The Cheney Historic Preservation Commission’s first meeting of 2017 was abbreviated last Thursday due to a session of the Cheney Municipal Court going longer than anticipated.
The commission did meet long enough, however, on the staircase landing in the hallway at City Hall to accomplish two important items — re-elect new officers and get to know its newest commissioner.
Lee Pierce has been named to fill the commission seat previously occupied by Fred Lauritsen, whose third term expired in December 2016. Lauritsen came to the commission in 2005, filling an unexpected vacancy and going on to serve three terms on the board that oversees and provides guidance on historic properties and other pursuits in the city.
Pierce is a recent graduate of Eastern Washington University where he was a student of EWU archivist and Historic Preservation Commission chair Dr. Charles Mutschler. He currently works as an archivist with the Washington State Archives – Eastern Washington Regional Branch.
In the commission’s other action items, Mutschler was reelected chair, with Commissioner Scott Wilbanks reelected vice chair.
Two items of new business on the agenda were postponed until the next commission meeting. As part of the city’s comprehensive plan review process, the commission is scheduled to look at the plan’s chapter on arts and culture.
City senior planner Brett Lucas said the only change to the chapter would be the addition of language acknowledging the creation of the commission and its function. A 1988 ordinance established Cheney’s Historic Preservation Commission with the purpose of giving “authority to designate or recommend designation of historic properties.”
The language also notes the commission is empowered to “review and comment on any public and private development projects which would affect a locally designated historic property.”
Public Works Director Todd Ableman told the commission the city hopes to hold another open house in March in order to let the public look at comprehensive plan proposals and provide comment. The commission previously held an open house last November.
The commission is also slated to renew a discussion it began last year about a proposed collaboration between it and the Cheney Historical Museum regarding online work being done by museum director Joan Mamanakis. Mamanakis has been using several websites to upload aspects of Cheney history, and presented some of the work she has done to the Cheney Historical Preservation Commission at its Sept. 1 meeting.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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