10.21.2025 Historical Commission

Good evening. I'm Richard Mancini, chairman of the historical commission for the city of Fall River.

It is 6 o'clock Tuesday, October the 21st. We are meeting at one government center on the first floor hearing room.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or visual recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Our recording secretary this evening is Commissioner Lemur sitting here on my right and the meeting is being televised and recorded by Craig of Forever Government TV. Greg is sitting in the back. Present this evening are

commissioners Jonathan Lemur, Commissioner Joyce Rodri, Commissioner Carol Aubin, and Commissioner Ryan Klene, and myself. We have no vacant positions, but we have two commissioners absent this evening.

Commissioner Lema, have all the petitions been properly advised and all interested parties have been notified in accordance with the rules and regulations of the historical commission for the city of Fall River? Yes, I have.

I hereby declare the day today, Tuesday of October 21st of the regularly scheduled meeting of the historical commission for the city of Fall River open for such business and shall resume before us. Okay, let's begin. Good evening. I'd like to welcome this evening our two new uh appoint newly appointed commissioners. That would be Carolyn Auburn and Ryan Klein. So, welcome aboard.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for joining us.

All righty, let's have a roll call.

Jonathan Lima, present.

Joyce Rodri, present.

Caroline Aubin, present.

Ryan Klein, present.

And Rick Manceni, present.

All right, the minutes. I guess we'll review and approve the meeting minutes of August. Do I have a motion? Has everyone read them? They're listed here.

Motion to approve the meetings from August.

Okay, we have a motion and a second at take a a voice vote. We have all eyes.

I no nays. So, it's approved unanimously.

Citizens input. We have none this evening.

A motion to table item two.

Okay.

Fine. Do I have a second on that? That would be the minutes of the September meeting.

I'll second that.

Okay. All approve.

I I All right. Hearing no nays unanimously approved. Thank you for that. Uh citizens input. We have none.

Notice of intent to demolish. Uh I did receive one. The address was Zero Ross Street. Uh it was a three block building literally and it was a a cinder block building not a concrete block building. It's an old building three three doors and uh it was in disarray. It is not on our uh uh structured significant structures list so that no demolition delay was required. Uh correspondence I believe we have one from the St.

Finance Church and Shrine.

Yes, sir.

If you could just come forward and announce who you are and your address, please.

Good evening. Uh board of uh historical commission. Uh my name is Jeff Montgney.

I'm the president of St. Anne Shrine Preservation Society and uh we are the group who um is restoring and repairing St. St. An's shrine or shrine St. St.

An's church. Um, and I I made I have a handout for each one of you. Um, and I'll I'll hand it out now so that way while I'm talking just a couple of photos that might be helpful.

That would be appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you.

There you go, sir.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

That's fine.

So this evening um I'm just uh wanted to come before this board to just to ask for um letter of support um to supplement our application to the CPC.

We're looking for another round of of funding and um so that would be a letter of support for that application.

Um it has passed the um eligibility eligibility round and um the work this time uh we have done some roof work, downspout um work and some slate work and we still have more of that but right now the important work that we have to do is some repointing on some of the stones. And if you open this little packet, um, the oval circles. So, I have two areas on the church building that probably

need more of an immediate attention than the gutters. Um, and they're the the buttresses um on the transcept on the midsection. And um so you know the yellow circles show where the work is but the closer ups you can see where some of the stones are a little dislodged.

And um so that's the work that we're proposing to do with the grant money. Um because I wouldn't want to see one of those stones fall. That that actually happened uh from my research at St.

Patrick's in New York City. Um so um I just want to get ahead of that. We have enough problems. Um but anyways um that would be two buttresses on the north side of the church and there are two on the south side which are like in the parking lot. Um and it's basically a grind out grind the joints out and repack them with mortar and um good.

It's not a huge job but um something that needs to be done and that that's what we're looking to use the money for.

Okay. Are there any questions from the board?

Okay. I'm uh very familiar with this being on the CPC representing the historical commission. So I'm very aware.

Oh, I applaud the fact that you got this far.

I mean this Thank you.

could not happen. And the gentleman that came here first quite some time ago, a young man, what's his name?

Uh so it's been uh Bob Govin. Yeah.

Um he's the vice president. I'm the president and we've been working with the Brad Paul in California.

He's dedicated himself this project.

Yes.

And he was here day one.

Yes.

