Historic house debate to mark Town Meeting -- Bush impeachment, national policy measures are pending

By Mary Carey
Staff Writer

Published on November 03, 2006

Town Meeting postponed until Wednesday discussion of what is likely to be the most emotionally charged topic on its fall agenda - saving the historic house at 575 North East St. - before deciding about half of 18 articles, most of which were housekeeping in nature.

Members approved transferring $166,087 from free cash to temporarily cover a $166,087 shortfall in the town's insurance health claims trust fund and approved funding to close a $10,742 shortfall in the Cherry Hill Golf Course budget.

Larry Kelley, of Precinct 5, a longtime foe of the town running the golf course, had prepared a four-minute videotaped compilation of past instances in which officials said Cherry Hill would meet financial expectations. He was forced to cut it short, though, when Select Board Chairwoman Anne Awad objected to the inclusion of the Eagles' "Lyin' Eyes" on the soundtrack following a scene of her speaking optimistically about course revenues last year.

Town Meeting also voted to authorize the Select Board and Board of Health to enter into an intermunicipal agreement to provide neighboring towns with public health, public works and government administration services in an emergency. Members also endorsed the continuation of outreach bus service to Echo Hill and East Amherst.

This past Wednesday, Town Meeting took up four questions about national policy on Iran, Iraq and Darfur and on impeaching President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. (See amherstbulletin.com for up-to-date meeting results.)

The fate of the stately pre-1815 farmhouse on North East Street will return to the spotlight Wednesday.

Among the reasons for postponing consideration of the house were that town officials are continuing to negotiate an agreement and because voters on Tuesday will decide whether to raise the Community Preservation Act property tax surcharge by 0.5 percent. If the increase is approved, it would mean more money for preservation efforts.

Last January, Town Meeting endorsed a complicated strategy that involved spending $50,000 in CPA funds to save the Benjamin Kimball house, which is much beloved by residents as a reminder of days gone by.

Since then, the state's Department of Agricultural Resources has thrown town officials "a little bit of a curve ball," as David Ziomek, the town's conversation director, has put it. Another $128,000 over five years will be required to remove 1.7 acres of land from the state's Agricultural Preservation Restriction program above what town officials had expected would be needed.

The house's owner, Dorothy Gawle, entered into an agreement to sell the property to Roger Cherewatti, of Foxglove Lane. He planned to replace it with a new house. But following a groundswell to save it last year, demolition was delayed.

If all goes according to the plan to save the house, the APR restriction would be lifted and replaced with 5 acres nearby, allowing Cherewatti to build a new house behind and to the right of the farmhouse. Cherewatti, in turn, would agree to maintain the exterior of the house and surrounding landscaping the way it looks now.

A special act by the Legislature would be required to remove the APR restriction, which the town would seek when the new legislative session starts in January, assuming it has the money to pay the DAR what it calls "compensation."

Proponents of saving the house maintain it serves both the interests of conserving farmland and historical preservation, since it is a farmhouse in a rural setting.