2014 Property & Grounds Annual Report:
Presented October, 2014
The Property and Grounds Committee in 2014 consisted of Meredith Watters, Larny Claggett, Posey Boicourt, Nancy Robbins, Priscilla Morris, Ed Danser, Anna Osler, Sally Vermilye, Mary Cotton, and Dee Rein. Aid was proffered by many members in the interest of maintaining our beautiful property. Clay Owens continues to serve as caretaker, including duties as groundskeeper, housekeeper and friendly presence to visitors. Members and Attenders supported Clean Up days in November of 2013 and April of 2014. We certainly hope they will again join us on November 8th.
Projects this year included:
- Design, Md. Historic Trust approval, and installation of railing on the Old Meeting House steps.
- Conversion of the Brick Meeting House furnace from oil to gas.
- Caretaker performance reviews, job description and letter of employment creation and implementation.
- Wheel chair ramp to Common Room doors and landings constructed by Winslow Womack, who also submitted a ramp sketch for the Old Meeting House.
- Thermostat replacement in the Common Room.
- Exploration of Housekeeping and Groundskeeping outsourcing options.
- Replacement of pillar hit by Town of Easton truck.
- Installation of 4 new benches in the graveyard area, with financing by an anonymous donor brought forth by Ann Williams.
- Expansion of parking lots, stair handrail installed in the caretakers cottage per insurance inspector suggestion, repointing of bricks on Brick Meeting House—all projects bid, contracted and overseen by Meredith.
- Common Room refurbishment exploration spreadsheet prepared by Mary.
- Repair of Common Room bathroom plumbing.
- Replacement of the Common Room dishwasher.
- Competitive bidding and contracting for new gas furnace heating and air-conditioning system for Common Room, installation of which commences Oct. 13th
- Addition of trash and recycling cans behind Common Room to facilitate waste disposal.
- Failing/falling beech tree removed.
Pending projects include:
- Discussion of sealing Brick Meeting House exterior
- Brick Meeting House bathroom wall repairs
- Brick Meeting House furnace room opening to crawl space closure.
- Brick Meeting House exterior light replacement.
- Old Meeting House handicapped access proposals for presentation to Maryland Historic Trust and Meeting for Business.
- Common Room refurbishment project plans, including replacement of windows losing their seals.
Interested parties willing to help care for Third Haven by planning, competitive bidding projects, or hands on contributions to grounds and building are solicited to join Property and Grounds. Many hands make light work... and keep Third Haven beautiful.
Respectfully submitted,
D. Rein, Interim Clerk, Property and Grounds