[MassHistPres] Historical Markers For Houses

[James J. O'Rourke Jr.]

Somerset requires the applicant to pay for the marker. The fee is $70 and is paid directly to the maker of the marker.  Like the Town of Littleton’s Historical Commission, we do not have the money in our budget to pay for it.  Frankly, the building’s owner is benefiting from the marker, more so than the town, and he or she should pay for it.

I don’t understand why the town administrator is claiming the procedure is “a conflict of interest.”  You don’t give enough information. The issue is a legal one, not an ethical one. Town officials should not be in the business of making moral judgments. The question is whether the procedure violates the conflict of interest laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Perhaps an opinion by town counsel is in order.

Jim O’Rourke, Chairman, Somerset Historical Commission

From: MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> On Behalf Of RafaelRobertDelfin
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 9:15 PM
To: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Historical Markers For Houses

Hello everyone,

I launched a Historical Marker Program in my town, Dighton last year and I and other members of the Dighton Historical Commission have just approved the application of a resident whose house is over 100 years old and has a lot of historical significance.

Initially, the Commission had voted to pay for the manufacture of the historical marker by using funds that the Town of Dighton had granted to the Commission. The average cost of a historical marker is $125. However, when the Town Administrator learned about this, she suggested that paying for the marker would be a conflict of interest (ergo, "unethical" and possibly "illegal'), and that the recipient should pay for the marker himself/herself. I have always thought that the Commission is acting on its own jurisdiction and that we have the right to use the funds as we see fit as long as it assists in the preservation of local history.

I am addressing my questions to members of town historical commissions who grant historical markers to residents: "Do the recipients have to pay for the marker, or does your commission pay for it?" And would you agree/disagree with the Dighton Town Administrator's statement? I guess I am looking for a legitimate recourse to bring to the table when the Town Administrator attends our next meeting on April 10.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
--
Rafa Delfin, Vice-Chair
Dighton Historical Commission
774-766-2928
rafadello at gmail.com<mailto:rafadello at gmail.com>
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