Will County Board Historic Preservation Commission met March 1.
Here are the minutes provided by the commission:
County Board Committee Room Regular Meeting 7:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Daniel Seggebruch called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Daniel Seggebruch | Chairman | Present | |
| Judy Panozzo | Secretary | Absent | |
| William McCollum | Vice-Chairman | Present | |
| John Kiefner | Present | ||
| Michael Flanagan | Present | 8:03 PM | |
| Christi Holston | Present | ||
| Elvis Madison | Absent | ||
| Andrew Partak | Present | ||
| Colette Safford | Absent |
Staff included Marguerite Kenny, WCLUD; Adrian Diaz, WCLUD; and Mary Hartegan, WCLUD and Toni Renken, SOA.
2. ROLL CALL - ESTABLISHMENT OF A QUORUM
A quorum was declared.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA
Voice Vote was taken to Approve agenda, 6-0, unanimously.
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Andrew Partak SECONDER: Christi Holston AYES: Seggebruch, McCollum, Kiefner, Flanagan, Holston, Partak ABSENT: Panozzo, Madison |
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
*For information about this agenda or if any ADA assistance is needed, please contact staff at the Will County Land Use Department at (815) 774-7902.
1. Historic Preservation Commission - Regular Meeting - Feb 1, 2023 7:00 PM
MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2023 W/ AMENDMENT
Voice Vote was taken to Approve agenda, 6-0, unanimously.
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: William McCollum, Vice-Chairman SECONDER: Christi Holston AYES: Seggebruch, McCollum, Kiefner, Flanagan, Holston, Partak ABSENT: Panozzo, Madison |
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
6. CHAIR'S REPORT
A. Nomination to the Landmarks Illinois Most Endangered: Balmoral Racetrack. We just got it turned in, by the deadline in late January. We were contacted from a staff person from Landmarks Illinois. Her comments were more concern for the owner and the current status of the property due to the owner. I referred her to staff. I did tell her that Will County is one of the few counties in Illinois that has a Preservation Commission and that we are trying to do a lot of other things in our county.
B. Will County Courthouse in the news. They are asking developers who may be interested in developing the old courthouse to send some kind of expression of interest, RFEI. Which could lead to a request for proposals. This is all being done by Landmarks Illinois which as we know is a private organization, not for profit. Not affiliated with any government body so they can do whatever they like.
C. I did do a seminar that was partially sponsored by Landmarks Illinois and International Masonry Institute. It was on brick masonry restoration, really technical. This time they used the Muddy Waters House and the Emmitt Till House. Both of them I think are becoming museums.
D. Crete Historical Society has given us a nomination form for the Congregational Church. They had a visit from Governors State. It has kind of been marked as part of the underground railroad already. If we can step in and help landmark it as a county landmark then eventually I am sure they will want to put it on the National Registry. The really good thing is that this gives us the perfect introduction to go meet with the Village of Crete. Introduce ourselves, tell them what we would like to do and that there is a lot more historical buildings in Crete, as evidenced by the one that went on the National Register last fall.
7. STAFF'S REPORT
Marguerite Kenny presenting staff report.
No demolitions this last month.
The Henry Furst House was approved at the February 16, 2023, County Board meeting. We are just waiting for the resolution to be signed and we will follow up with Janet Blue with the next steps of getting the plaque made and the proofs approved. Then the next step would be the plaque presentation.
I think we also had the Fredrick Gatter plaque, presentation we still have to do. I will be reaching out them the next couple of months to see if we can arrange for them to come. So we can present them with their plaque.
Christi Holston: Is the usual procedures that they come here to get the plaque or that we go there to give them the plaque?
Marguerite Kenny: We have done it both ways. Sometimes we try to have a traveling meeting in that section of the county so that we can make the presentation. I think that is how we did the Monee Creamery. We can have her come here. We can have an official, one of the commissioners attends and do the presentation at the site. We have done that in the past as well. It is up to the commission how you want to present it.
Christi Holston: I know she is looking at June probably.
Marguerite Kenny: OK. I did let her know she was happy. She was also inquiring in terms of economic recourses to help fix up the rest of the property so that it is all ready to go for future use.
