Veterans were front and center at the April 3, 2024, Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting.
Richard Shaffer and Robert Titus from the VFW were on hand to discuss renewing the lease for Memorial Hall on Orcuttville Road. Shaffer proposed entering another 5-year lease; however, instead of paying $5,000 per year, he suggested the VFW pay $1.00 per year. He explained that over the past five years, the VFW had spent nearly $20,000 on the building for heating oil, sewer, and electricity. (Learn more about Memorial Hall’s Spiritualist history here.)
The VFW uses the building for meetings and tag sales and loans it out for Girl Scout meetings. Shaffer also said they occasionally rent out the hall, but because no alcohol is allowed on town property and people are not allowed on the stage, it can be hard to find renters.
They are proposing to enter into another five-year lease with the same terms of the last agreement, with the exception of paying $1.00 per year as a lease payment. Mr. Shaffer explained that, to date, they have spent over $19,000 on the building. Upon motion of Selectman Vail and seconded by Selectman Hartenstein, the board unanimously approved leasing Memorial Hall to the VFW for another 5-year term at the cost of $1.00 per year under the same agreement as the previous lease.
Titus pointed out that the building's furnace had a cracked firebox. Shaffer said Williams Oil monitors the crack, and because it is a hot air furnace and not a hot water furnace, it is still usable.
Selectman Rick Hartenstein, who attended the meeting via Zoom, said he was in favor of approving the new lease deal and noted that the VFW does a good job of maintaining the building. The rest of the board agreed and unanimously approved the new lease.
Shaffer then switched hats and talked about an American Legion proposal to put flags featuring “Hometown Heroes” on eight to ten telephone poles on Main Street. Families would pay $80 to have the flags made—Shaffer had a prototype that the American Legion created to review—and after displaying the flags for several weeks on Main Street, the family would receive the flags back. The plan is to also extend the opportunity for first responders to be honored.
The American Legion already has a dozen orders and is ready to start making the flags, which can be displayed from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The only cost to the town would be the labor needed to have the public works department install the flags. The selectmen agreed to the proposal, so keep your eyes peeled for the flags to start appearing on Main Street.
Comments