Article 25 Community Preservation Act: Historical Preservation

From: Jane Chalmers
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 6:43 PM
To: Aldrich, Sonia
Subject: Article 25

Please share with members of the CPA Committee

In reviewing the warrant for town meeting, I noted that Article 25 contains an item for a South Cemetery Perimeter Fence in the amt. of $40,000.

I am writing to say that I do not feel that this expenditure is essential to the preservation of the cemetery. I personally do not want to see this beautiful site fenced in.

As a resident who has family buried there, I feel it should remain open and accessible. Fences create barriers and I know of no reason to place a barrier here.

If there is a compelling reason for the fence I would like to know what it is. Otherwise, I would like to request that you withdraw this expenditure from the article when it comes forth at Town Meeting.

Thank you in advance for consideration of my request.

Jane S. Chalmers
XXXX Potwine Lane
...............................

From: Tucker, Jonathan
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:25 PM
To: Jane Chalmers
Cc: Musante, John; Shaffer, Larry; Ziomek, David; 'Peter Jessop'; 'Roderick Francis'; 'MacMullen, Edith Nye'; 'Audrey Child'; Aldrich, Sonia; 'Nicki Robb'; 'Elisa Campbell'; Gai Carpenter; Wald, James
Subject: RE: Article 25

Dear Ms. Chalmers:

Under Article 25, the Amherst Historical Commission is proposing CPA funding for a perimeter fence for the 1818 South Amherst Cemetery for two basic reasons:

1. To increase security for this historic burying ground. One of the first tasks in protecting any historic cemetery is to increase and ensure its security. The South Amherst cemetery is indeed a very beautiful site, as well as historic. Its open boundaries also make it very vulnerable. In addition to long-time South Amherst families, this cemetery contains numerous relocated graves of Quabbin area families. Restoring broken or damaged headstones and undertaking other physical improvements to the cemetery would be of little value if that investment in restoration could then be undone in a single night of vandalism. There is a growing illegal market in stolen funerary artifacts, including older headstones. Vandalism and inappropriate night-time ‘recreation’ and vehicle activity in cemeteries are increasing problems. The intent of creating a perimeter fence—obviously with gates—is not to restrict daytime access for families or visitors, but to allow the community to close the cemetery at night. West Cemetery in downtown Amherst is now appropriately fenced and closed at night for these reasons.

2. To improve the aesthetic appearance of the cemetery. One of the most important visual features of the 1818 North Amherst Cemetery (established at the same time as the South Amherst Cemetery) is its attractive roadside fence, which defines the edge of the burying ground, helps to declare the cemetery’s historic nature (through the design of the fence), and helps to visually separate the cemetery from the road for tired or inebriated drivers in the evening. A portion of the proposed funding would be used to help design the fence, and the South Amherst community would be involved in reviewing that change. No fence design would be selected or installed without public review.

All of the projects proposed under Article 25 were presented and reviewed at several different publicly-noticed meetings of the Historical Commission and the Community Preservation Act Committee. Article 25 is on the Town Meeting warrant signed by the Select Board and it cannot be ‘withdrawn’ by Town officials at this point. If you are not yourself a member of Town Meeting, you should speak to one or more of your Town Meeting representatives and consult with the Town Moderator concerning the best way to procedurally address your concern on the floor of Town Meeting when this article comes up for consideration.

I hope that answers your question.

Jonathan Tucker
Planning Director