HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 12/1/1987 - Landmark Commission MINUTES OF THE CITY OF MCHENRY LANDMARK COMMISSION
1 December 1987
The regular monthly meeting of the City of McHenry Landmark Commission
was called to order at 7 : 30 P.M. at City Hall . Two new members : Jesse
Freund and Loretta. Wilhelm were welcomed. Commission members present
were: Nancy Fike (Chairman) , Adele Froelich, Frank Gans , Tom Hopkins ,
Jesse Freund, Dick Rabbitt, Mary Lou Schaeffer, Marya Weber, and Loretta
Wilhelm. Absent were: Don Howard, Dorothy Uttich, Mary Vycital , and
Elizabeth Serritella. The Commission has been expanded to 12 regular
members and 1 student member by the City Council.
Minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously approved.
Financial Report: Previous expenditures of $1 , 917 . 87 .
Rent of McHenry High School theater: 18 . 00 .
Total expenditures to date: $1 , 935 . 87 .
On November 24 , the City Council awarded plaque No. 8 to the Schaeffer
Residence at 3619 Waukegan Rd. Mary Lou & Carl Schaeffer accepted the
plaque.
Voting for the plaque application for the Cavanaugh Residence at 3715
Waukegan Rd. proceded. The average score received was 86 . The
structure will be recomended to the City Council to receive Plaque No. 9 .
Adele Froelich has drafted a letter to be delivered to Owners of
structures that may qualify for plaguing from the survey. Nancy read
the letter to the Commission and recommended that the letter be prepared
for distribution after the first of the year.
Adele suggested that a newspaper article and photo of a plaque
presentation at the respective structure may provide better publicity
than the usual photo at the City Council meeting. Nancy suggested
contacting the new McHenry-Richmond newspaper for publicity. Adele
will contact the Northwest Herald and Nancy will contact the McHenry-
Richmond News to determine the possibilities for this .
Nancy Fike met with John Zabor (McHenry Building & Zoning Officer)
concerning the proposed "Streetscape" plans prepared for McHenry. She
reviewed the plans for Green Street, which provide for the creation of
landscape areas and new lighting without the loss of parking and
suggested that other Commission members look at the plans . Nancy also
passed around older photos of Bolger ' s Drug Store and an old pump
house that was on west Main Street as inspiration for other ideas in
the development of the "Streetscape" concept.
The Commission discussed memorials to recognize the efforts of local
citizens efforts and contributions after their death. The recent
death of Earl Walsh was recognized with a gift of flowers . The
Commission decided that a policy should be formed for the future.
Suggestions for possible memorials included: planting a tree, donating
a book to the library. A motion was made to recognize only current
and past members of the Landmark Commission, with the type of memorial
to be selected on an individual basis. Motion by Mary Weber, second by
Dick Rabbit, motion approved.
City of McHenry Landmark Commission, 1 December 1987 page 2
Nancy Fike, Mary Lou Schaeffer and Dorothy Uttich will meet after the
first of the year to discuss and begin preparation of the slide
program. They are in need of old photos and slides .
Nancy Fike suggested a future project of placing small signs on each of
the older commercial buildings in McHenry to describe briefly the
history of the structure. The signs would need to be relatively small ,
and economical. This would be a long range project. Members were
asked to select a few structures and be resposnible for collecting
the history.
Nancy Fike received a call from John Zabor recently concerning an
annexation of property west of McHenry by McHenry Sand & Gravel that
contains 2 historic structures built by the Thomas family in 1840 &
1850 . The houses will be demolished unless they can be moved from the
site. The Owners of McHenry Sand & Gravel have offered to give the
structures to anyone willing to move them. Both houses are currently
occupied and will remain until the deaths of the occupants . The 1850
house was previously moved to its present location, the 1840 house is
in its original location. Nancy contacted the McHenry Park District
and the County Conservation District to see if they may be interested
in the structures . Anyone else who is interested should contact Nancy
or the City. A motion was made to draft a letter to the City stating
that every effort be made to save the structures , and that the Landmark
Commission will cooperate in that effort as needed. Motion by Adele
Froelich, second by Marya Weber, motion approved. Nancy will write the
letter and deliver to the Mayor before the December deadline that had
been mentioned by John Zabor.
The meeting was adjourned at 8 : 30 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
LA4 igi—Z;
Tom Hopkins
Secretary