President's Comments

2011 -  THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Our Annual Membership meeting was held at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview (1922) on Sunday, November 20, 2011.  Guests joining us were Kim Hamel, Kathy Hankins and Michael Piatkowski.

First, the primary purpose of the meeting was the election of Directors to the Board by the general membership.  Those members of the Board with terms expiring included Tom Hankins, Larry Mong and Kandi Piatkowski.  Of those three Board members, Tom and Kandi were unanimously re-elected for another three year term.  Larry was ineligible for re-election because of thirteen (13) consecutive absences.

Second, an Annual Report was presented by the President, which involved a synopsis of the year's activities and events.  That summary included a review of the following:

H.P.A.  enjoyed guided tour of the Oscar D. Barnes House (1911-13), 901 N. Broadway

H.P.A.  present at auction of the J.C. Kinkead House (1886), 913 N. Broadway

H.P.A.  prepared Letters of Support for Heritage Trust Fund (HTF) Grant Applications for both the:

McCormick School Museum (1890, 1910), 855 S. Martinson, and

Orpheum Theatre (1922), 200 N. Broadway

H.P.A. helped save the Mathewson-Murray House (1901), 3565 S. Topeka

H.P.A. present at failed auction of a Valentine Diner (1940's), 1227 S. Seneca

H.P.A. tried to save the St. Mary's Cathedral Rectory, 307 E. Central:

Wichita H.P.B. voted to allow demolition/H.P.A. opposed demolition, and

H.P.A. wrote Letter to the Editor, condemning demolition

H.P.A.  took Annual Summer Road Trip to the Vaile Mansion (1881), Independence, MO

H.P.A. opposed Landfill at 55th South & Ridge Rd. because it blocks the Chisholm Trail

H.P.A. took the Newton Historic Home Tour:

Warkentin House, Reese House, Ely House and Neal House

H.P.A. prepared Heritage Trust Fund (HTF) Grant Applications for the:

Richmond Hill Schoolhouse (circa 1875), City Park, Clearwater, KS,

Band Shell (1934), Howard T. Sawhill Park, St. Francis, KS, and

Brewster Higley's "Home on the Range Cabin" (1872), Smith County, KS

Third, the Project Plans for 2011-2012 were approved by the general membership.  Foremost among those is to prepare National Historic Register Nominations for the:

McAdams/Fultz House (1887), 1437 North Fairview owned by H.P.A.,

Victorian House (1884), 506 South Seneca owned by Fora Farajpanahi,

Mathewson-Murray House (1901), 3565 South Topeka owned by Lynn Behnke and

Century Plaza Building (1929), 111 West Douglas owned by Steve Anthimides.

Further, while the general membership elects Directors to the Board at the Annual Meeting, the primary purpose of the subsequent Board of Directors Meeting was the election of Officers for the coming year.  With seven (7) of ten (10) Board members in attendance, the entire slate of officers was re-elected for 2011-2012.

Finally, please send your full names, current residential addresses, phone numbers and especially, email addresses, to me at my email address:  jgkite.lawoffice@sbcglobal.net.  We are in the process of updating our records for purposes of both membership and dues.  Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.

Greg Kite, President

2/12/2012