In terms of the web site landmarks, last month we had some questions regarding what was missing. The Fiddyment Man House has not been removed from our web site. We could just add a little blurb to the description on the story board saying this was revoked. If you think it is historic and should stay on the website. We can leave it up there. We have to add The Henry Furst House, I will be working on that.
In terms of Facebook we do have access as a managing partner. If you would want staff to start posting and using our Facebook website we can definitely get back into it and posting ever once in a while for that.
John Kiefner: Is there one of you that would like that job?
Marguerite Kenny: In terms of social media presence I've heard from a few individuals who do it as their job. All you have to do, to do it well is to post once a week to keep relevant.
John Kiefner: As a side note that is why I am here. Had it not been for that Facebook page and me seeing things. And I believe something about signing up for the commission. I probably would not be here. This is how I found out about the opening on the commission.
Marguerite Kenny: The app update. 2018 we created what you see on our Historic Preservation website with the landmarks map and the story board with GIS. That is what we currently have it is part of ESRI which is our GIS software platform. Since we already have an ESRI account it is just a matter of figuring out what add-on's we would have to do and what the fees would be with the maintenance of it. There is the possibility of some educational ties.
The logo update should be coming forward next month.
8. OLD BUSINESS
1. Goals and Objective Updates
Marguerite Kenny presenting.
The Black Walnut School. Finding out the status.
App
GIS I talked to them about setting up an actual app. The fee could be ranging from $15,000.00 to $30,000.00 just to start up as a simple app.
Setting up a meeting for Crete.
Partnering up for camp training. Application deadline is March 15, 2023.
These are the goals we decided on last month. If we have any more goals, I am happy to add them. I did attach our goals and strategies from our Historic Preservation Plan to our goals and objectives. Again, it is the new document that we have adopted. If we want to dive into any of these sections further, we could..
2. Monitoring Landmarks
Monitoring landmarks.
Divided up the list among commissioners as follows:
2023 Monitoring
| Common Name | Assigned To |
| Boardman Cemetery | Dan |
| Walker-Wydajewski
Home | Judy |
| Riegel Farmstead | Christi |
| Marshall Cemetery | Andy |
| North Providence Ridge
Cemetery Andy | |
| William Gooding House | Dan |
| Austin-Welter Barn | Mike |
| Common Name | Assigned To |
| Tilsy Barn | Mike |
| Ritchie/Wabash
Railroad Depot | John |
| Kopper Coke Oven Plant | John |
| McGinnis-Kahler-Hacket
House | John |
| Lincoln Highway Marker | Bill |
| St. Paul's Cemetery | Christi |
| Pioneer Memorial
Cemetery | Andy |
| Frederick Gatter Barn | Staff |
9. NEW BUSINESS
Budget page 20.
Marguerite Kenny: Starting this year we have a budget of $30,000.00, we requested for $40,000.00 last year, for the fiscal year of 2023.
John Kiefner: I have been doing the numbers here. I have $10,000.00 for App
$2,000.00 for camp
$5,000.00 Funds for Ordinary
$5,000.00 Funds for Conference
$5,000.00 living history
$27,000.00 Total
This is for 2024.
We have $30,000.00 for this year 2023.
App Maintenance $10,000.00
Host a local workshop $10.000.00
Ordinary expense $5,000.00
Funds for conference $10.000.00
Living History events $5,000.00
Total $40,000.00
Dan Seggebruch: We can revisit it next month and make sure nothing is going to change. 1. Draft FY2024 Budget Proposal
10. COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION
Andy Partak: If there is going to be a building, we know is going to be demolished. We have those issues happening in Manhattan. There are buildings that are going to be lost. It would it be good to do an in depth survey of that building to record for prosperity.
Newspaper articles:
A. Demolition. Southeast corner of Court and Route 50. Due to the village's master plan. They are hoping to document and salvage before it gets torn down.
B. The article about the Congregational Church National recognition.
C. CLG list from SHPO; talk about jurisdiction IGA duration (time) for Historic Preservation, long term VS. Case-by-case
D. Plainfield 127th/Naperville Road property on River, the farmhouse.
11. ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
12. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION TO ADJOURN
Voice Vote was taken to Adjourn at 8:36pm, Approved, 6-0, unanimously.
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Michael Flanagan SECONDER: Andrew Partak AYES: Seggebruch, McCollum, Kiefner, Flanagan, Holston, Partak ABSENT: Panozzo, Madison |
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