Commission advances plan for preservation professionals list and starts planning 1926 tornado centennial displays

La Plata planning staff will assemble a preservation professionals list to connect property owners and community members with contractors and specialists experienced in historic-preservation work, the commission agreed on Jan. 14.

Planning Director Don Dooley said the list will prioritize trades and professionals familiar with the Secretary of the Interior's standards and that it could be expanded later to include cultural practitioners. Dooley invited commissioners to volunteer for a small research committee to help identify names. Commissioners emphasized that any published list should be a starting point for property owners and that owners must still evaluate contractors for qualifications.

The commission also discussed programming for the 1926 tornado centennial and Celebrate La Plata Day in April. Dooley proposed a temporary exhibit in the town-hall atrium featuring posters, photographs, oral histories, and loaned artifacts collected for a documentary; volunteers such as Tony Bazile have offered material and some items already on display at the Little Plater Train Station Museum could be augmented for the exhibit. Commissioners raised logistics questions about security, framing, insurance, and staff time. Staff suggested nonprofit partners or direct town-staff processing of proposals to expedite work while noting required coordination with public-works and special-events staff.

Dooley said the town has previously hosted similar displays and asked commission members to prepare proposals or written concepts to allow staff to identify logistical issues and cost implications. He also invited commissioners to help develop Maryland 250 programming tied to the commission's work plan.