Where Should Special Sign Hang?
Barrington finally receives the sign that will let passers-by know it is a Preserve America community; where should it be placed?
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Barrington was named a Preserve America Community in July, 2011, by First Lady Michelle Obama.
A sign that lets everyone know of the town's designation has finally arrived. It will soon be erected somewhere in Barrington.
If you want to suggest a location for the 3x4-foot sign, in fact, use the comment box at the end of this story. Patch will forward your suggestion to Kent Phillips, president of the Barrington Preservation Society.
Or contact Phillips yourself at kentphillips@cox.net. The society applied for the designation on behalf of the town.
"We finally got the sign last week," said Phillips. "Funding for it got hung up in Washington."
Barrington received the designation because the preservation society is preserving special places in town -- the primary criteria for the award.
“President Obama and I want to congratulate all of the Preserve America communities and thank them for their commitment to protecting and strengthening America’s culture and natural heritage,” Mrs. Obama said last year when the designation was announced.
Benefits besides the sign include use of the Preserve America logo on educational and promotional materials; listing in a Web-based directory that showcases Barrington’s preservation efforts and heritage tourism destinations; and other suppor, according to a press release sent to Phillips.
Many Preserve America Communities also are featured in “Discover Our Shared Heritage” National Register Travel Itineraries, as well as in the “Teaching With Historic Places” curricular materials created by the National Park Service, according to Phillips.
The Preserve America program became an authorized part of the national historic preservation program when President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 on March 30, 2009. More than 850 Preserve America Communities have been designated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories, including historic neighborhoods within large cities and tribal communities.
The Preserve America program is a federal effort to encourage and support community efforts to preserve and enjoy America’s priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past; strengthened regional identities and local pride; increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets; and support for the economic vitality of our communities.
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation administers the Preserve America program with the Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the White House and 10 other federal agencies. For more information visit www.achp.gov and www.preserveamerica.gov.
Now, where should Barrington put its Preserve America sign?
Lorraine F
6:20 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Perhaps it can be placed at Nockum Hill.
The soon to be constructed affordable housing community will be pleased to hear how hard the town council has worked to preserve some of the richest farm land in New England along with an endangered species natural habitat.
Lorraine F
6:39 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
You can see a "before" picture of our beautiful farming community the town council thinks would be better for affordable development at (click on satellite view):
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1920&bih=923&q=maps+138+george+street&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x89e450977e86d37b:0xb1647aa4889d76e,138+George+St,+Barrington,+MA+02806&gl=us&sa=X&ei=IVgaUPigMoS82wWBiYCgBQ&ved=0CAYQ8gEwAA
Beverly Romano
6:47 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Should have several signs. One at all entrances to the Town of Barrington....
One for sure on the Wampanoag Trail as you enter near the traffic light/White Church and another coming from Warren and entering town.
Manifold Witness
6:54 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
How ‘bout Belton Court (the Peck Mansion)?
Oh. Wait. The town doesn’t own that.
Gary Morse
7:24 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Love that new red roof!
Lorraine F
6:58 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Perhaps everyone should email the Barrington Preservation Society asking that the sign be returned in protest over the town council's utter disregard for preservation of this area.
The Town Council had a motion on the table Monday night to delay the development decision allowing for additional debate.
But Speakman and Weymouth wanted to push development into high gear and voted against any additional discussion.
The sign should be returned in protest.
kentphillips@cox.net.
Gary Morse
7:35 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
The motion to delay the Nockum Hill development decision allowing for additional time to debate was made by council member DeWitt.
Missing from this debate on Monday night was the Barrington Conservation Commission and Preservation Society.
I guess Nockum Hill is not a "special place" in some peoples mind worth preserving.
Pam
7:46 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
It seems that it's always Speakman and Weymouth who want to push through development. At least one of them is up for reelection this year. Just saying...
Gary Morse
8:08 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Pam,
The irony is that it would actually cost the town less money to take the land in an eminent domain taking to preserve it as potential farmland or open space, than it will be to turn it into high density affordable housing.
I had asked about this at the Zoning Workshop last month (attended by the town council), and was told that financial review would be done by the Planning Board. It wasn't.
Even taking into account the premium that needs to be paid, in the long term, it would be cheaper for residents.
So residents will ultimately pay more in taxes to plow under for development what could be future productive farmland, or open space.
I am concerned that neither the Conservation Commission or the Preservation Society bothered to do the math, or attend the debate.
I agree, we should return the sign in protest. They don't deserve the bragging rights.
Barbara Donovan
12:02 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
All other comments aside, the questions is: where should the sign be placed -
I think it should be on the Town Hall property. That building has great historic value and is a landmark of the town.
We can all talk about housing developments in another column.
Lorraine F
1:46 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Barabara,
You apparently don't have to suffer the immediate impact from this "lack of preservation" initiative.
It is appropriate to talk about it in this column if the issue has to do with an award for preservation.
Manifold Witness
5:15 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
A “Preserve America” sign doesn’t belong on the BarringtonTown Hall.
June Speakman’s Council:
Has facilitated build-out planned to continue at what sure seems like a frenzied pace.
Rather than taking the problems up with the legislature, continues to facilitate “affordable” housing that is not necessary.
Has not properly maintained roads and sidewalks and has allowed Nat’l Grid to install miles of 7 ft strips whereas other municipalities work proactively with Nat’l Grid so that “curb-to-curb” paving results.
Has allowed the schools to be in non-compliance with safety fire and building codes.
Supports having a full-time Planner planning build-out full-time.
Exhibited little concern for dealing with the BCWA issues and appointed the same crony directors year after year.
Ignored its duty to implement legally required tax standards. As a result there was the big BET lawsuit.
Botched the Zion property deal, including paying a large sum for a due diligence report that facilitated a third party bargain purchase.
This government does not deserve a “Preserve America” sign.
The true preservationists? The individuals who own old homes and consistently endeavor to maintain them - at great personal expense. And the builders who consistently do nice renovation jobs all around town.
Gary Morse
7:32 am on Sunday, August 5, 2012
In the preservation debate, the town council need only read the current laws properly.
What the town council and the Planning Board and the Housing Board have done is subvert the existing laws to support a developer freindly housing agenda pushing aside the interests of preservation. This is about siding with developers over the interests of town residents and preservation.
Manifold Witness
9:03 am on Sunday, August 5, 2012
Well, siding with certain developers, Gary. But only in certain situations.
With the "Town Council Liaison" taking a very active role in zoning and planning issues. To say the least. Much more than just a conduit for information from Zoning & Planning to the the council.
All without objective legal advice.
Kate & June pushing their agenda behind the scenes.
Obviously.