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The selectmen voted Monday night to recommend favorable action on projects to be funded with Community Preservation Act money if they are approved by voters at the April 22 annual town meeting.

Meanwhile, Conservation Commission Vice Chairman Steven Ventresca indicated his board will withdraw a proposed local wetlands control bylaw after the town manager and selectmen said town counsel had 40 questions about the bylaw that were not addressed by the ConCom.

The selectmen voted to support Article 19, which reads, “To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $3,500 from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to fund the Planning Phase of the Middleborough Historical Museum’s project for preservation of historic town records and artifacts contained in two buildings by conducting an assessment of the exiting conditions of the buildings, determining their condition and suitability for renovations and to prepare a scope of work and construction cost estimate”¦”

Community Preservation Committee Chairman Jane Lopes presented on the article.

“The Historical Association initially came to us with a request for about $43,000 on a “¦ $59,000 project,” Ms. Lopes said. “At that time they wanted to install some HVAC systems in the two main museum buildings and also deal with the windows in those buildings.”

Ms. Lopes explained that because the Middleborough Historical Association has limited funds, the CPC came to the conclusion that funding a study that would assist the organization in assessing the two buildings first.

“They have things there—textiles, paintings and so forth—that require a certain type of climate control so they are now planning to hire a consultant who will advise them on exactly what they need to do “¦ to protect those items,” Ms. Lopes said.

Article 20, which the selectmen also voted unanimously to recommend, reads, “To see if the Town will vote to appropriate ($4,000) from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to Refurbish and Preserve an 1890 Woodberry and Harris Historic Pipe Organ located in the Unitarian Universalist Church and to record a preservation restriction on said organ”¦”

“It has nothing to do with the fact that this is a church. It has to do with the fact that this is a historic pipe organ that happens to be in a church,” Ms. Lopes said, addressing the “separation of church and state” issue that the project brought into question by some. “It’s believed to be one of about eight pipe organs of its kind that has not been converted to electric.”

Article 21 reads, “To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $20,000 from the Community Housing Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to fund a portion of the Middleborough Housing Authority’s Nemasket Apartments Window Project for the purpose of improving housing conditions for ten elderly housing units in two buildings”¦”

“The $20,000 for this project will be to replace the windows on Sproat Street only,” said CPC member and Housing Authority Director Jo Ruthwicz. “This is part of a bigger project that the town is working on with Jane (Kudcey) from the Community Development office and doing street and sidewalk repairs. We’re also going to be doing underground gas lines. I think the total project is about $200,000″¦”

The board voted to support the article.

Article 22 reads, “To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $40,000 from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to fund a portion of the Shoe Shop Affordable Housing Project located at 151 Pierce Street for the purpose of constructing 24 affordable housing units”¦”

“This one is an unusual application in that we will be funding a tiny portion of this $8 million project but our participation is going to help the applicants obtain $1 million in grant money from the state,” said Ms. Lopes.

The CPC chairman also explained that not only will the project provide the town with another restored historic building that will be listed on the national register which will add to the town’s reputation for historic significant community, but it will also contribute to the affordable housing quota. Though similar attempts at developing the site have failed in the past, the town’s contribution of $40,000 would fulfill the community investment portion of a current grant opportunity.

“Not only is it a significant building historically but as you can imagine the neighbors I’m sure aren’t happy with the fact it’s becoming a giant eyesore,” Ms. Lopes said.

The board voted to support the article.

The fifth community preservation article contains the breakdown of the Community Preservation Fund for the coming fiscal year, setting aside $13,000 for administrative costs and assigning $26,000 to each of the areas required by the Community Preservation Act: historic preservation, acquisition and preservation of open space, and creation or support of affordable housing. The balance of the estimated fund for the fiscal year that begins July 1, $151,000, can be used for any or all of the categories or for new or existing recreational facilities.

CPC Vice Chairman Mo Franco explained the reasoning behind proposed structuring of appropriation.

“We’re figuring the assessments, based on the 1 percent surcharge after the first $100,000 assessment on real estate tax, are going to be just over $200,000 in fiscal year 14,” said Ms. Franco. “This past year we received $56,000 in a state match from the state of Massachusetts in our collections so we totaled $256,000 “¦ which is a great return on our initial investment so based on that, based on what the state CPC committee projects we will receive in 2014, we estimated a little bit conservatively. ”

The last article to be presented Monday night, article 23, posed the question of the town adopting a Wetland Bylaw based on a template provided by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions that would expand upon the existing Wetlands Protection Act put forth by the state. However, due to issues raised by town counsel on various points in draft and the fact that the 40 comments were not addressed by the Conservation Commission before moving forward, the selectmen determined the article should not be supported in its current form.

“Town counsel really is our legal advisor when it comes to bylaws and no one’s saying that town council is always right “¦ but you at least need to argue your points with them,” said Town Manager Charles Cristello. “You have a non-criminal disposition provision in this bylaw that you just can’t have. It’s possible and that’s why the MACC puts it in the template because it’s a recognizable method of enforcing a bylaw like this, but there’s no authorization that you can have this.”

The Conservation Commission vice chairman, Mr. Ventresca, said he was withdrawing the article with plans to resubmit for fall town meeting, having worked with town counsel to resolve conflicts by that time. Selectman Allin Frawley recognized a need for the bylaw despite missteps by the commission in its pursuit and volunteered to serve as a liaison between boards throughout the process of redrafting.

