Category Archives: Brewster Hall/Town Office

This was published in the Grunter today. In last week’s paper there was a report on a future uses of Town Hall forum conducted by the Friends on November 13. The forum was attended by a quorum of our Selectmen … Continue reading →

At the last BOS meeting, during the “tell me something I don’t already know” segment,  there was a report on the non-profit organizational needs meeting held at the Town Hall Meeting Room on November 13.  The meeting was organized by … Continue reading →

Yesterday’s post exposes the plan that was used to justify the $4 million commitment to Brewster Hall restoration that was jammed into the CIP.  Anybody who watched the Oct 17 Selectmen’s meeting saw that Dave Senecal wasn’t impressed with the … Continue reading →

Last week I received my latest batch of documents obtained under the Right to Know law.  Now I have the details of the latest $4 million plan to restore Brewster Hall. Here they are: That’s it folks.  That’s what the … Continue reading →

From the minutes of the Oct 17, 2012 Board of Selectmen’s meeting: It was moved by Chuck Storm for the Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen to support the proposal for renovations to Brewster Memorial Hall as presented at this meeting. Dave … Continue reading →

You may recall last March there were some questions on the ballot that asked your opinion on some Town Hall issues. The stated intent was to inform a discussion going forward to try to resolve the Town Office/Brewster Hall stalemate. … Continue reading →

Though I’ve never seen it in print, I’ve heard Joyce Davis say it a few times: The mission of the Friends of Town Hall is to restore Brewster Memorial Hall for use as Town Offices. Last March, the voters were … Continue reading →

The big news, buried in the minutes of the last CIP meeting, is that the Selectmen are planning to make another run at a $4 million restoration project. Last March, there was a non-binding referendum question on the ballot.  It … Continue reading →

You might think that the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is laser focused on saving the iconic Brewster Memorial Hall.  After all, they have it on their seven-to-save list, right?  Not exactly.  You see, every year they add seven more to … Continue reading →

The $200,000 Brewster Hall repair warrant article was passed in March 2012.  Four months later, as of July 11, no work had been put out to public bidding.  I had been made aware of the situation by a concerned town … Continue reading →

I sent this to the Grunter this week. I had to laugh at the Grunter coverage of the latest controversy framed as another Brewster Hall issue. . They had me wondering if I was at the same meeting. The article … Continue reading →

Today I received the proceeds of my latest Right to Know request  from the town.  Among other things I had requested communications concerning Brewster Hall repair activities.  I found three emails from the Town Planner initiating the process for developing … Continue reading →

I’m not going to try to go chapter and verse about the “reporting” in this week’s Grunter.  It’s just so over the top.  I’ll just encourage you to take five minutes and watch it for yourself:  Click here. Then ask … Continue reading →

OK, tonight we’re going to play a new game:  Know your Brewster Hall Facts. Let’s start out with an easy one:  When was the place built? If you guessed anything between 1890 and say 1905 you get credit for a … Continue reading →

This week I took a peek at the Selectmen’s agenda to see if they might possibly be following up on the controversy raised at the last meeting concerning the lack of public bidding on Brewster Hall projects.  Nothing,  So I … Continue reading →

I’m a great believer in what is often called the 80/20 rule.  Simply put it says that you can usually get 80% of the benefit for 20% of the cost or effort.  The corollary of course is that you typically … Continue reading →

You will recall that I recently received a call from a local asbestos abatement contractor who told me that, contrary to what Mr. Owen has been telling everyone, the job was NEVER put out to bid.  Mr. Owen has maintained … Continue reading →

Today I got a call from a Wolfeboro citizen that does Asbestos Abatement.  He told me that after the March referendum, he went to the Town Manager and expressed interest in removing the asbestos from Brewter Hall.  He was surprised … Continue reading →

At the last Selectman’s meeting, I made an issue of the fact that only one vendor has been asked to provide more than $75,000 worth of windows for BMH.  The Town Manager defended his action by saying it would require … Continue reading →

Just got back from the BOS meeting.  I went there to listen to the update on Brewster Hall improvements.  Rob Houseman went over the activity to date, but it was a closed discussion and the spreadsheet was not made available … Continue reading →

I’ve submitted two Right to Know requests for all information related to Town Hall repairs.  There was little forthcoming.  They are playing this very close to the vest. There have been no RFPs issued for bidding on any aspect of … Continue reading →

I know that people like to frame the debate as “for or against”.  You know, either you’re with us or you’re against us.  Any kind of dissent means you disagree with everything and therefore have no valid input to the … Continue reading →

The face of the clock in Brewster Hall is in desperate need of repair, especially the sunny south side. An estimate of around $32,000 was received and a grant for $10,000 was secured.  According to the Town Manager, the Friends … Continue reading →

The spin from the restorationists is that even though the majority of voters indicated that they do not support the Friends’ agenda of restoring Brewster Hall for use as Town Offices, there was no other alternative endorsed, so just stay … Continue reading →

These folks have one of the lowest tax rates in New Hampshire.  You don’t have to live in a dump to have low taxes.  See the whole description here.

Here’s one of the possible Library expansion plans that the trustees looked at.  The “old” library is the building at the top. I think it’s about 9,500 sq ft.  That’s about a 50% more space than the current town offices.

A little controversy and vilification is good for circulation, and for better of for worse circulation is the measure of a newspaper’s worth.  So it came as no surprise two weeks ago when the Editor pumped up the volume on … Continue reading →

One of the things that always amazes me about watching professional sports on television,  especially football, is the way the sportscasters always seem to be able to tell us what the players are actually thinking.  I suppose it’s because most … Continue reading →

Maybe I’m just a little too picky, but I have a thing about accuracy.  Last year, after the $4 million BMH article failed to get the necessary 60% support, Dave Bowers on at least two occasions stated from his chair … Continue reading →