Lillian G. Burry, Chairperson/Township Committee Liaison
Ellen Terry, Secretary
Nancy L. Boylan
Lori Furey
Chris McGarry
Julie McGowan
Diana Piotrowski
Ed Piotrowski
Nancy Plumfield
Cathi Trost
Louise Whitney

Absent:

Nancy L. Boylan
Thomas Clarke (excused)
Robert Cooke
Jane Davis (excused)
Peggy Joline (excused)
Harold Kilbride (excused)

Visitors:

Ann Rippa
Diana Hnat

1. Committeewoman Burry called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM.

2. The minutes of March 7, 2000 were reviewed, and two corrections are required. The correct spelling of our visitor at the March meeting is Ann Rippa. When members of the public request that positions be taken by an advisory board, they should be referred to the Township Administrator, not Administration (paragraph #4). On a motion by Mrs. McGarry and seconded by Mrs. Trost, the minutes were accepted as corrected.

3. A note was received from Carolyn Flock expressing thanks for the historic property plaque.

4. The Colts Neck Journal had several articles of note in the April issue. "Cemetery Mystic Creates Learning Experience" chronicles the visit of Mrs. Burry, Mr. Piotrowski and Garrett Thompson to the Colts Neck Reformed Church Cemetery, with Cub Scout Dens 4 and 10 and their den leaders. The scouts related names on the markers to local places, and learned to make tombstone rubbings. A second article reported that Mayor Southcott appointed Township Committeewoman Burry as the Township Historian. The Chairwoman of this Committee, Mrs. Burry holds a B.A. in American History from Wagner College. "Historic Celebration Update" presented the schedule of events for "Colts Neck Celebrates Its History."

5. Mrs. Burry reported that discussion of the Township flag was placed on the agenda of the Township Committee meeting at the MayorÕs request. Township Committee members argued that the Township flag should be the responsibility of a separate flag committee, and not of the Historic Preservation Committee. In order to remain involved, Mrs. Burry offered to be liaison between the Township Committee and the Flag Committee. Mrs. Plumfield suggested that "Colts Neck" be lengthened to "Colts Neck, New Jersey" in the proposed flag design submitted by Mrs. McGowan. Mrs. Burry argued that the rendering submitted by Mrs. McGowan was introduced, early in January, at a Township Committee meeting and has been well received. In addition, it had been approved as a separate expense in the Historic Preservation Committee budget. Mrs. Burry noted that the Mount Laurel challenge and the struggles of Joshua Huddy had inspired her to write an article for the Colts Neck Journal about home rule.

   The new Colts Neck Library would like to have the original of the historic map Mr. Kilbride is working on, once it is completed. It will be framed and hung in the library.

   A draft of the proposal for the $630,000.00 matching grant has been finished by the planner and will be presented to the Township Commiittee. The proposal states that there are 98 historic sites in the Township, including homes, battlefields and cemeteries. The proposal suggests that the 1712 Holly Bush Farms on 5 acres would be an ideal area for historic preservation and interpretation, and also for active recreation such as tennis courts. Mrs. Burry also noted that it would be a living monument to our early agrarian history.

6. Mrs. Furey and Mrs. Boylan have been preparing for the reception for recipients of historic site plaques. The plaques will be distributed at the Township Committee meeting of May 10. The reception will be held during the Celebration Weekend, on Sunday, May 21, at Swan Pond, the home of Pam Carroll, 193 Laird Road. Mrs. Burry, Mrs. McGarry, Mrs. McGowan and Mrs. Trost will provide refreshments.

7. Committee members described their activities on behalf of "Colts Neck Celebrates Its History". Mrs. Plumfield reported that all seven third-grade classes at Conover School have been studying the history of Colts Neck this year. One class will display a canvas map of the Township, and people can draw a mark where their home is. One class will have a guest book for the event. Another class is making 25 time-line ground signs. The PTO will have tables for making corn husk dolls and for writing with quill pens. The Boy Scouts will have games all day. The Performing Arts Ensemble under the direction of Evelyn Gardell will have a fashion show, demonstrating fashions from the Colonial era through the early 1900s. Dancers will demonstrate colonial era dances.