Thinking had to be developed with the dascese.

So um I applaud that you got this far and I know you'll succeed.

Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it.

All right. So, what what's being asked for is a letter of support from the historical commission just supporting the uh commitment to the CPC that it is yes a historic building and it does warrant a letter of support historically. Okay. So, do I have a motion if Yeah, I I'll make a motion to approve a letter of support and I just thank you for your dedication to this and the work you're doing.

uh there are few if any organizations and and and such more intertwined in the history of the city than the Catholic Church and so uh this is a great cause and you're a great person for chairing it up.

Thank you, Mr. Lima.

Do I have a second?

Second that motion.

Okay, we have a motion and a second. We have a vote.

A yay.

Yay.

Yeah.

Yes.

And Jonathan Le. Yes.

Okay. And Rick Manceni. Yes. All right.

Thank you. I'll get that out to you within a couple of days.

Thank you very much. Thank you all.

Thanks.

Thanks for taking the time presenting.

You're very welcome.

Thank you.

Okay. Uh other correspondents, the Cherion web building. Uh the architect called and she's going to probably be here with some drawings again.

That might be at the next meeting. Uh the I I'll try if it is I'll try and defer that until uh December meeting which will be less compacted. And what they're doing is they're looking to put apartments in there. They're going to utilize the first floor, maintain what's existing now. Uh so we had a nice conversation. and she was just wanting to check with the historical commission

making sure that uh she was covering all her bases and that she wouldn't be her term not mine her term was stepping on any toes you know so it was a very nice conversation very nice young lady and I think we'll see much more of that particular building and its drawings in the future near future okay uh new business there was a request from uh 162 French Street to the building department. Uh, this structure

happens to be in the 40C district.

I see that. I got my map out and I can see where it is.

Mhm. And what they're doing is they're requesting I'm not quite sure because what I got was verbal, but it looks like they want to put a combination deck, new set of stairs, maybe a little porch, whatever, on one of the buildings. Uh and um I advised that it was in a 40C district and we would want to see some drawings of sorts. Uh it didn't have to be a an innate enormous sketch of things, but

uh hand sketch maybe from the contractor, something appropriate that we could uh look at and evaluate. Yeah.

Along with a materials list. Uh we have not heard back yet, but that's forthcoming.

Uh, any questions on that at all?

None.

So, they're going to be submitting a design to us, correct?

And do you think we can see that patio from the street? That's another criteria in the 40C district.

The the building is set on a corner. So, the the house itself, the main house, you can see from all angles, all sides.

the back portion the second building which was a carriage house you can see from three sid four sides actually you can yes you can see that also from four sides so it's a 360 degree view on it so very important that we get a good set of drawings and and look at what's going to be installed there okay thank you for that uh register of significant structures we have nothing to add at this juncture

Uh all business the bioreserve presentation is going to be next month.

Uh there the PLA which is public uh archaeology laboratories has pretty much put the total program together. Uh it's going to be from anywhere from a half to 3/4 of an hour presentation will be here in this room. Uh invite all excuse me invite all your friends. Uh, you know, it be nice to have a full room here and and get a good presentation.

Uh, it's been a long time. This is this this was originally funded uh back in uh 21.

So, it's been four years to come to this point. So, it is it is wrapping up. Uh, okay. Any questions pertaining to that particular item? None. Okay. And let me give you an update on the Highlands local historic district update that again is being conducted by public archaeology laboratories short pal. Uh they were here last Wednesday and u they did a lot of uh photographs. Uh they they got about 70% of the area

photographed. Uh it's a it's a large area. it incumb they're going to be uh assessing probably 50 pieces of property. Um the actual total expansion along with the existing 40C it's it's 150 added to the existing 48. So it' be close to 200 units uh total. Uh but right now we're picking just 50 sites in this 150. And they went out there and and did a lot of uh took a lot of

photos. They've got to come back. They got 70% done. They The problem is foliage is obscuring the view. So, they're going to wait till the leaves come down and it opens up a little bit and they'll be back to photograph the remaining area and then this should be forthcoming shortly. You know, I would say within a within two or three months, another three months, we should have that pretty well defined.

Okay.

Is there any other business that we want to discuss here? None. Can I have a motion to adjourn?

I'll make that motion to adjurnn at 6:14 p.m.

All right. We got a motion and a second.

I'll second.

Okay. So, at 6:40 6:14 6:14 we are adjourning.