741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Historic District Commission

Meeting Minutes

Chairman Ty Lamb

Regular Meeting

Monday, June 17, 2024

7:00 PM

Town Hall Annex -Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Lamb called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

II.

ROLL CALL

Commissioner Douglas Kelley

Alternate Member Kenneth Geer

Chairman Ty Lamb

Present

Commissioner Kelly Lamb

Commissioner Ammie Chittim

Commissioner William Barnes

Excused

Alternate Member Vincent Godino

Alternate Member Karen Parkinson

Non-voting

III.

IV.

APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Mr. Geer was appointed as a voting member.

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

None.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion to APPROVE Public Hearing Minutes from May 20, 2024, as written.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Ty Lamb

RESULT:

MOVER:

Douglas Kelley

SECONDER:

Kelley Geer Lamb Lamb Chittim

Barnes

AYE

EXCUSED

Motion to APPROVE Regular Meeting Minutes from May 20, 2024, as written.

Editorial correction for typo.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Ty Lamb

RESULT:

MOVER:

Douglas Kelley

SECONDER:

AYE

Kelley Geer Lamb Lamb Chittim

Barnes

EXCUSED

VI.

TOWN COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT

Town Council Liaison - Councilor Tim Ryan.

Councilor Ryan stated that the ARPA funds need to be under contract by calendar year. He

added that alternative projects are being considered. Projects that mitigate any future costs, or

non-recurring costs are more acceptable. ARPAs have less than 6 months left.

Councilor Ryan said he believes that the sewer project will be under budget.

Mr. Godino asked if the Town Council will be shut down for the next few months. Councilor

Ryan answered that right after budget sessions the Council has light agendas, but the Council

doesn't formally take summer leave. The Finance Committee is not meeting this upcoming week.

VII. CHAIRMAN REPORT

General Report.

Holdridge account - Chairman Lamb expressed concern that invoices aren't always brought over

to the Town Hall to be submitted for payment. Asking if we can get a card, or better relations

expressed with Holdridge’s to explain that billing needs to be submitted in a timely fashion.

Who has the authority to charge at Holdridge's? The Nathan Lester Caretakers are authorized,

possibly Mr. Kelley, and quite a few do from the Sawmill.

Chairman Lamb will formulate a list of who has authorization to charge at Holdridge and will

re-train them on the procedure of submitting invoices.

Strategic planning, 5-year sub project costs, visibility Capital level.

Chairman Lamb asked if the town has a viable Great Oak tree replacement? If not, there is a

viable one, a 10-15-foot section that came from the original Charter Oak. Ms. Chittim agreed

that the Ledyard Oak has connections with the tribe and the local community. A possible news

opportunity.

The Commission will need to research the historic status of the Commission's building to update

the registries. It was mentioned that the Sawmill was designated as a historic site in 1972.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Financial Reports.

ARPA - Avail budget $37,000, amounts are targeted toward to the Sawmill project.

VIII. CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence.

The Commission received a thank you letter from the Ledyard Garden Club acknowledging the

Commission's donation.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

IX.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Sawmill Committee - Mr. Barnes.

A purchase order for the Sawmill in the amount of $1,103 was retracted.

It was reported that Holdridge cut off the Committee from future purchasing stating nonpayment,

however this is in question.

Sawmill hosted the Historical Society annual meeting. Mr. Godino attended. There was a

Sawmill demonstration and a Food Truck/Luncheon.

Two proposals: Mr. Lamb relayed Mr. Barnes’s message and recommendation. ARPA will be

used for the inlet dam project. The State of Connecticut is involved. Just to have someone help

walk the Committees through the project was quoted at $20k. The contracts must be released

timely amongst other hurdles. The RFP needs to be out prior to October 2024. The RFP still

needs to go through Town Committees and a contract needs to be signed before the deadline.

Alternative projects needed to keep the Sawmill structural sound. A decision will need to be

made whether to utilize ARPA or the Capital funds. It's possible to get the contracts out timely,

without rushing the use of the ARPA. Mr. Barnes will make a proposal at the next meeting and

the Commission can hold a vote.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Nathan Lester House - Mr. Kelley.

Working on the restoration of the East side of the house continues, with partnerships extended to

the Ledyard Sawmill and an independent filmmaker.

