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| Westminster Memorials Committee Findings and Report Presentation Content supplied by Tom Maeder of the Memorials Committee. Presented to Westminster Board of Selectmen on December 21, 2009 We appreciate your trust and confidence and, as promised, here is or final report before the end of the calendar year. We first met as a committee on August 3, 2009 and selected Stanley Skamarycz (Skam-a-ritz) as chair, Ed Rachupka (Ra-hoopka) as Vice Chair, Walter Taylor as Secretary and our other members are Sammi Dawley, Ed Dube, Laurie Tarr Ellsworth, Tom Lehman and Tom Maeder. The purpose of the committee is to study and develop proposed guidelines and procedures for consideration by the Board of Selectmen in adopting a policy for authorizing the placement of memorials (veterans and otherwise) on town property. | How did we get here? No procedure or process in place Catalyst: Jones’ family attempted donation Academy Hill ¡Inclusion versus exclusion ¡Different groups – Different ideas ¡Center of town? Result: Embarrassment due to lack of process |
We believe that we got to this point by not having a policy or procedure in place. Certainly, the situation with the Jones’ family was the catalyst. The desired location of Academy Hill further aggravated the situation because different groups have different ideas of what Academy Hill is or is not supposed to be. Some consider it the “center” of our town and believe it should not be altered in any fashion. The bottom line was an embarrassing situation for all involved. What should have been a catalyst for inclusion of all our citizens became an exclusionary situation simply because there was no procedure, yet every individual, every group, had an idea in their mind, what was the “proper” procedure. Terra Firma: Putting Historic Landscape Preservation on Solid Ground “There is no single use for commons today, no uniform appearance, any more than there was three centuries ago. But commons remain a part of New England life, still at the heart of many communities, often revealing in their appearance and uses the people’s covenant with their shared space.” Similar problems and their solutions ¡Sudbury, Wrentham, Lexington A Proposed Policy / Procedure for Westminster ¡Committee Recommends ¡Selectmen Authorize/Approve |
In our discussions and deliberations over several months of meetings – and they did get contentious – we are 8 different people with 8 different opinions - but we all agreed that we need to find “common ground” – to resolve this situation, find a solution, and prevent or at least limit the potential for friction and possible embarrassment in the future. We are all in agreement that, for all intents and purposes, we do consider Academy Hill as the “center” of our town. It may not be geographically so but it is where we hold “centering events” like our Memorial Day Parade, Tree Lighting, etc.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation’s publication Terra Firma is a 14 page document that was printed in 2008 and is very relevant to our situation. One of its findings is listed above. I would also like to read to you another finding titled "The Invention of a Tradition.
"If asked to describe their image of a town common in Massachusetts, a resident might likely describe a treeshaded, grassy area bordered by large white Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival houses, with a skyline punctuated by a high church steeple. While this image does exist on many commons, the reality of their historical development is far more complex. But how did this romantic image become so imbedded in our culture? Around the time of the centennial, the country had recently emerged from the Civil War and an economic panic, and was looking for a solid national identity and the roots of democracy. America found these in part in the structure of colonial town government in New England which traced its roots to the seventeenth century and the roots of the nation. Academics, authors, poets, and artists in turn created the myth of this image of the idyllic New England town center as being ubiquitous, representative of democracy in New England, and quintessentially American. Nineteenth-century improvement efforts latched onto these ideas as part of their imperative, and even today, this image often influences decisions on how to manage town commons and their surroundings." We drew from the experiences of other towns such as Sudbury, Wrentham, Lexington. Throughout our discussions, we did look at numerous other parcels throughout the town but we kept coming back to Academy Hill. It was a unanimous decision. We knew that we had to develop a tool, which we have done, but we also felt there was a sense of location that had to be resolved. We will come to that in a bit. We have a proposed policy/procedure for Westminster. The Written Tool: Formalized Policy and Procedure ¡Memorial Placements and Naming of Facilities ¡Committee comprised of Citizens and Town Department reps ¡Any item to benefit citizens (trees, benches, plantings, etc.) ÷ ¡Applicable to all town property ¡Committee recommends – Selectmen decide
Westminster Memorial Garden: A New Beginning ¡Memorialize any and all citizens ¡Enhances our “Town Common” on Academy Hill |
The sense of location that we spoke of--Academy Hill is approximately 2 acres of land. Across the street is another parcel of town owned land, also approximately 2 acres. Essentially, Academy Hill, our town common, will increase in space and purpose. And now I would like to read for the benefit of all present, the 3 policies and 10 procedures that make up our proposed written solution.
