Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes January 9, 2024

 

Keweenaw National Historical Park Headquarters, Calumet
January 9, 2024

Present:

Commissioners

• Glenn Anderson, State of Michigan (President)

• Gerald Juntunen, at-large (Vice President)

• Karin Cooper, Houghton County (Secretary)

• Dan Jamison, at-large (Treasurer)

• Thomas Helppi, Calumet Township

• Mary Sears, Franklin and Quincy Townships

Executive Director

• Sean Gohman

National Park Service (NPS)

• Wendy Davis, Superintendent

• John Arnold, Historical Architect

• Amber Kraft, Interp and Education Lead

Absent:

• Andrew Ranville, Commissioner, Village of Calumet

Decisions and Announcements

• Announced the 2024 Keweenaw Heritage Grant cycle. Applications due March 29th, 2024.

• Observed a moment of silence for former commissioners, Rev. Robert Langseth.

• Awarded the Vernacular Architecture Forum conference planning committee a donation of $3,320.00 for renting charter busses to transport attendees during conference-related tours.
• Heard from Leah Polzein about a billboard sponsorship opportunity for the Calumet area. A decision was tabled until more information comes through.

A.1. Call to Order

A regular meeting of the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission was opened at 1:01 p.m., Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.

A.2. Introductions

Guests:

• Jean Ellis, Keweenaw Heritage Center

• Karen Hintz, KCHS

• Kathy Ceno, Copper Country Firefighters History Museum

• Carmen Sandretto, KCHS

• Mark Wilcox, IRKPA

• Leah Polzein, Main Street Calumet

• Graham Jaehnig, Daily Mining Gazette

A.3. Approval of Agenda for January 9th, 2024

Motion made by Cooper. Seconded by Helppi. Motion carried unanimously. (6/0).

A.4. Approval of Minutes of October 10th, 2023

Motion made by Juntunen and seconded by Sears Motion carried unanimously. (6/0).

B.1. Superintendent’s Report

A. Several new staff incoming at the moment. Seasonals, interns, etc.

• Two new interns onboarded for the archives.

• Welcomed a two-year term employee (visual informational specialist) to the interpretive team.

• Will be welcoming a YES program staff member. YES program is dedicated to improving access for those with disabilities.

• Fish and Feathers intern coming onboard shortly. Help to connect the public with wildlife at the park and with the Heritage Sites.

• A team of workers linked with the Abandoned Mineral Lands projects coming to the Keweenaw in the coming years.

• The Landscape Architect position is in the queue for NPS. Taking longer than usual.

• Welcoming a Mellon Fellow for two years to look into gender roles in the historic Keweenaw.

• Another historian currently here working on an administrative history of the park.

B. The park has submitted its proposed projects (40-50 requests) for the coming years. Awaiting decisions from NPS that will inform the work at the park.

• Planning for the C&H Warehouse #1 rehabilitation and renovation into a curatorial facility for three national parks is still ongoing. Construction salted to begin 2027-28.

Questions for the Superintendent

None.

B. 2. Executive Director’s Report

a. National Historic Landmark Amendments

• Both amendments were presented to the National Historic Landmark Committee on November 15th. Both amendments were accepted by the committee, though with some revisions. These amendments reflect changes on the landscape over the last 30-plus years, and will thus inform future park planning.

b. Fall sites meeting

• A meeting of the Heritage Sites was held on October 25th. 28 entities representing 20 organizations (16 of which are heritage sites) attended. Attendees heard from park staff about volunteering, from Brad Barnett of Visit Keweenaw about the last year in tourism and what Visit Keweenaw has in store for the coming years, and from Dr. Sarah Scarlett about the upcoming Vernacular Architecture Forum conference taking in May.

c. Quincy Smelter Updates

• The Quincy Smelter hosted haunted smelter tours in October. Michigan Tech students, working with Quincy Mine Hoist Association staff, put on three nights of tours to raise money for the association’s smelter tours that take place in the summer months.

d. Artist in Residence Program

• Pilot program with several partners:

• Keweenaw NHP, Advisory Commission, Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Assoc., and others in the wider art community

• Details are coalescing. Be on the lookout for upcoming press release and social media posts.