The Ledyard Sawmill has cut donated cedar to size for use as a replacement to the wide water

table board at the base of the siding. Quiet Corner Restoration milled the timber into suitable

boards, and scheduled installation for June 7, 2024, to work with a local film maker who is

including this process for a documentary.

Some detail work remains for the water table boards, once they are completed the clapboards

may be installed. Two of the second-floor windows required full replacement, and Quiet Corner

Restoration took care to replicate the construction method of the originals. The replacement

wood is red cedar.

As the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the new barn doors was approved,

John Kelley began work on construction. New concrete footings have been poured to pull the

foundation in about 18” on either side, and they will be faced with granite to present a correct

appearance from the front. Reducing the overall opening will allow the Committee to install two

5’ wide doors rather than problematic 7’ ones which would sag quickly. Mr. Kelley will model

exterior construction on the existing doors immediately adjacent.

Interior maintenance projects which delayed the season opening by a week were completed in

time to open Saturday, June 1, 2024. The floors in the two front reception rooms had existing

worn paint lightly sanded and painted black. This is a period-appropriate treatment with local

precedent. Dining Room walls had the brown paint used for “The Fox Sisters” replaced with the

first stage of what will approximate “arsenic green” - also a historic treatment of the late

18th/early 19th centuries - and which already provides us an opportunity to interpret a space as

reflective of industrial changes as well as societal. Smaller spaces are on the list for repair and

repainting as use of the house allows. All of this interior work has been completed by the Lester

House Committee and caretaker family with donated materials.

The Committee is currently working to build a ten-year improvement plan to be submitted to the

Commission.

Information was shared from the visit to Lachat Town Farm, Weston, CT. Pictures from the visit

were posted to the Commission's Facebook page. The tour included the administration and

events building. There is a Community Garden available to Town residents, which takes in a

nominal amount that goes towards their budget. There is a greenhouse for Senior Citizens and

school projects. The farm also has animals such as a goat pen. There is a caretaker of the

property, who rents for less than $300. The caretaker attends to the needs of the animals and

their Amphitheater which is used for concerts and weekly musical weekends. The farm is funded

by 501(c) organizations. Lachat Farm has one employee and one intern who were immensely

helpful with the development of their properties.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Research/Preservation - Ammie Chittim.

Ms. Chittim reported that she will meet with Chairman Lamb regarding signs.

The next Latham House "Archeology Days" will be held on June 22, 2024. The event includes

team finding artifacts.

Kevin Dombrowski, Land Use Planning Public Works Committee took it upon himself to look

up ordinances for the Committee's requests. A letter of the three points will need to be completed

before the Land Use Planning Public Works Committee can present to the Town Council.

Spicer Ruin - The Town Council spoke about creating a Sub-Committee to study this request.

Chairman Lamb mentioned he has spoken to the Council, and this may have been reconsidered.

Ms. Parkinson stated that she is looking for a map of the property.

Discussion on potential uses of the property. Mary Spicer is a potential name of the water way.

Mr. Dembrowski mentioned using the Eversource easement as property line. Trying to convert

the map to a more approximate square footage.

The Town presently owns and maintains the Spicer Ruin area. This has not been given to any

group at this time. No opposition to the Commission being administrators, would just need to go

through the process. This area was obtained by trading for the Indian Town Park.

Mr. Kelley asked Ms. Chittim about funds needed for preservation; would she like to earmark

any funds? Chairman Lamb suggested waiting two weeks for the new budget period to begin

since the current fiscal year is about to end.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Center School - Mr. Geer.

Nothing to report.

Social Media - Kelly Lamb.

Ms. Lamb will continue posting events for the Commission's historical sites and posting other

activities that the committee is involved with such as the Lachat visit.

Still continuing to attract more followers and page engagements. There are 50 more followers

since the end of 2023.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

OLD BUSINESS

Any Other Old Business to come before the Commission.

None.

XI.

NEW BUSINESS

Any Other New Business to come before the Commission.

Mr. Kelley is working on the museum part of the house. He is researching what needs to be

completed and maintenance such as water damage, rodent access, undercarriage of the house and

review of the beams.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

XII. ADJOURNMENT

Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 8:25 p.m.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Douglas Kelley

RESULT:

MOVER:

Kenneth Geer

SECONDER:

Kelley Geer Lamb Lamb Chittim

AYE