Speak Out
Ashburnham resident says piano center should be used as town hall annex to help save money
James Whidden Ashburnham

As a member of the committee set up to renovate our beautiful Fairbanks Memorial Town Hall, I knew one responsibility would be to relocate town offices during construction. Another was to create more usable space to conduct the business of Ashburnham. I would like the public to know what your options are. I believe — for political reasons — we are heading down a path that is not in the best interests of our town, either short or long term.

After careful consideration of the requirements for Town Hall our committee is faced with the fact our town offices need additional space. An expensive and, in my opinion, architecturally harmful addition to the building is proposed to accomplish this. We are also about to spend an additional $75,000 of our — yours and mine — money to rent temporary office space.

I offer for your consideration the following proposal, (with additional information below): We use the Stevens Municipal Building — the lovely town owned brick building at the corner of Main and Water streets — as temporary Town Hall, requiring minor work now, and as a permanent Town Hall Annex as it contains four rooms, allowing for future expansion without alteration. Using the Stevens Municipal Building for town purposes would: 1) result in a net savings to the town; 2) preclude the need for an addition to Town Hall; 3) preserve the trust of a generous benefactor — George F. Stevens — who gave the building to us first as a library and then for any other municipal purpose; and 4) insure in perpetuity the wellbeing of this significant gift and architectural treasure. It is also of course, adjacent to Town Hall; and carries the visual heft and quality necessary for a fine Town Hall Annex.

The town of Ashburnham is fortunate in that all of our historically significant buildings were not only built with a quality of materials and design rarely seen today, but more importantly were given as gifts to the town for “the inhabitants thereof.” The three that remain are the Stevens Municipal Building, the (now) Stevens Public Library and our Town Hall. As a member of the Ashburnham Historical Commission, I believe we have a duty to use and preserve these buildings, and we have a unique opportunity to do just that — as well as provide for the long term administrative needs of the town, while simultaneously saving a significant amount of money.

I would be remiss in not acknowledging the past work done to the Stevens Municipal Building by the grants and donations received through the Fredericks’ Historic Piano Concerts, Inc. I sincerely appreciate the time and effort they (and others) have put towards the building. We are blessed by the many volunteers who unselfishly work to improve our town and make it hum. I also recognize the town voted in 1996 to allow a 13 year lease; in fact the town spent $6,000 in legal fees to allow the Fredericks to lease the building, because it stood empty and neglected, owing to the library relocating eleven years earlier. The selectmen also recognized there might come a day the town needed the building back for town use and so made provisions in the lease, (which the Fredericks consented to) for exactly that reason; and that day is now. Ashburnham made a commitment to Mr. Stevens when it was voted at Town Meeting to “forever hold and use” his gift to the town of Ashburnham. We have a chance, a unique opportunity, to preserve that trust.

I also believe the present situation is untenable as the Fredericks must recognize. It should be pointed out that a venture such as theirs must be based on a sound business plan. To say their original proposal to the town has changed would be an understatement; they were to be open most days, they are open nine hours a week. Statements of drawing a salary, and the lease agreement to pay the town $767/ month in 2000 quickly bumped up against reality, yet the town has always lowered the terms of the lease in the Fredericks favor. I believe Historic Piano Concerts inability to build an endowment is due to there being essentially no assets to protect; the historic pianos are privately owned by the Fredericks personally and not by the non-profit Historic Piano Concerts, Inc and so can be sold at any time. Lastly, the 13 year lease term was at the Fredericks request, and written to coincide with their retirement in 2010. Their supporters have always told me the piano collection was to fund that retirement, which is why they always stated the town could have the building back in 2010. I would offer this to the Fredericks — if a true museum is desired for your personal collection, it can be accomplished; transfer the pianos to the non-profit and watch the endowment grow.

I believe the only way for repairs to the Stevens Municipal (Building) to be finished and the building saved is for the town to take and keep it; leasing municipal property is a tricky endeavor indeed, resulting in much angst. As an annex her shortcomings fade away and her future is secure. This proposal is not without some challenges; I recognize that. However, this chance may not come again — nor should the financial savings to the taxpayer, the atlas that holds up the world we call Ashburnham, be overlooked.

I am writing this as a voting, taxpaying citizen and as one member — not on behalf of — the Town Hall Renovation Committee