Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Sunday,
December 05, 2010
photos/EverythingWestport.com
Quick Article Index .
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Special
Town meeting promises sizzle with little steak for voters.
Oscar
Palmer Farm hits the market - with a proviso.
Conservation restrictions sought
for historic Oscar palmer Farm.
Westport
Historical Society hopeful on Handy House acquisition.
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Special Town
meeting promises sizzle with little steak for voters. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, December 05,
2010 Updated Tuesday,
December 7, 2010
Click on the warrant (left) to get all the details. There’s just a hint of irony that Pearl Harbor Day was selected
for the town meeting as the town’s finances are under attack by painful
reductions in state aid and local tax collections. Budget shortfall woes ($364,000 operating deficit) still plague
Westport officials as an earlier Proposition 2 1/2 override failed at the
ballot box, forcing town officials to rework plans, reduce expenses, and tap
free cash to balance the budget at this special town meeting. “I think it’s safe to say that the meeting will be dominated by
the budget,” said Town Administrator Mike Coughlin. “We do need to balance the budget to set the tax rate,” Coughlin
said, explaining that budgetary matters voted on at the December Special Town
Meeting will balance the budget. Article
15 needs further definition Controversy and confusion also surrounds Article 15, funding in
the amount of $2.5 million for green energy projects for three Westport
schools. Is it a Proposition 2 1/2 override? Finance Committee and School
Committee members were uncertain whether this article was a debt exclusion or
capital improvements requiring the town to borrow money by securing a bond.
The article is unclear, and amendment language is sure to be introduced when
this article is brought to the voters. Typically, a bond is a 2 1/2 override
that does not add permanently to the tax base. Although the MSBS (Massachusetts School Building Authority) will
reimburse the town 46% of this requested article if the article passes at
town meeting, voter uncertainty over an increase to the tax base could defeat
this article which has the support of all town boards. This reimbursement is
a one-time opportunity as the grant money expires in 2011. Article 18 has support from many town officials and
residents
Seen
by many as being the most valuable historical property in town, the
Cadman/White/Handy house provides not only a portal into two centuries of
architectural paradigms, but also a rich personal history of the trials and
tribulations endured by Westport's earliest residents. But
some have expressed concern over removing the house from the town's tax
rolls, and past town meeting articles have tried to abolish CPC funding
altogether. Ironically, the Westport Historical Society may just be the best
thing that could happen to this axiomatic treasure. The
Westport Board of Selectmen and the Community Preservation Committee have
endorsed funding for the project in the amount of up to $415,000. But the overpriced Oscar Palmer Farm
purchase by The Trustees of Reservations with town tax funds committed to purchasing
agricultural and historic preservation restrictions has left a sour taste in
the mouths of some residents, and cast doubt on the Handy House purchase with
CPC funding. The Trustees of Reservations acquired the 29-acre Oscar
Palmer Farm in December, 2008 for $901,000 with support from the Westport
Land Conservation Trust, a price that will not be recovered through the sale
of the property because of a now-depressed real estate market (see article
below.) The TTOR will assume the balance of the purchase price as
their investment in protecting Westport farmland. Avoiding the same fate, the purchase price for the
Handy House was aggressively negotiated by the Westport Historical Society with
the current owners, and represents a fair dollar amount in light of today's
under-valued market. Fireworks promised over Article 20 Reimbursement to Henry's Diesel Performance
Plus for repairs to a highway vehicle involved in a snow removal accident last
year is becoming a political football as the state Inspector General has
ruled that the bill cannot legally be paid by the town because bid laws were
not followed, a decision disputed by the highway surveyor. Oscar Palmer Farm hits the market, with a proviso, all for a
mere $250,000. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
December 01, 2010
The Trustees of Reservations Request Proposals to Buy Historic Oscar Palmer Farm Starting
December 1st The Trustees of Reservations will solicit proposals from
interested buyers for the Oscar Palmer Farm located at 138 Adamsville Road in
Westport. The Trustees seek a buyer who will restore the farm to active
agriculture and rehabilitate the historic buildings on the property. All
proposals are due by January 18th, 2010. The
Trustees, the Westport Land Conservation Trust (WLCT), and the Town of
Westport through its Community Preservation Committee and Agricultural/Open
Space Preservation Trust Fund Council have worked to protect this farm since
2002. In December 2008, The Trustees of Reservations acquired this 29-acre
farm for $901,000 with support from WLCT. Now, The Trustees, WLCT, and the
Town are working to protect the farm with permanent historic and conservation
restrictions. Their goal is to sell the farm to a private buyer committed to
agriculture and restoration of the historic buildings.
photo/EverythingWestport.com The
Town of Westport and the local community have been extensively involved with
the protection of the Palmer Farm.
