Soldiers Memorial Commission Meeting, July 8, 2025
6:00 pm Holyoke War Memorial Building
310 Appleton St, Holyoke 01040
Agenda for July 8th, 2025
Pledge
Roll Call
Security system
Building monitor report
Building lawn care
Chandelier lamp replacements
Chief Dietrich memorial naming
Audio system quotes (see attached)
Floor resurfacing
Air conditioners
Attic cleaning day
JFK Memorial
New Business:
Memorial Day review
T-Shirt Project
Tabled Items:
Upstairs Urinals Status
Floor cleaner battery status
Electric event board
Minutes July 8th
Pledge of allegiance
Ken Harstine
Don Andrezck
Colleen Chessmore
Nelson Serrao
Laddy Rua
Matthew from DPW.
June minutes accepted
Security system: Collin’s Electric will merge the external and internal video systems. Paid $317.48 so far. Have returned to do a assessment. Waiting for a proposal and quote. Will be done in three phases. Need to reset every day currently. Will not function if not reset. Systems need to be stored and copied to cloud storage for remote observation. Need to have twelve to twenty cameras for full coverage. Do we have a formal incident report process/form. The police do the reporting. Testing a volunteer doorman to check people in and out. Three persons signed up so far. Handicap access door is not fitting properly and closing properly.
Building Monitor Report: Looking for volunteers for this activity as well.
Lawn and external care. Currently using Lady’s small mower. Suggest that we prune the low branches of the trees to add in lawn care. Remove bushes. Need to purchase trimmer and lawnmower. Need no litter signs.
Chandeliers. Looking at getting Collin’s to fix it. Need to verify that Collin’s is being paid
Chief Dietrich basement naming. Tabled.
Attic Cleaning day: Review emergency supplies with CERT team. The 11th. Time TBD. committee member.
August 12th meeting or not. Unanimous vote not to meet on the 12th.
Table T-Shirts to next month.
Audio systems: We have two quotes currently. Delete the earlier quote. Still waiting for Valley Communications quote. Need a layman’s statement of what the systems are doing. Get clarification from mayor on quote prioritization. Ken will attempt to write a report comparing and contrasting the three quotes.
Floor resurfacing. Waiting for quote. Got replacement batteries so existing cleaning machines should able to be made functional. Get Stanley Steamer to clean the awards/meeting space. Need to set date. Friday would be ideal. Need to empty closets as well. Carpet does not go into the closets. Do this in September or later.
Air conditioners. Window units are installed. Existing system needs a circuit breaker. Possibly get Collin’s to asses the electrical systems loading and propose changes if needed.
JFK Memorial Review. No new information. Will invite Wayne. Table until we have availability.
Electric event board: Sign Technologies did Holyoke High School.
Upstairs Urinals. No new information.
Next meeting September 9th 6pm.
Minutes June 10th:
Roll Call:
Ken Harstine
Laddy Rua
Rick Purcell
Colleen Chessmore
Nelson Serrao
Kevin Thomas
Minutes accepted. Rick and Kevin
Urinals upstairs. One operable one not. Need to be fixed or replaced. Waiting for new budget cycle.
Security System. Internal from Hackworth security. External cameras are maintained by Collens Electric, Installed last year. Need plan for guest tracking. HPD recommends that each door have electronic key code entry. Estimate $8K for budget. New PC for system also required.
Building monitors project. Volunteers are credited for hours worked on the city volunteer tracking system. Upcoming events are on a white board in the office. Cleaning is being done in an orderly manner now.
Lawn care is no longer being done by the janitors. Rick will connect with Wayne to try and get a veteran to do the job. Colleen will reach out to a lawn care service to see what can be done that way.
Electronic event board. (Tabled for new estimates)
Chandelier lamps. Replaced bulbs but still not working. Deadline moved out to November.
Chief Dietrich auditorium naming project. Name the basement instead. Not including the kitchen.
Audio system quotes. Nelson got the 2025 ATC quote. Norseman has been shown the building and is in process to get quote. MIFA is expected to deliver a third quote.
Air conditioners. Have been added to first and second floor rooms.
Floor refinishing. Still waiting for quote. Kevin
Floor cleaning machine still needs batteries. Expect to order batteries soon.
Need to schedule an attic cleaning day or days.
New business:
JFK Memorial. Our commission is potentially on the hook to ask for grants.
T Shirt designs.
Patriotic committee will create a report on the event. Opening plan changed on the day of the event. Honor guard did not come sufficiently early to be fully briefed.
Agree on shirt with single soldier at ease and War Memorial on front left. The back with the globe and WWI memorial. Need a rehearsal to clear up proper procedure. Seating worked well with only the dignitaries and chorus on stage.
POW table process. Confusion about things you read and things you do. Laddy would like more wreaths so that they can be given to the Gold Star families for placement on grave. Work to get Holyoke Families connected Medal of Liberty medals.
Next meeting July 8th, 2025.