• Taking place this summer.

• May include workshop/s, “open house” hours, and will result in a permanent installation on the landscape.

e. Bus Grants Program

• The bus grant program, available to local schools to get students out visiting our heritage site partners, was recently updated to provide a clarified process for applying and receiving reimbursement. Procedures and application forms are available on the national park’s website.

f. Keweenaw Heritage Grant

• This year’s grant program has $115,000 to award this year. Applications will be available by the end of this week on the park’s website.

• Applications due: Friday, March 29

• Notification of award by: Tuesday May 7

• Funds Available: Friday May 31st

B.3. Presentation on Abandoned Mine Lands projects for the park in 2024

Historical Architect John Arnold gave a brief overview of several projects related to ‘safe’ing park properties thanks to funding ($1.5 million) from the Abandoned Mineral Lands program.

• Steel repair work at the Quincy Mine’s shaft rockhouse targets weakened and spalling steel supports near grade in and around the shaft rockhouse structure.

• Shaft closures in and around the Quincy mine landscape. Some need a re-think. Some have unknown conditions. Need to better understand and tackle.

• Addressing spalling concrete at the Quincy 1918 Hoist House.

• The park owned C&H drill shop/core building will receive some re-pointing and masonry work.

B.4. Requests to Commission and Financial Reports

a. Budget/Finance

• Motion to approve billing in the amount of $16,129.78 made by Cooper and seconded by Juntunen. Motion carried unanimously. (6/0)

• Motion to approve payroll and tax payments in the amount of $18,109.84 made by Cooper and seconded by Juntunen. Motion carried unanimously. (6/0)

b. Requests

• Request made by Dr. Sarah Scarlett (via letter) to sponsor charter busses for attendees to this June’s Vernacular Architecture Forum (VAF) conference. Attendees will be visiting Calumet as well as places of interest in Keweenaw County during the conference. Motion made by Copper and seconded by Jamison to award the VAF planning committee $3,320.00 for renting up to 3 charter busses to transport attendees during conference-related tours. Motion carried unanimously. (6/0)
• Request made by Leah Polzein for the commission to consider contributing to a billboard promoting the Calumet area for visitors this summer. Located on US41, the billboard is currently used by Visit Keweenaw, but they are open to using the space for Main Street Calumet, the Calumet DDA, and others for promotion. The commission decided to table a decision until more information related to costs was available.

B.5. Commissioner Reports

A. Karin Copper mentioned that the Michigan Historic Preservation Network is looking for board member to represent the Upper Peninsula. Contact her or E.D. Gohman for more details.

C.1. Comments from legislators or legislative staff

None

C.2. Comments from Keweenaw Heritage Site representatives

A. Karen Hintz from the Keweenaw County Historical Society: the org will be moving to a paid bookkeeping/accounting services. Will still have a volunteer Treasurer, but there’s just too much to keep track of now for volunteer-only work.

• Working on the rehab of the fog signal building. Working with John Arnold on that project.

B. Jean Ellis of the Keweenaw Heritage Center: Finding New Places exhibit finally closed after 3 years.

• Still looking to study and raise funds for replacing the roof to St. Anne’s Church.

• The KHC is getting closer and closer to self-sufficiency. Will host the Gathering of the Cornish Cousins this August.

C. Kathy Ceno of the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum: concerned about the windows at the museum. The rotting wood and spalling sandstone is causing issues with the windows. Would like park staff advice on the issue.

C.3. Comments from the public

A. Mark Wilcox: Isle Royale Keweenaw Parks Association: membership renewal drive just completed and was “quite successful.”

• Aid to Parks process in motion with both national parks. This includes how IRKPA assists with park needs such as marketing materials.

• Working with Amber Kraft to expand the Keweenaw-specific related offerings/products in the gift shop.

D. Motion to Adjourn

Moved by Cooper and seconded by Jamison at 2:05 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. (6/0).

Next meeting will be held Tuesday, April 23rd at 1:00pm at Keweenaw NHP Headquarters.