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City of Kalamazoo - June 11, 2025 Historic Preservation Commission

Updated about 17 hours ago

Commission members discuss the Kalamazoo and Bloom report, with a focus on cleaning up the ancient garden beds report. Wyatt, a Food Sovereignty Coordinator from the Gun Lake tribe, is introduced, and his contributions to the committee are acknowledged. The financial report is reviewed, indicating no changes since the last meeting. A public comment addresses concerns about the budgeting process, emphasizing the need for a planning calendar for upcoming events. The meeting also covers discussions on upcoming cemetery cleaning events and the progress of the City Hall designation effort.

Chapters

Call to Order (00:00:47)
The Historic Preservation Commission Meeting is called to order.

The meeting is officially called to order as per the agenda.
Roll Call (00:00:53)
Members present: Kayla, Fred, President Dusty, Melissa, Patrick.

Roll call is conducted to record the presence of commission members.
Approval of Agenda (00:01:11)
The agenda for the meeting is approved after confirming no amendments are needed.

The commission reviews the agenda to ensure all items are correct and no amendments are needed before approving it.
Approval of Minutes (00:02:08)
The minutes from the last meeting are reviewed and amended as needed before approval.

Commissioner Fred suggests amendments to the minutes related to the Kalamazoo and Bloom report and other areas. After discussion, the minutes are amended and approved.
Public Comments (00:05:50)
Pam comments on the budget discussion and suggests regular planning to align budget and events.

Pam expresses concern about the budget and suggests forming a group to plan ahead and align budgeting with expected events, such as preservation month and community engagement.
Financial Report (00:08:47)
Financial status remains the same as last month with no updates in city funds.

The financial report is presented, indicating no changes in the budget or expenditures compared to the previous month.
O'Connor Fund Report (00:10:10)
Discussion on handling grant applications and fund distribution for the O'Connor Fund.

The commission discusses the process of reviewing grant applications and the timing of fund distribution to ensure efficient use of resources and interest retention.
City Hall Designation Effort (00:14:18)
Pam provides an update on the City Hall designation efforts and recent meetings.

An update is given on the progress of designating City Hall as a historic site, including meetings with city commissioners and next steps.
Cemetery Cleaning Report (00:17:01)
Report on cemetery cleaning activities and coordination with volunteer groups.

Dusty reports on the ongoing cemetery cleaning efforts, including collaboration with volunteer groups like Stryker and plans for future cleaning events.
Discussion on Historic Preservation Month Award (00:21:28)
Consideration of award presentation logistics and planning for next year's event.

The commission discusses the logistics of presenting the Historic Preservation Award of Merit, considering the number of awardees and the possibility of postponing the ceremony to next year.
Encouraging Community Wide Engagement (00:29:23)
Discussion on community engagement efforts and strategies for inclusive participation.

The commission discusses strategies for enhancing community engagement, focusing on reaching minority groups and ensuring inclusive participation in historic preservation activities.
Discussion on Research Challenges and Opportunities (00:32:56)
The discussion focused on the difficulties of conducting research, especially filtering out irrelevant information, and the importance of reliable sources.

The discussion began with the challenges of doing research, especially the difficulty of filtering out irrelevant information when searching for specific terms. The conversation highlighted the existence of niche books on Kalamazoo's history that are often overlooked. Suggestions included creating a bibliography to help researchers and sharing tips to facilitate research. The importance of reliable research and the need to verify sources were emphasized, as well as the potential value of oral history and other non-traditional historical sources.
Steering Public Towards Research Resources (00:35:45)
The board discussed how to guide the public towards research resources like KPL and workshops to aid research efforts.

The board discussed how to effectively steer the public towards resources like the Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) and the possibility of organizing workshops to aid in research efforts. The need for input from the board to determine the extent of public assistance and the resources available was also mentioned.
Relation of Research to Preservation Commission (00:37:01)
The relationship between research and the preservation commission was discussed, focusing on how research aids preservation efforts.

The discussion centered around how research directly relates to the preservation commission's goals. Questions were raised about the specifics of research endeavors, such as how to find out if a building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The importance of focusing on preservation-related research was emphasized, along with the need to understand the practical applications of research skills in genealogy and other fields.
Concerns About Marginalized Groups in Preservation (00:40:01)
The board expressed concerns about engaging historically marginalized groups in preservation efforts.

Concerns were raised about the challenges of engaging historically marginalized groups in preservation efforts, given their historical exclusion. The discussion highlighted the need to expand preservation norms to be more inclusive and consider broader aspects of cultural heritage. The importance of collecting a holistic view of the city's history was stressed.
Coordinator's Report (00:42:31)
The coordinator gave an informal report, addressing warmth in the room and housekeeping items.

The coordinator gave an informal report, noting the warmth in the room and addressing housekeeping items. The preservation awards were mentioned, and an apology was made for missing information in the meeting packet. The importance of adhering to the Open Meetings Act and the consequences of violations were also discussed.
Commissioner Comments and Public Engagement (00:44:05)
Commissioners shared updates on various topics, including ancient garden beds and tribal affiliations.

Several commissioners provided updates on topics such as ancient garden beds in Menominee, Michigan, and the importance of clarifying tribal affiliations in committee work. The significance of accurate representation and sensitivity in research and public engagement was highlighted, particularly in relation to tribal government and community involvement.
Update on Demolition of Vander Cook Hall (00:49:01)
An update was provided on the demolition process of Vander Cook Hall on East Campus, including current activities.

An update was provided regarding the demolition process of Vander Cook Hall on East Campus, noting that hazardous material abatement had begun and full demolition was scheduled for July through August. Observations of ongoing construction activities on campus were shared.
Adjournment (00:50:42)
The meeting was formally adjourned without further comments from commissioners.

The meeting concluded with the formal adjournment. Commissioners had the opportunity to make final comments, but no additional remarks were made. The meeting was officially closed.