Based on that report modifications may be made to our application so that the CPC can review it and make recommendations and hopefully advance the project to fall town meeting.

Following dinner, there will be a business meeting which will include election for three new directors. The nominating committee members are Caroline LaCroix. Cherri Reimels, and Peter Abrems.

At 8 p.m. Michael Maddigan who recently authored the book on Star Mill will be the guest speaker. He will include visuals in his presentation and books will be available for purchase.

The event is open to the public. There is a $5 donation for nonmembers who only wish to attend the Star Mill program.

Dinner reservations need to be made by November 7 by mailing to the MHA, P O box 304, Middleboro, MA 02346. Any questions, please call Cynthia at 508-947-3394

To the Editor:

Our seven-member Lakeville book discussion group read “The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, a Novel” this past year and as a follow-up visited The Middleborough Historical Museum on Jackson Street yesterday. This museum houses the world’s largest collection of Tom Thumb memorabilia.

The purpose of this letter is to lavish praise on our tour guide, Gladys Beals. Because she was good friends with the mother of one of our members, we calculated her age to be around 90 years young. What an incredible oral history she gave us, all the while pointing out maps or pictures or chairs or interesting artifacts, and never faltering, never losing her place. She was articulate and interesting, dressed impeccably and seemed to thoroughly enjoy her subject … and the sharing of her knowledge with us. She made our tour of the museum a memorable one.

Thank you, Gladys.

Carol Kalchthaler

Middleboro

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120830/PUB04/208300385

This Saturday, the Middleborough Historical Museum reopens its iconic Peter H. Peirce Company exhibit, with an open house from 10 to 3, including a ribbon-cutting at 10 and tours at 11. The exhibit documents the history of the Peirce Company store that occupied what is now the Middleborough police station on North Main Street from the early 1800s through 1935. Closed for the past few years in order to permit repairs to the building which houses it, as well as a re-cataloging and re-interpretation of the exhibit artifacts, the Peter H. Peirce Company exhibit has long been a popular attraction at the museum, and the public is invited to come celebrate its re-opening.

The Peirce family, their store, and the fund which they left behind, all hold an important place in Middleborough history. In 1934, a year before the store officially closed, the Middleboro Gazette published an overview of the store’s history, which follows.

“Our feature this week relates the story of a store – the P. H. Peirce Company – from whose extensive trade of years ago, a trust fund was able to be established for the use of the Town of Middleboro, and which has been of great value and assistance since its origination.

“The old firm name of P. H. Peirce and Company stood for Peter Hoar Peirce and his sons. Job, Thomas and James were the sons interested in the general store, which was however a department store as we speak of them today.

“Peter Hoar Peirce, who was born March 25, 1788, and who was named after Peter Hoar, with whom he lived after the death of his parents, began as a storekeeper in the two story house now standing at the Upper Four Corners, on the southeast corner of the intersection of “¦ Main and Vaughan streets in Lakeville.

“He had few advantages, but developed an unusual business ability in his early youth, and by his energy and persistent endeavor, he became the leading business man of the town. Forseeing business life at the Four Corners, he moved from Lakeville into Middleboro and set up headquarters in the store on North Main Street.

“The old store, which was started in 1808, satisfied the needs of the townspeople and residents of the neighboring towns withi a radius of twenty miles. They drove here to purchase the necessities of life.

“In the back room, there were bolts of cloth for dresses, shirts and aprons and an assortment of ribbons, buttons, thread and all sewing materials. This room also contained earthenware, farming implements and carpets, wallpapers and oilcloth.

“In the cellar was a room set apart for the sale of ‘West Indies goods’, which included rum, gin, brandy and all spirituous liquors.

“The order wagons were driven about town to solicit orders and deliver goods. This type of store was conducted for about 75 years. As other stores opened in the district the sale of merchandise other than groceries was gradually dropped.

“‘Mr. Thomas’ and ‘Mr. James’ were the only surviving Peirces at the time Elton L. Pratt came to work as clerk in the store. This was in 1885, and Herbert A. Pratt started with the firm in 1893.

“Mr. James Peirce died in 1901, and his brother Thomas also passed away that same year. ‘Mr. Thomas’ was the last of the Peirce brothers and consequently inherited much of their wealth. At his death he gave over a half a million dollars to the Town of Middleboro and a hundred thousand to the Public Library.

“After his death, however, the business was purchased by the Pratt brothers who conducted a grocery store until 1929, when Elton L. Pratt bought out his brother’s share.

“Mr. Pratt, who is the present owner, has seen many changes take place both inside and out. Electricity has replaced the old fashioned oil lamps which were used. The cash registers and adding machines and modern forms of bookkeeping are a great improvement over the old money drawer and ledgers so crudely kept. The end of the store used as sheds was remodeled for storage purposes. As the horse and carriage was replaced by the automobile, the sheds used by the customers, who drove into town, were no longer necessary.

“On the second floor of the building was a hall large enough to seat two hundred people. Years ago, town meetings and entertainments were conducted there at at one time, the Catholic church services were held in this hall.

“From all the facts at hand, it is interesting to learn that such an establishment existed in those early days, and that there are very few changes if any in the building, where the store of Peter Hoar Peirce was the center of trade in this portion of the state.”

The following year, in 1935, the Peter H. Peirce Company store closed forever, concluding a history of over 125 years.

For more local history, visit www.nemasket.blogspot.com