Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Markers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Historic commission advances design work for city medallion and plaque program
Summary
Commissioners discussed a proposed medallion/plaque program to recognize historic buildings, preferred bronze medallions, potential use of CPA funds for design work, and next steps to develop materials and a funding plan.
Commissioners on the Northampton Historical Commission discussed steps to create a unified medallion and plaque program to recognize historic buildings across the city and to establish an award for historic preservation.
Commissioner Hannah said the subcommittee had talked with vendors — including Honor Craft — about bronze medallion options and preliminary cost estimates and that the next step is a design phase. “We talked about Honor Craft ... about creating a design, like a unified design or medallions around the city and also a medallion to be awarded for historic preservation,” she said.
Staff noted the commission has a modest gift account and recommended applying for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds in the January cycle to cover professional design work if the commission’s internal funds are insufficient. Staff described a small‑grant threshold as about $3,000 for a project with total cost up to roughly $6,000; a larger CPA round is available in the regular cycle.
Commissioners debated materials and program structure: bronze medallions were favored by several members for durability, while other commissioners suggested offering standardized medallion awards alongside the option for homeowners to buy individualized plaques. Commissioners also discussed logistics — who researches property histories and whether the commission can maintain the administrative capacity to produce plaques — and agreed to develop a scope of work and design alternatives for review.
Next steps include refining the design brief, estimating costs for a small design contract, identifying possible CPA funding, and returning to the commission with sample designs and price estimates.