Since acquiring the farm in 2008, The Trustees and WLCT have worked
with an advisory committee of community members with experience in farming
and historic preservation as well as with various Town boards and committees
to design these restrictions. The conservation restriction, covering the
entire property, will protect resources such as prime farmland soils,
wetlands and scenic resources, and it will require that the property be
farmed, allowing for additional farm buildings in designated areas. The
historic preservation restriction will ensure that the buildings be preserved
and restored, while being flexible in allowing the future owner to determine
their use. The
Trustees and WLCT have raised private funds and the Town of Westport has
committed $250,000 through its Agricultural/Open Space Preservation Trust
Fund. Additionally, voters at the 2008 Town Meeting approved $200,000 from
the Community Preservation Fund to preserve and rehabilitate the historic
buildings. $33,500 of the Community Preservation Funds will be used for the
historic preservation restriction, allowing the future owner to apply
directly to the Community Preservation Committee for the use of the remaining
$166,500 to restore the buildings. All
future owners must adhere to the historic preservation and conservation
restrictions. WLCT and the Town of Westport’s Conservation Commission will
hold the conservation restriction on the entire farm and The Trustees of
Reservations and the Town of Westport’s Historical Commission will hold an
historic preservation restriction over the buildings. These entities will be
responsible for the annual monitoring and enforcement of the restrictions.
Based on a certified real estate appraisal of the farm with these
restrictions, the price for the resale has been set at $250,000.
The
Westport Historical Commission and The Trustees will host a workshop on
January 3, 2011 to provide information regarding the historic preservation
restriction on the Oscar Palmer Farm and to explain the approval process for
the restoration of the buildings. Starting
December 1st the complete Request for Proposals can be found at: http://thetrustees.org/palmerfarm. This website will
provide general information about the Palmer Farm as well as a list of all
important dates, details about the restrictions, information about open
houses, deadlines, workshop details, and updates throughout the proposal
process. Read
more about the Oscar Palmer farm below. More About The
Trustees of Reservations The
Trustees are 100,000 members like you who love the outdoors and the distinctive
charms of New England, and believe in celebrating and protecting them for
current and future generations. Founded by open space
visionary Charles Eliot in 1891, The Trustees “hold in trust,” and care for, 104
spectacular “reservations” located on more than 26,000 acres in 75
communities throughout Massachusetts. All Trustees’
reservations are open for the public to enjoy and range from
working farms and historic homesteads – several of which are National
Historic Landmarks – to formal gardens, barrier beaches, open meadows,
woodland trails, mountain vistas, and a Gold LEED-certified green building in
Leominster, the Doyle Center, which serves as a meeting space and gathering
place for the conservation community. The
Trustees also work to promote healthy, active, green
communities around the state by providing hundreds of year-round
programs and events that inspire people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and
appreciate the history, nature, and culture of the Commonwealth. Most
programs and events are free-of-charge or heavily discounted for members. Accredited by the
Land Trust Alliance, The Trustees are an
established leader in the conservation movement and model for other land
trusts nationally and internationally.
In addition to its many reservations spanning 26,000 acres, The
Trustees also hold perpetual conservation restrictions on more than
19,000 additional acres (a total larger than any other conservation
organization in Massachusetts), and have worked with community partners to
assist in the protection of an additional 16,000 acres around the
Commonwealth. One
of the largest non-profits in the state of Massachusetts, The Trustees employ
152 full-time, 49 regular part-time, and 400 seasonal staff with expertise in
ecology, education, historic resources, land protection, conservation, land
management, and planning. To find out more and/or become a member, please
contact www.thetrustees.org. For more
information please contact: Jennifer Holske Dubois, South Coast Conservation Director The Trustees of
Reservations ( days: (508) 636-7038 email:
jholske@ttor.org Chris Detwiller, Westport Community Conservation Specialist The Trustees of
Reservations ( days: (508) 636-7501 email:
cdetwiller@ttor.org Conservation
restrictions sought for historic Westport farm. Wednesday,
December 01, 2010
The
Trustees are looking to place a conservation restriction and a historic
restriction on the land, Dubois said. More. Westport
Historical Society hopeful on Handy House acquisition.
