I was very pleased to read Marty Green’s article about the School Committee and its interest in the old library. (See Harvard Press, Jan. 23, 2015, Vol. 9, No. 9.)
I was prompted to write this letter and send copies to the selectmen by Superintendent Dwight’s statement that “the School Committee was trying to be responsible about the number of old buildings that the town has to support and maintain.”
Having lived in this terrific community for almost 35 years, I can safely say that I’ve seen the number of buildings under the town’s purview and expense increase—the new library and new public safety building as well as new school buildings and additions to existing ones. The potential to see a reduction in that number via a sale of the Bromfield House into private ownership seems to be a very solid plan. Instead of spending $800,000 to address access issues, perhaps the money resulting from its sale would be better used per the trust’s rules.
We’ve also recently learned via this newspaper that the town is not well suited to manage a rental space such as the old library. Many of us have read about the unpaid rent and utilities as well as the lapsed liability insurance policy. I advocate that we put that building to good use for the school department as it has requested after that building has been used as a temporary location for Town Hall during renovations.
School Committee Chairwoman SusanMary Redinger’s closing statement in the article summed up the plan very well: “As stewards of some of Harvard’s most expensive and vital municipal buildings, we also recognize the need to use the buildings wisely. Investing and renovating [the old library] for Town Hall use would be money well spent if it could then be repurposed for the school administrative offices.”
I hope that the selectmen have heard both Superintendent Dwight and school chairwoman Redinger’s ideas; I think that they are superb and a good use of our town’s assets.
Steve Nigzus
Madigan Lane
