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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-12-29-LBC-min.pdf LEXINGTON BICENTENNIAL COMMITTEE Minutes December 29, 1971 Before opening this special meeting, the committee was photographed in order to have a picture in the Town Report The Chairman, King Howard opened the meeting at 8 00 P M. in the Legion Room of Cary Hall All members were present except Fred James Warren Butters read the recommendation of the Histroical Society Council on December 13 , 1971 as follows "The Lexington Historical Society Council recommends to the Bicentennial Committee of the Town of Lexington that a museum type build- ing be constructed as a permanent memorial for the Bicentennial" The LBC is unanimous in agreeing with the recommendation Mr Howard then reported on the December 22nd meeting with the Lexington pa-r-tment chairmen-and the-Town-Manager. Result, of that a=ts.,6 ,l_uwed that strong regional planning is imperative LBC will invite the Concord Bicentennial Committee and planning board, together with appropriate con- tiguous towns to a joint meeting with LBC The suggested date is January 19th 1972 The invitations will be sent to Bicentennial Committees with a copy to the Selectmen If there is no Bicentennial Committee, the invitation sent will bento the Selectmen with a copy to the planning board Lexington will ask for the use of Estabrook Hall that evening Discussion followed particu- larly about regional traffic problems and solutions Linc Cole suggested copies of the minutes of LBC be sent to the State House Bicentennial Committee as this would alert them to our progress and our problems The progress report which Mr Howard drafted and presented to the Select- men on December 23 ;pas corrected and approved Mr Howard reported that the Selectmen had received the report favorably They suggested that the amount of money requested in the Article for the Town Meeting be small "Small" was not defined The Selectmen also indicated they would be open to a request for liquidation of the Leroy S Brown fund as soon as 1973 This fund is bequeathed for use in the celebration of April 19th exclusively There is also a Gilmore Fund donated to "meet an emergency in the town" This fund amounts to approximately $17,000 including principal and interest This fund might possibly be released for our use in 1975 Town Counsel would have to be consulted The Article for the Warrant as outlined by the State Clerk of the Senate was voted to be submitted to the March 1972 Town Meeting The appropriation to be requested under the "Motion" was fully discussed. King Howard noted that the LBC must indicate to the Selectmen, the amount of money in full which we feel will be necessary up to and including 1975 The figure had 2--Minutes, December 29 , 1971 been tentatively set at $100,000 based on the same amount projected by Concord - based on that town's planning since 1966, and that this estimate is subject to revision depending on many factors which presently cannot be measured. Therefore, King suggested we ask for $10,000 this year, $20 ,000 in 1973 , $30 ,000 in 1974 and $40 000 in 1975 These figures were reconsid- ered by LHC Linc Cole thought we should ask for a larger amount at the earlier dates Roland Greeley suggested $25 000 a year A motion by Dick Michelson to ask for $25,000 in 1972 was seconded by Doris Pullen and passed by the committee Mr Howard will indicate to the Selectmen that at least $25,000 will be requested in each succeeding year CunsiderdLiun of the article for a permanent memorial was introduced by Warren Butters He reported that the Ilistroical Society Council had made a unanimous decision in recommending that the museum be that memorial However the Society has not had time to inventory what would be housed in the building but have begun to make detailed studies They would like infor- mation from other museums King Howard said that the Boston Society of Architects Bicentennial Committee, John Nichols Chairman, has been contacted and should be very helpful Mr Nichols has been invited to meet with LBC on January 26, 1972 Miss Edie Groden is the secretary An estimate of the cost of a museum in Lexington was $200,000 $100,000 could be raised by public subscription Dick Michelson suggested three sites for the permanent memorial on Town owned land 1 building on land near the Buckman Tavern and the Red Cross House; 2 building replicas of out-buildings next to the Buckman Tavern--there is no question that such buildings did exist; 3 an appro- priate addition to the visitor's center Another suggestion was for inclusion in the new Library annex A special site committee will be appointed by the LBC as soon as possible Two articles for the permanent memorial were voted to be included in the Warrant for 1972 Article 1 for the permanent memorial study was discussed and reworded as follows To see if the Town will authorize the Bicentennial Committee to study various proposals and select a site for a permanent memorial to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington; or to act in any manner thereto In the Motion under Article 2 we would ask for a $10,000 appropriation These articles were approved by the committee The half page article for the Town Report written by Doris Pullen was read and approved Doris will submit this to Louis Zehner along with the 1 , n 3--Minutes, December 29, 1971 pictures King Howard asked Roland Greeley if he felt it was expedient to seek reservations for halls and rooms for official guests at this time Mr Greeley thought most organizations did not program their calendars this far ahead Hotel reservations might be acted upon--especially as large organizations invite members to Lexington and are capable of filling all available space Also the School Committee should be urged to arrange its calendar for April 19, 1975 so that school pupils, personnel and facilities can be included in all activities The Secretary was instructed to contact the motels within the town limits for reservations of 75% of their rooms for the nights of April 18, 19, 20 Ray Barnes reported a meeting to be held on January 3 , 1972 concern- ing the permanent letterhead for the stationery of LBC Dick Michelson suggested contacting manufacturers of large inflatable structures Doris Pullen reported interest in the theme "Reconciliation" She also suggested "Declaration of Interdependence"--or something which would indicate cooperation and mutual dependence as the mood we would create King Howard said he would try to attend the Bay State Historical League meeting at Old North Church on January 15, 1972 at 2 30 p m. The meeting was adjourned at 10 15 p m. Respectfully submitted, Becky Nussdorfer, Secretary 9