Heritage Commission Meets

By MARK EVANS

STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD

One of three requests for certificates of appropriateness drew considerable discussion at the June 22 Ste. Genevieve Heritage Commission meeting.

Moved from its usual 6 p.m., Monday time slot to 5 p.m., Tuesday last week, the meeting saw three requests approved by 4-0 votes.

However, Maryellen Jokerst’s request to replace a standing seem roof with an exposed fastener metal roof at 148 N. Main led to some debate.

“It desperately needs to be repaired,” Jokerst said. “That  last really bad storm we had – where BiltBelt lost its roof, we had some really bad hail and it hit and dented it quite a bit.”

She estimates the roof is about 80 years old and said it has several layers.

“My parents kept adding on additions,” Jokerst said, complicating the roof situation on the house.

This included enclosing a large outdoor porch.

She said the gutters are also in bad shape.

She added that “The chimney has always been a problem” wit leaking, part of it being on the standing-seem roof and part of it the rolled roof from that covered porch.

“I’m pretty sure the decking in there is going to have to be replaced,” Jokerst said, adding that she would also like to remove the chimney.

Commission member Frank Myers noted that “Any metal roof, unless you maintain it, fails.”

Myers asked if the  roof is beyond repair. Jokerst said they have tried repairs in the past.

Myers asked it is “leaking heavily” and Jokerst said it is.

The proposed roof would be a “dull red,” Jokerst said.

Myers said he did not like the roof system.

“They won’t hold up as well,I don’t believe,” he said. He also noted that the roof was not visible and that he had no objection therefore to the proposed roofs appearance.

“My concern is that is the new roofing system holds up as well as your old roofing system did,” Myers said.

The motion to grant the certificate passed 3-1, with Myers voting against it.

“Under the circumstances, I knew the project would pass,” Myers said, following the vote. “I don’t like that system. But it will not hurt …”

“It will help the building, community development administrator David Bova interjected.