EverythingWestport.com Monday,
December 6, 2010
Save
for a few purse-tightening natives that are against all CPA funding, some
residents feel, however, that using town funds today, especially in light of
a few recent CPA expenditures that detractors feel were unnecessary or overly
expensive, is not a good idea in these financially trying times. The
Handy house is a unique 18th century property, one-of-a-kind so to speak,
that Westport would be wise to invest in and preserve. CPA funds are
collected to protect and preserve important farmland and structures that help
Westport define and retain its rural and bucolic character; if not the Handy
house than what? Seen
by many as being the most valuable historical property in town, the handy
house as it is more commonly called, provides not only a portal into two
centuries of architectural paradigms, but also a rich personal history of the
trials and tribulations endured by Westport's earliest residents. But
a few have expressed concern over removing the house from the town's tax
rolls, and past town meeting articles have been introduced have tried to
abolish CPA funding altogether. Ironically, the Westport Historical Society
may just be the best thing that could happen to this axiomatic treasure. The
Westport Board of Selectmen and the Community Preservation Committee have
endorsed funding for the project in the amount of up to $415,000, as has the
Finance Committee. Hopefully, town meeting attendees will approve this
funding by passing Article 18. Click here to read
the full content of Letters to the Editor. "Tight fiscal budgets and competing demands for scarce resources
could easily force us to take a short term view of projects like this. Though
completely understandable, it is my hope that if one agrees in the importance
of place-based education and lifetime learning, there is currently no better
way to invest our money than the purchase of the Cadman/White/Handy
house." - Al Lees III, Westport According
to Jenny O'Neill, Director of the Westport Historical Society, this exciting
project offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:
"But make no mistake: Without Community Preservation Act funding,
the Historical Society could not contemplate undertaking this project. Please
help us to succeed by voting in favor of CPC funding at the Town Meeting on
December 7th." - Jenny O'Neill, Director Westport Historical
Society Warren Messier, Chairman of the Community
Preservation Committee, explains that
CPA funding allows Westport to undertake projects of this type that
benefit the whole town. You get a lot of 'Bang for the Buck' because CPA
funding attracts other source of revenues not usually available to the town.
The CPA state match is only one source of
funds. There are many other possibilities when CPA provides the
"seed" money. For example, the town's share of $47,500 towards the
dredging of the Westport River attracted over $1 million from other
sources." - Warren Messier, Chairman of the Community
Preservation Committee 1898 photo of Cadman/White/Handy house residents. More excerpts from letters supporting the town's
effort to acquire the handy house: "Once in Eleanor Tripp's later years, I
made a house call there (accompanied by a medical student preceptee),
and Eleanor showed us the basement area where she felt strongly that fugitive
slaves were hidden on their way to freedom in Canada. (Incidentally, that
student was impressed by Eleanor's graciousness and hospitality. She is now
in practice with Kathleen Hood, M.D. at my old home at 793 Main Road.) I have known Eleanor Tripp as a fellow
Quaker since early 1961, and later as a patient. She was very dedicated to
the preservation of Handy House, and interested both in its history and that
of Westport. I am sure she would be delighted and strongly supportive of the
Friends of Handy House plans, as am I." - Stewart Kirkaldy, M.D.
of Middlebury, VT - Former Westport Selectman
Cadman/White/Handy house at the turn of the 20th century. "The Dottie Curtis house has been almost
completely destroyed by someone who cares not at all for Westport history. So
at Town Meeting, let’s all vote CPC money to save the Handy House. The money
is available, so let’s use it. Please vote yes to save one of the most
historical houses in Westport."
Click here to read
the full content of Letters to the Editor. There is a time for fiscal responsibility, and our
austere economy today certainly would justify a prudent course of action. But
let's temper that with historical sensibilities, as treasures like the Handy
house have a way of disappearing before our very eyes, as did the Almy house in Dartmouth that was unceremoniously
dismembered for its his doors and windows, and its irreplaceable history relegated
to the dustbins of time. ©
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