Riverton historic preservation commission ramps up volunteer recruiting, website listings and plans silo sign

Riverton97The Riverton Historic Preservation Commission on an abbreviated meeting discussed how to recruit volunteers, how to present and list recognized historic homes on the city website and plans for a historic sign at the Withers Dairy silo.

The commission voted to approve minutes from June 5, 2025 and then moved to a short discussion of three operational topics: (1) a simple online listing and sign-up form for historic homes, (2) a plan to delay an in-person presentation of newly identified historic homes until October to accommodate a key volunteer, and (3) placement of a commemorative sign by the Withers Dairy silo.

Commission members and staff said they will keep the website listing simple and visual and will ask homeowners for permission before posting photos. "I think if we made it as simple as possible ... have it be more visual than descriptive and have it be just an easy Google Doc where they can fill out," said Alex (staff member). Alex said he can work with Nate (city staff) to update the site and with Brooke (city communications) on design.

The commission briefly discussed the timeline for honoring several families. Commissioners said Kim has been working with the Sieverts family and that the Sieverts family agreed to an October presentation. "He really wants to be here when we present. So I said, let's push it up till October," said one committee member during the discussion.

On the website listing, commissioners emphasized homeowner consent for photographs. "As far as a picture ... I think we talked about asking if they were comfortable with that," said a commissioner. Members suggested the listing include a photo and an address only, with no additional personal information.

The commission also discussed adding a "Projects" tab to the city page outlining ongoing efforts (historic homes, oral-history interviews, a local history book) and making an application form available online. Commissioners said applicants who fill out the city form will be contacted by the mayor's office for follow-up: "They just fill out that form and then the mayor will call them up. Interview them," a member said.

Members made clear that volunteers do not need to be commission members to help with projects. "They don't have to be members of the commission to help us ... They have to be members of the commission to vote, and that's it," a commissioner said. Commissioners encouraged informal volunteer contributions (for example, collecting newspaper clippings, conducting oral-history interviews or mapping candidate historic homes) and discussed posting recruitment messages to neighborhood Facebook pages such as the Riverton Ranch group.

The commission discussed one site-specific item: installing a historic sign by the Withers Dairy silo. Members said the silo land is city-owned or leased by the city and that a plaque-style sign like other local markers would be appropriate. "We're thinking about putting one over there to honor the history of that farm and the family," a commissioner said. Staff agreed Brooke would handle design once the commission supplies text and images.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve minutes from June 5, 2025: moved by a member, seconded by another member; outcome: approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to adjourn: moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote).

The meeting closed after members agreed to draft and circulate a revised recruitment post for sharing across multiple neighborhood pages. One member said they would prepare a new post the commission could share: "So I think I'll work on generating a new post that we can put out, and then if everybody shares it."