work.
Sam commented that even if both treatments are feasible and similar in cost,time, and
effort,the conservator may well have a preference and he will read the report carefully to
detect this.
Charlie would like to see at least one more conservator weigh in and give an opinion. Dave
suggested we see the report, get a baseline, and go from there. There are also budget
considerations; the budget for the entire project is $50,000. He emphasized that other
experts have said the Town could do either option successfully. It's really a community
choice.
At the Committee's request, Dave agreed to identify several local statues with at least one
recently cleaned and restored in each manner by RSM, i.e. green patina and shiny bronze,
for the Committee's inspection. At this point Dave left the meeting.
In the committee discussion that followed,the group expressed concern about public
acceptance of using only one expert.
Next Steps:
• Bebe will invite Matthew Siegel to contact Dave Pinsonneault to submit a formal bid
for restoration work or for any other involvement that Matt thinks appropriate.
• Sam will lobby for the Town to bring in one more expert.
• Charlie will call National Park HQ in Lowell for names of approved conservators.
Next Meeting: Thursday Feb 25, 2016, 6:00 p.m.
Submitted by Linda Dixon