I attended the recent Board of Selectmen meeting where it was standing room only in support of the newly formed nonprofit Harvard Cultural Collaborative’s offer to turn the old library into a cultural center for Harvard. This group, having learned many lessons from the town’s two previous tenants, provided a well-thought-out plan and a realistic three-year budget that had been vetted by a corporate businessman. This plan would be in concert with the stated desires of Harvard’s citizens for over a decade and remove some of the weight from the town’s operating expenses (in 2012 Selectman Bill Johnson calculated that the town paid about $8,300 in utilities annually just to keep the building standing). The Harvard Cultural Collaborative (HCC) asked for the selectmen’s support in moving forward. Alas, the selectmen fixated on wheelchair accessibility (even though that’s the responsibility of the town as landlord); the rent that HCC would charge for various artists to use the property (none of their business as long as HCC pays its obligations in a timely manner); and the possibility that the School Committee will want the building (in which case Harvard would still be responsible for paying all maintenance and utilities plus fixing myriad problems due to deferred maintenance).
The selectmen’s obstructionist response was disheartening. A friend said, “Don’t you prefer to conduct town business in the old library? So much easier to get in and out.” Eureka! What if the old library remains the town business building, and HCC leases the Town Hall? The School Committee has already rejected moving up there. It will be wheelchair accessible. The first floor could be configured to provide the many musical and visual arts activities that HCC Chairwoman Judy Eissenberg visualizes. The second floor, in addition to being used for yoga and dance classes, could be rented for real money to community dances, lectures, flower shows, community dinners, etc. Boom: all three of the selectmen’s stated concerns addressed. Other benefits: more off-street parking, driveway does not impinge on a neighbor’s private property, and a comfortable meeting space for contentious public meetings. No more standing room only: a win-win for everyone.
Mary Helan Turner
Littleton County Road
