[Historical Commission Minutes]

SCHUYLKILL TOWNSHIP
HISTORICAL COMMISSION
 MEETING DATE: January 23, 2012

  1. Meeting called to order
  1. Election of officers – Sandra S. Momyer, Chair
                                      John Gregory – Vice Chair
                                      Dianne Cram – Recording Secretary

  1. Announcements:
    1. New officers of BOS announced and new member Martha introduced
    2. Public meeting on March 28 at Phoenixville CC – Sandy will do presentation of HC
    3. Pipeline and Pres. PA workshops announced
    4. Deadline for Schuylkill newsletter – March 13
  1. John Gregory and Khalil Hihi reviewed final steps on ordinance and survey.  Khalil has a few survey items to ordinate with Wise Pres. and then it will be complete.  He discussed options to have survey printed – it is 1300 pages – with costs.  We will get additional costs and decide at that time.
  1. The Valley Forge Fire Station was discussed and HC would like to make one last bid to them to STRONGLY consider an adaptive reuse for the building since it has been a school.  It is not on the survey and thus does not fall under its regulations.  Further discussions determined that the building is older than 1900 but schools had not been put on the original list.

    John Gregory will talk to Bill Brennan to see how we handle situations like this in the future and also to see how Section 106 plays to this matter.  It seems like we will be unable to enforce the ordinance as it now reads.   We will, however, suggest salvaging any of the interior elements believed significant and we will ask for a complete photographic study.

  1. Dianne Cram will meet with Mary to begin preparation of the bid specs for the roof for the Valley Park Ticket Pavilion.  Barbara Cohen gave an update on the Trolley Trail and the HC will need to work EAC on this project.  Sandy passed around pictures of the old trolley tracks on White Horse Road that she received and also a great shot of the Covered Bridge of Williams Corner.
  1. Sandy will get an update on the Schuylkill School Memorial from PASD.
  1. Sandy will talk to Mary re a plaque on the new Williams Corner Bridge
  1. Sandy reported on her discussion with Joseph Weinstock re his residency at Potters Pond, his work with the Valley Forge Sewer Authority and his memories of raising his family in the 1960’s in Schuylkill Township.  All are interested and she will make arrangements to collect his oral history in April when he returns to PA.
  1. Jim Morrisson discussed the Reeves property and we will review the standing of the mansion and surrounding structures now that this development has been re-activated.
  1. Our next meeting is Feb. 27 due to the Presidents’ Day holiday.  Place of meeting will be determined.