Commission reviews $32,000 Thompson House repair scope, considers gardener position and 2027 funding

Staff briefed the Historic Preservation Commission on June 4 that a contractor, Chris Thompson, has proposed roughly a $32,000 second phase of window and exterior repairs for the Thompson House and that the commission needs to formalize a scope and put the work out to bid.

Staff identified two near‑term tasks: (1) have the building inspector (Aaron) assess structural limitations for potential second‑floor use, and (2) complete drawings for an ADA pathway from a rear ADA parking stall to the back door. The ADA pathway work is being coordinated with Eric Brendigger’s efforts to secure funding.

On staffing, commissioners discussed establishing a halftime "heritage gardener" position with a defined scope, hours and compensation; staff said a scope of work and compensation have been drafted and recommended the position (or Thompson House repairs) be included in 2027 budget requests. Staff estimated "we're probably somewhere in the upper to mid $20,000 range left in the maintenance fund for Thompson House," but noted that figure is approximate and would require a formal budget analysis before committing funds.

Commissioners also described a recent broken rear porch window that appears to be an impact break; staff will contact the original contractor (Chris Johnson) to explore replacement under general maintenance. Commissioners discussed recruiting gardeners (including outreach to a local gardener named Jenny Anderson Kavanagh) and splitting responsibilities between grounds upkeep and Thompson House docent/maintenance tasks.

Why it matters: The Thompson House is a town historic resource; decisions on repairs, accessibility work and whether to fund a gardener affect preservation, public use and upcoming budget planning.

What’s next: Staff will request a formal scope of work and bid documents from the contractor, consult the building inspector about second‑floor limitations, complete ADA pathway drawings and include the position/repairs in 2027 budget requests for trustee consideration.