Selectmen Close to Signing Town House Lease

After a lively discussion, selectmen on Tuesday supported signing a 30-year lease with Apple Tree Arts for the Grafton Town House. But they wanted to work out some of the wording before giving final approval.

Under the terms of the lease, the town would charge Apple Tree Arts, a non-profit arts organization, $1 per year in exchange for the organization continuing renovation work on the site.

Apple Tree Arts has started the process of restoring the building, a mainstay on the Common since it was built during the Civil War in 1863. They are working to restore the second floor Great Hall, which was originally used for community gatherings before being subdivided into office cubicles.

They hope the building will be used for community gatherings and events and as a home base for their organization, which offers music and theater lessons and programs.

"We have stepped up to the plate,'' said Paul Scarlett, president of the Board of Directors for Apple Tree Arts. "We ask the town'' to do the same.

The cost of refurbishing the building is about $2.8 million. About $800,000 has already been raised, primarily through community preservation funds and grants.

The building had fallen into disrepair in recent years. Work was needed to shore up the roof and fire escapes and to make the building accessible to the disabled.

Selectman Mary Ann Cotton said Apple Tree Arts' approach "symbolizes a level of creativity that solves a very big problem. History will look at this favorably.''

Selectman Christopher LeMay said he had run the numbers numerous times and that this is the best solution. "It's going to stabilize the building,'' he said. "It's going to bring people to the common.''

He also urged the town to bring in a project manager to oversee the work.

Selectman Peter Adams argued that  town meeting should vote on the plan. He said this was a "sneak deal,'' because town meeting was originally slated to vote on the issue, until changes in state law no longer make that neccessary.

"People should be able to vote on this'' beyond five selectmen, he said.

Others countered that voters had shown their support at several town meetings where they voted strongly supported the use of community preservation funds to repair the building. 

Selectman David Ross said these votes did not necessarily mean that residents wanted Apple Tree Arts to take over the project. He said they voted to "protect and preserve this jewel.''

Scarlett said that funding from at least one grant source was dependent on the lease being signed soon.

Selectmen said they would sign the final lease at their next meeting on April 5. But they said they would be willing to meet before then and sign it if that will help secure the funding.