Harvey House committee to pursue funding

BARSTOW • After the city spent about $135,900 for roof repairs and pigeon dropping removal at the Harvey House, the City Council is searching for people to sit on a subcommittee tasked with pursuing funding to maintain the 100-year-old building.

Each council member, part of the Harvey House Foundation board, will appoint a member of the public to the seven-member committee. Councilman Tim Silva and Mayor Pro-Tem Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre will represent the Council on the committee. Potential committe members include representatives from the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce, the Western American Railroad Museum and the Route 66 Museum. The Council will form the subcommittee April 5.

“The purpose of the committee would be to hopefully find grants, and hopefully take a little bit of the burden off the city for funding expenses at that building,” Silva said.

The roof repairs and pigeon cleanup were necessary to get the 100-year-old building ready to rent, city officials have said. But according to 2009 Chamber President Carol Randall, property manager for Lee & Associates, which will manage space at the building and find tenants, work still needs to be done to waterproof the building.

There are more than 20 grants available for maintaining the Harvey House, Randall said. She also recommended an experienced person to act as the foundation’s grant writer. However, Randall said she didn’t want to disclose the person’s name because the city is still reviewing her contract.

The Chamber also plans to hold monthly farmer’s market days, jazz and blues concerts, as well as a centennial celebration in August, said Current Chamber President Mark Sielski. Most of the proceeds from those events would benefit the Harvey House Foundation.

When making a decision on funding the roof repairs, the Council decided to start the Harvey House Foundation again, which was set up to promote the building and fund its maintenance. The Harvey House Foundation board has generally met once a year. The foundation met again Feb. 16. Silva said he’d like to see the foundation meet quarterly and the subcommittee meet monthly.

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(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com