Historical Commission Lays Out Several Priorities For Year

Selectmen have heard budget presentations from many of the town's department heads, and on Monday night, the historical commission had the opportunity to lay out its priorities for the coming fiscal year.

Citing some of the needs and priorities before the historical commission, Linda Gillon acknowledged that the initially requested amount for the coming year - $27,500 - represents about a 500% increase over the commission's FY '12 budget. However, Town Administrator William Gustus was optimistic that some of these needs could be met with existing town resources.

For example, one item in the budget request was $9,000 for master plans (without grant money) for the Willow, Forest Hill and West cemeteries. However, Gustus noted that the Department of Public Works can most likely handle tasks like headstone repair and similar services in its own budget.

Another request was $2,000 to continue the Spoken Word Project, which has been underway for at least a couple of years, featuring videotaped interviews with longtime community members. "We try to get all these people to tell their stories so we have them forever," said Gillon, adding that one of these taped interviews is a touching account from town residents Mr. and Mrs. Gulezian discussing how they had come to America and been embraced by the people of Lynnfield. However, Gustus suggested that the money to continue this project could be used from the Cable Access TV fund, which at this point is primarily being saved for future development of the town's local access programs and facilities. Up to this point, the interviews have been filmed by Lynnfield Cable Access Director Eric Hamlin anyhow.

The historical commission also hopes to eventually start using a software called Past Perfect aimed at helping preservationists and others catalog their information.

The commission also requested $4,000 to continue the work of Jonathan Appel, who has been helping to restore and preserve historic markers in the Old Burying Ground.

Also, the commission requests $2,000 to replace the current worn out National Historic District signs and to also add some additional signs showing the spots where previous town landmarks once stood.

Another request, for $2,500, would provide an engraved inscription for the Perkins Monument in the West Cemetery. The Perkins family were some of the town's prominent early settlers.

Along with some other assorted requests, such as $150 for preservation books and $200 for membership dues, the commission also requested $5,000 to begin the process of planning the town's 2014 Bicentennial celebration. However, a $2,500 appropriation for this item is looking more likely.

Gustus indicated that the Historical Commission can probably expect to receive closer to $8,000 in the coming fiscal year, which would still be an upgrade over the $5,425 it has been receiving in the past several fiscal years.