[MassHistPres] Finance committee and historic preservation expenditures. Problems

[sally milne]

Hello everyone,
      Just hoping to gain the knowledge of more experienced than I am.

Harwich has a sad history regarding Historic preservation, in my opinion. Currently our HDHC is attempting to get a longer demo delay bylaw. However , our grass roots group  has  failed in recent  attempts to establish a National Register district (Accepted but final money to submit is elusive.) , two different proposals to save an 1871 schoolhouse and we had to mount an all volunteer group to paint  a town owned National Register building as the town would not cover the maintenance.
   The most recent RFP for the schoolhouse submitted through a non-profit to restore and reuse the building for civic purposes  was deemed not advantageous 
  We quickly put in 2 citizen petitions that would have required the town to sell, lease or gift the school building with a historic restriction in place. The town within a week had put out another RFP without any Historic restriction, without waiting to hear the results from town meeting vote. Generally speaking the town voters always support historic restorations /preservation projects at town meeting.
   Our non-profit approaches  for the schoolhouse have been reasonable in the financial details and asked for no town money. The first proposal in 2017 was a joint effort with the town, no town  budget money except matching grant with CPA funds of $250.000. (finance committee would not endorse)  Still  4 years later we are caught in a backlash. Two buildings in town one historic, one from the 1930s are seeking millions for restoration. Each building will not be financially self sustaining.I understand this problem.  But the finance committee still seems opposed to Preservation projects  that ask for no town money. Their long standing argument is that money is better used  in  town for those buildings that receive the most use. Basically in the historic category that’s the town’s Historic  library building.
The Board of Selectmen could  gift historic buildings but apparently would instead  want full assessed value or complain about funding historic building restoration and then find ways to turn those down. 
  I can’t see a way forward.   So any examples or ideas would be helpful.  I assume  we must continue to elaborate the financial benefits, economic generator and town defining characteristics that make Historic  Preservation so important.  The stories of the buildings and their inhabitants are not an appeal to the finance committee or even some on the B.O.S.

Best always
Sally Urbano
Harwich
Captains’ Row group