   Mrs. Rippa has been working on advertising the event through banners and on signs. She has located unused PTO vinyl banners, worth about $260 to $280 each, which might be repainted to hang over the road, on Route 537 at Route 34, and on Route 537 at the High School. There will be a recital at the High School on Friday evening, and three recitals on the Saturday of the Celebration, so a banner there would be visible to many people. Mrs. Burry offered some large signs from her Township Committee campaign, which could be repainted. She also suggested that there may be sufficient funds to purchase new vinyl banners, and asked Mrs. Rippa to find out how much these would cost.

   Mrs. McGarry reported that 25 tickets at $25.00 each have already been sold for the house tour on Friday, May 19. The featured homes will be Locust Pond Farm, Swan Pond Farm, Hillsdale School, Daniel Polhemus Farm (Wide Horizons), Woodfield Farm, and the Van Kirk Homestead (Long Lane Farm). The homeowners are all pleased that the guests will be conveyed by trolleys rather than by private auto. There are many other residents who would like to participate in a house tour, but were unable to do it on this particular weekend.

   Mrs. Burry noted that the Celebration will have its own Township account. Any income from the Celebration should go into this account, NOT the general funds. All checks for events should be made out to the Colts Neck Township Historic Preservation Committee.

   Mrs. Hnat has coordinated with MottÕs Artillery, a Revolutionary War reenactment group named for Captain Gershom Mott of Middletown. They will demonstrate militia drills and artillery drills. There will be "Quaker guns" (wooden guns) for the children to practice with.

   Mr. Piotrowski is writing skits to be performed by residents in Colonial costume during the candlelight tour. This tour is part of a package which includes a full dinner at HuddyÕs, featuring a choice of Brunswick Stew, Yankee Pot Roast or Virginia Ham entrees, and finishing with apple pie and Martha Washington ginger bread. Seating for dinner begins at 5:30 PM. The price includes tax and tip. The locations and nature of the skits will be a surprise. Wagons will take the tour past the Colts Neck Inn, around the Village, by Colts Neck Realty, the General Store, the graveyard of the Colts Neck Reformed Church, down New Street and Heyers Mill Road to the Conover Homestead. There will be luminaries at each stop. Each wagon holds 30 people. The tour takes about one hour. One wagon will leave at 7:30 PM, and one at 8:30 PM.

   Mrs. Piotrowski reported that Mrs. Joline has already sold some tickets for this tour. People need to call for reservations. She stated that additional entertainment on Saturday morning and afternoon will include Elizabeth Van Mater, a historic storyteller, at 11:30 AM and 2:15 PM, and a Benjamin Franklin impersonator from the American History Theater at 12:30 PM. Concerts will be performed at 10 AM and 2:30 PM by the "Colts Neck Chorale," a collaborative effort of the music ministries of the three Township churches, and at 12 Noon by the Barn Burner Brass Band. Historic Preservation T-shirts and the Huddy book will be sold.

   Mrs. Burry reported that the Farmland Preservation Committee would like to honor those who cared enough to give land to the Township, by presentation of a plaque at the Celebration. This plaque will be mounted on a stone by the flag. This might be done just prior to or just after the noon concert. Perhaps the Ben Franklin impersonator could ring a bell and the names could then be read. An outdoor sound system will be hooked up at the courthouse. She will have the Celebration schedule put into the Township Committee meeting minutes on April 12.

8. Meeting adjourned at 6:59 PM on a motion offered by Mrs. McGowan and seconded by Mrs. Trost. The next two meetings will be on Tuesday, May 2, and on Tuesday June 6.

Respectfully submitted,

Ellen Terry

Secretary

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