East Longmeadow Community Preservation Committee

Minutes February 7, 2007

Present: Timothy Seeley, Chair (At-Large), William Speight (Historical Commission), Carol Johnston (Housing Authority), , Michael Perkins (Board of Public Works), George Kingston (Conservation Commission), Louis Calabrese (Planning Board)
Michael Salvon (Recreation Commission), William Fonseca (At-Large)

Chairman Seeley called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

A group representing the Friends of The Norcross House met with the Committee to discuss potential Community Preservation Act funding for the Norcross House.  They included Mary Swords, President of the Friends, Merle Safford, Judy Wiezbiecki, Jim Davis, Jim McKnight and L. Currant.

Mrs. Swords told the Committee that the Friends of the Norcross House are five years into the project of acquiring and restoring this historic structure on Maple St.  The house and barn have been renovated.  This was the summer home of the Norcross family which supplied brownstone for the Smithsonian and many other buildings.  It was also home to Diane Feffner a world renowned milliner.  There is still a need to upgrade the barn so it can be used as an arts center.  There are plans to use the house for genealogical and historical material.  The current board of the Friends wants to continue to run the property so as to keep the programs going.

Mr. Fonseca asked what the state of the barn was.  Mrs. Swords replied that it needs work on the second floor at a cost of about $ 20,000 - $ 25,000.

Mr. Salvon asked about the structural integrity of the barn.  Mrs. Swords replied that the barn is structurally sound.

Dr. Kingston stated that the Commission will need a specific written proposal to consider.

Mrs. Swords replied that the current mortgage is $265,000.  The board also wants to reach out to the schools to teach local history.

The Committee agreed to visit the Norcross House on March 3 ant 11 am.  (This was subsequently postponed to March 17).

The Committee then discussed the request of the Friends of the Norcross House.  Mr. Perkins spoke in opposition to the proposal because it was presented by a private organization and would be out the control of the town.  There was some discussion of the possibility of the town acquiring ownership of the property, but several members of the Committee felt that there were higher priority projects in need of funding.  It was noted that the town owned Historical Commission building is on the Norcross property.  The lot on which this house is located is 14,589 square feet with 75 feet of frontage and 195 feet of depth.  The house was moved there at a cost of $80,000 in 2005 by the developers of the Center Square project.  The current assessment of the land on which the house is situated is $50,000.  No action on the proposal was taken.

Mr. Seeley circulated an application for CPA grants that is used by another town.  The Committee agreed that we needed to have it approved by Town Counsel before using a similar form.  Mr. Seeley will scan and distribute the proposed application.

The Committee agreed to hold a public hearing on the CPA on March 7 at 7 pm.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
George Kingston, Secretary