City heritage commission wonders over its role

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Members who showed up for the January organizational meeting of the New Ulm Heritage Preservation Commission Thursday fell into a pained debate over what the commission's role is or should be.

Even though the group had a quorum of four members, enough to do business, the prescribed election of officers was tabled until March, and most agenda items were tabled as well.

The commission did, however, designate commissioners Jim Bodine and Pete McClurg to fill out and submit a Certified Local Government Grant application for $2,500 in matching grant money for a report on Artstone, or rainbow block, houses in New Ulm. The application is to be submitted to the state Historic Preservation Office in St. Paul.

It was when discussion turned to contacting residents with qualifying buildings in the South Broadway Historic District that the commission's role came into question.

Bodine, member of the HPC delegation who attended a national heritage preservation meeting this fall, brought the issue into focus when he said the message from the national meeting was that "the commission should not be an activist organization."

This meant that there should be a preservation committee that made the contacts and encouraged property owners to seek local designation for their properties, Bodine explained. Then, the commission would act in a review role.

"That's how this commission started," he explained. "It was a committee of activists, but then it was turned into this commission. The committee should have been kept.

"I also feel one of the problems is that there isn't enough involvement on the part of city officials," Bodine said. McClurg noted that Community Development Director Dave Schnobrich had attended HPC meetings, "but he hasn't for sometime."

Rachel Anderson, who continues as chairperson until the election, added, "I'm wondering if there is someone at the city who can train us to do our job. We should find out if they could send someone to the meeting to make this a better functioning commission."

Councilor Ron Fleischmann, an ex-officio member, suggested an annual training session similar to one held for city officials each year for "training us on what our role should be."

He noted the commission's top priority has to be making at least one local designation this year "so it doesn't lose its charter." The second priority should be the training session, he advised.