Document - Historical Society Minutes - Meeting Minutes - 11/6/2013MEETING NOTES/MINUTES
EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TUESDAY
November 6, 2013
3:30 p.m. – 2nd Floor Conference Room A/B
Members present: Chair Mary Ellen Voracek, Vice-Chair Kim Hazel, Joan Remick-Kennedy,
Millie Gignac, Ted Ringberg, Kenny Ekblad, Lori Tripp, Bernie Jansen and Steve Hansen. Also
present was Communication Coordinator Joanna Foote.
MEETING MINUTES & SECRETARY
No changes were recommended to the minutes from the October 1, 2013 meeting and they were
accepted as presented. Kenny Ekblad made note that his last name is misspelled on the mailing
labels. Staff will correct for future.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUSINESS
Update on 1914 Town Hall
Gignac shared the Pioneer Press article regarding the arson at the Old Town Hall in which the
Eagan Police Department asks the public for information regarding a bicycle that may have been
used as a part of the crime.
Foote indicated that the materials salvaged from the 1914 Town Hall have now been sanitized,
cleaned and processed to eliminate smoke odors. Service Masters will be returning the items to
the City and theses items will be stored in the old Fire Administration building at present.
An inventory of the all items contained within the Town Hall (prior to the fire) has been
compiled by Foote with the assistance of Ron and Mary Ellen Voracek, Joe Reid and Lori Tripp.
The group cross referenced pictures taken at the scene and a list from 2008. There are
approximately two hundred items cataloged which does not include things that are/were inherent
to the building such as voting booths, shutters, etc. There were roughly twenty to twenty five
items that were unaccounted for following the fire. Some may be found in items catalogued as
miscellaneous with Service Masters. Other items were likely destroyed by the fire.
Finance Subcommittee Meeting Recap
Foote recapped a meeting held by staff and the City Council Finance Subcommittee specifically
to address the options for the 1914 Town Hall. Present were Mayor Maguire, Councilmember
Bakken, City Administrator Osberg, Assistant City Administrator Dianne Miller,
Communications Director Garrison, Finance Director Pepper, City Clerk/Admin Services
Coordinator Scipioni, and Communications Coordinator Foote.
Within the meeting, Mayor Maguire and Bakken asked that Foote convey to the Historical
Society members that they, and likely all of the Councilmembers, have a concern for
preserving Eagan’s history. They want to assure the Historical Society members that the
process in which they are thoughtful in planning for the needs of the Community as it relates
to history, into the future. They do not wish to simply move on from this fire without
addressing how to create a place for history and the Historical Society.
To that end, direction was given to staff to move forward with having the 1914 Town Hall
roof “shrink wrapped” as would be done to winterize a boat, at a cost of approximately
$2,100. This will allow discussion to continue through the winter months without allowing
additional harm to be done to the structure.
Foote recapped the remainder of the meeting, indicatiing it was a very productive one, with
many questions asked, as possibilities were outlined for future consideration.
Options discussed included:
Add an addition to City Hall or the Eagan Community Center to create new historical
display and storage space.
• Consider a compartmentalized addition/renovation to serve as a history
museum (space to have historic feel, but take advantage of modern amenities
such as parking, bathrooms, HVAC, etc.).
• Consider using the existing front façade of Old Town Hall in the new space.
Build a new, similarly sized structure somewhere on the municipal campus.
• The consensus was new materials would be used, perhaps incorporating some
salvaged materials from Old Town Hall into the new structure.
• Move history display/storage to space within an existing City building (City
Hall or ECC), without any modifications to the building footprint.
Explore broader partnerships for creation of new historical display space.
• Communicate with Dakota County about the use of the library for such space.
• Inquire with Dakota County Historical Society about their current space needs
analysis and whether they have interest in historical display space in Eagan
that could incorporate the history of Eagan and the County as a whole.
• Consider partnerships with local businesses to focus new space not only on City
history, but the history of local businesses as well (e.g. Thomson Reuters, Delta,
Lockheed Martin, BCBS, etc.)
It was directed that an update be provided to the Council to ensure they agree with the
committee’s recommended next steps. Pending Council concurrence, staff is to further
research the options recommended by the committee and bring a summary of the
options to a future Council workshop. The Committee requested Communications
Coordinator Foote seek input from the Historical Society on their priorities, goals, etc.
for the new space being envisioned. The committee asked staff to report back on the
discussion of the Historical Society at the future workshop. It was also requested that a
historian (e.g. MN Historical Society staff) attend the Council workshop. Lastly, it was
suggested that one or two local architects be contacted to seek their feedback and
suggestions on options the City may wish to consider when rebuilding a new historical
display space.
Foote then played a portion of the Tuesday, November 4, 2013 City Council meeting for the
members, in which the City Council approved the funding to winterize the Old Town Hall roof.
Historical Society Committee members then discussed the options made available in the above
mentioned meeting as well as sharing their concerns and comments. Foote provided additional
information about items that might be incorporated in a new building such as the use of the old
façade with new construction behind it, or a structure built around it, or could it be dismantled.
Possibly alternate locations might be another viable option.
The use of other City owned buildings was also mentioned, including the former Fire
Administration. Foote indicated that the City has a viable offer for the purchase of the former
Fire Administration building. Therefore, that facility is not listed within the options for
consideration.
Foote also said that she talked to Rebecca at the DCHS to see if there was any thought by DCHS
of another facility in a different area of the County. Snyder indicated that a needs assessment is
presently being conducted at for the present South St. Paul Museum with no outcome yet
determined.
Foote asked that members turn to considerations of their priorities for both preservation and
future considerations for an Historical Society space. The initial discussion included these
priorities:
• Salvage the original key items –
a. entire front section (or materials for complete front section) for use as future
entryway to building constructed behind, on current site
b. Salvage as many of these key pieces for use in future replicated façade/entryway
i. Incorporate the old façade with new space. Visitors would enter through
old to get to new
• Incorporate more space for working on projects,
• Space for education and group presentations,
• Enclosed displays to protect certain items from being touched,
• Areas that items could be hung
• Moveable, adaptable spaces.
• Need a space that ensures the public has a reason to come/plan to get visitors interested in
viewing
Typical meeting time being surpassed, members agreed that the December meeting would focus
almost exclusively on prioritizing and outlining future priorities and needs for the Eagan
Historical Society Museum to be brought to the City Council at a Worksession, likely in
December).
OTHER
Foote indicated she had received a call from the artist, Larry Landus who was commissioned to
do the Fire Department’s 50th Anniversary print. He stated that he is very interested in donating a
portrait of the Old Town Hall for its 100th Anniversary which the Society could use as a
fundraiser. He has time to work on this at present. Foote provided a variety of photos for him to
begin working from. Updates will be provides as they are received.
Foote also reminded the members about the upcoming Community Focus group discussion on
the future of local communications in the City of Eagan and asked that they strongly consider
attending. If they are unable to attend, a survey will be posted at the Web site that they are urged
to complete. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/morethancable for additional details.
Also enclosed is the article from the November/December 2013 Experience Eagan newsletter
and a copy of October 2013 VIP newsletter.
NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 3:30 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Tripp made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Hazel seconded, all members voted to adjourn
at 5:22 p.m.