Historian heaven
Attending the Kansas Historic Sites Review Board meeting recently in Topeka was fascinating. It was enjoyable to see what sites other communities want to preserve and protect for future generations.
By the time an application reaches the board, it has been thoroughly reviewed by professional staff members to ensure it meets guidelines. Nevertheless, I don't think the group would have hesitated to table a nomination if they wanted more information.
I only rolled my eyes in disbelief two times. One was when they reached the Schaeffler House nomination, but decided to break for lunch before addressing it. While this put back my personal schedule by an hour, it turned out to be worth it, since it meant a fine lunch at a café — right in the library! It's probably too late to suggest this for the depot project, but leafing through a book while eating pie pairs my two favorite activities.
The second was when the board was discussing an archeological site in Johnson County. It marked the remnants of a town founded by abolitionists before the Civil War. The town disappeared soon after the war, but evidence has been collected that could provide valuable information about pre-Civil War communities, particularly those with anti-slavery ties.
What made me roll my eyes was why the property was seeking protection as a historic site. It had been considered for — drum roll, please — a landfill.
Far in my future, I plan to spend a whole week attending meetings where landfills aren't discussed.
Speaking of meetings, recognition should be given to the City of Marion for its new plans to have all city-appointed committees report on activities.
There are a dozen such boards and committees, ranging from parks to the library to the airport. Most do important but anonymous work. In the past, they tended to appear before the city commission only when something bad happened.
During the quarterly or semi-annual presentations, committees will explain their duties, discuss recent activities, and review plans for the future. Bringing these committees into open meetings helps the public better understand their role in our community.
Good job to the commission for listening, and thanks to the various committees for the work they are doing.
— MATT NEWHOUSE
