Finally! Some certainty

Once again it seems that there are those people in this town who fail to realize that the world does not revolve around the center.  In may be called the center, but it is not the center of the universe.

It was nearly beyond comprehension listening to all the reasons why tourism should not be in the Academy Building.    The same tired, self-serving, elitist arguments about why you can't have a tourism office anywhere but the center.

Mind you, you don't need ESP to realize the arguments had more to do with keeping the historic society as the sole occupant of a town owned building than where tourism is going to be located.

As far as the historical society, throw them out of the Academy Building, do it now.  Plain and simple.  If this private group gives a hoot about the Town as a whole, it has done a masterful job of hiding it.

The Center seems to be the place for it after all.  It would be the perfect place for locating another "historic" exhibit.  Appears between the tourism move to happen and the "free space" in a private building, should be plenty of room for it.  No wait, the society might actually have to pay rent for some of that space.  Why break a twenty year precedent, right?

Why in the name of anything you may consider important are the whims of the historical society to be considered for anything in the decision?  Why would it even be a factor?  The minute it dug its heels in and said no, steadfastly refused to compromise, and then went out of its way to find reasons to keep tourism out of the Academy Building, it should have been erased from the equation.

In addition to the tourism director, there were four people who spoke up in favor of moving tourism to the academy building.  Their points were clear and concise, and extremely valid.  The arguments against it, were well just that, against it.  

No need for the move.  None.  Since it seems the push to cram the office into Town Hall wasn't going to work, someone came up with free space in a privately owned building.  After all that will keep the tourism office in the center of town for all the tourist "walking" around.  You know, the ones that managed to find the center all on their own.

Forget about the fact that there has been no formal offer presented for this new found space.  Forget about the fact that the liability issues addressed last night in using such a space only scratched the surface.  Forget about the town's exposure, the building owners ought to be considering what exposure they have in such a move (which the town seems to conveniently ignore with its free tenants).

No need to worry about anything else.  After all, who cares if the Academy Building itself, the historic High School, Poverty Point, the Old Stone School House, Manjiro home, Riverside Cemetery, other sites and the vast bulk of tourist worthy sites, retail and entertainment businesses, and restaurants in this Town are located north and east of the center.  

The sense of entitlement was beyond belief.  Their message was loud and clear.  We are more important.  

Well you are not.  Neither are you entitled to what you are getting, what you have received, nor what you will get until the free ride ends.

Now if you watched the meeting last night for the selectmen, you might be wondering why I am still ranting.  After all, the motion was made and approved to move the tourism department to the Academy Building (there was some doubt for a few moments though).

If I didn't watch last night's meeting and wasn't left with the impression that the vote occurred not because it made sense, but rather because no one had been able to come up with an alternative they could legitimately hang their hat on, I might not be ranting right now.

Selectman Bowcock gets props this time around on this issue because from the get go during the latest round of discussions he has been clear, in my mind anyway, about what he felt was best to do and why.  

Selectman Espindola gets a "qualified" prop for several reasons.  Despite his attempts at making a motion to condition his approval and despite his initial efforts to preserve the exclusivity for the society, he in fact eventually seconded the motion for the move by tourism.

Agreement with the move would not have been the issue it is had initial disagreement not been clearly expressed in terms of protecting the building for the use of the society.

Every single reason as to why tourism should not be located in the Academy Building applied with at least equal weight, if not greater, to the society who supposedly runs a "town" museum.  Yet never any talk about why the society could stay in such an "inadequate" building, only why tourism shouldn't go into it.

Selectman Murphy gets no props.  I am sure those who overwhelming supported his earlier stance will be appreciative of all he had to say last night, along with his "aye" vote.  They can e-mail him their feelings at the selectmen's collective address.  If you disagree with the "no prop" after watching the meeting let me know.  I would be interested in hearing why.

Another 1/4 prop by the way to Selectman Espindola for having an e-mail address for residents to contact him directly in his official capacity.  

Back to the motion ...

I had recorded the meeting because I wasn't sure I would be able to catch the 6:45 hearing.  I was in fact able to watch it live.  I actually watched the recording twice, the motion part that is.  Still not sure if I get that whole exchange, not sure a third view will be any help either.

The motion was "qualified" in that there apparently will be a review relative to how things go, specifically as concerns co-existence with the Historical Society, increased "tourism", and some other bits.  If not part of the formal motion, it was noted this would be the conditions for the second.

Why??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

If this doesn't work out for the historical society, the answer isn't moving tourism again, it is throw the society out.  Now wouldn't be soon enough by the way.

This is like having a friend who needs a place to live moving in with you.  After that move, rent and utility free to boot, one of your kids falls on hard times and asks to move in with you too, but your friend says no because the friend feels there isn't enough room.  But it happens.  Six months down the road the friend is complaining about the living conditions, and telling you the kid needs to move out.

I don't know what you would do, but I can tell you what would happen at my house.

There are only two entities that should even be considered in this matter, the tourism department and Historical Commission.  NOT THE hISTORICAL sOCIETY.

Once again I heard last night about the improvements to the building by the society.  For once, I would love to see a list of those improvements, of its contributions. I really would. It keeps talking about them, yet I don't hear about specifics (excuse me, it has been mentioned that twenty years ago they cleaned the building out). 

Back to the motion ... again.

Selectman Bowcock made the motion for the move.  Selectman Espindola seconded it, eventually. In fact at one point there was an issue about whether there would even be a vote.  There was a full term pregnant pause.

But it happened.  The vote was unanimous, I think.  Someone's mic seemed to be off.

The one certainty in this matter is now that the Town has taken the first step to reclaim what is rightfully the Town's, the stranglehold on that building is over.  

Whatever glimmer of hope the rent free occupants may have from some of the qualified comments made, should be viewed as a reflection of the light generated by the explosion creating an irreparable breach in the fortress wall.

More earth shattering than anything was the fact a decision was actually made.  Maybe not as cut and dried as some may like. A bit convoluted and I think measured to try and appease.  But it was made.  In that "light" at least we got reasoning from two out of three of them. 

Now let us now see whether there is any actual intention to make the society enter into a lease.  Dimes for dollars at least two of them are going to have to be pushed into doing their job.  

One more parting shot so to speak.  That being the illusion of overwhelming support for the Historical Society.  Because you pack a room with your supporters doesn't equate to overwhelming anything except the crowd in the room.

I can tell you that if this one ever went to a vote town wide, the u-haul would be at the doors of the academy building moving the historical society out.  I can also tell you that the overwhelming commentary from the folks on the street is usually complete bafflement over the whole issue, and not with any wonder about the poor society, but wondering why they get a free ride.