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POLICY 1. The Board of Selectmen is responsible for the naming (or renaming) of any Town owned land or facility. A facility is defined as a building, portion of a building, driveway, intersection, walkway, or other parcel or portion of a parcel of land and places or natural features contained therein. Once a facility has been named, renaming will be approved only in extraordinary circumstances.
2. The Board of Selectmen is responsible for approval of the placement of memorial objects, artwork, signs, sculptures, banners, benches, trees or other plantings, fountains, detached structures, and walls.
3. No commercialization will be accepted on any memorial.
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PROCEDURE 1. A proposal to name land or a facility must be submitted in writing to the Board of Selectmen and must include a summary outlining the merits of the proposal. A proposal for the placement of a memorial object, piece of artwork, sign, or other fixture must be submitted in writing to the Board of Selectmen and must include a summary outlining the merits of the proposal including design and wording. The proponent or his or her designee will present the request to the Board of Selectmen at a regular scheduled meeting. 2. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a committee to assist with its review of any proposal, including size, type of materials and all design features. Such Memorial Committee will meet on an as needed basis to review such proposal(s). Such Committee shall be comprised of a representative from the Cemetery Commission, Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Parks and Recreation Department, Historical Commission, Veterans Agent, DPW, and two Citizen(s) at Large serving for a two year term; and shall be responsible for insuring that each Town department is aware of such a proposal and that any such memorial shall be an attribute to the Town, does not detract from the goals as set forth under each group’s mission statement and that the Town’s needs have been met and protected. The committee shall monitor and advise and/or make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen on such Memorial proposals, as well as but not limited to rehabilitation, renovation or repair of existing Memorials; and facilitate communications and activities related to these matters. 3. The Selectmen shall publish a written notice in the local paper of such memorial proposal allowing for public comment to be written to the Memorial Committee. 4. A review period of a minimum of ninety days shall pass and a written and signed recommendation from the Memorial Committee shall be submitted to the Board of Selectmen. 5. The Memorial Committee shall review existing land and facility names to avoid duplication, confusing similarity or inappropriateness. 6. Recommendation of the placement of a memorial object, artwork, sign, or other fixture will only be made after a determination by the Memorial Committee that the proposal will not: limit physical access to the site; endanger the safety of the public; interfere with any utility or access thereto; be limited by unacceptable special restrictions, conditions or covenants; or create a significant budgetary obligation on the Town for which no provisions had been made. 7. The Board of Selectmen will vote on the Memorial proposal at a regularly scheduled meeting. 8. Donation of memorial objects, artwork, signs or fixtures must be formally accepted by the Board of Selectmen in accordance with State and Local Laws. 9. If such Memorial will require a significant budgetary obligation to maintain, then provisions shall be provided by the proponent of the Memorial prior to acceptance. 10. Out of respect to the deceased, we suggest a waiting period of 90 days before submitting a proposal to the Memorial Committee. |
We are very fortunate that one of our members is a landscape architect. Laurie Tarr Ellsworth has created a conceptual drawing of the town owned land across from Academy Hill that we suggest as a memorial garden. We as a group believe that existing town land allows us to increase our town common as a centering place for its people and allows for a central memorial location.
 The Memorial Committee in its searching for solutions to providing memorializing opportunities to individuals both Veterans and otherwise have reviewed town owned land for such potential. It has been our determination that the land known as Lot 86 at 28 Academy Hill Road in Westminster provides one such solution. This illustrated concept is provided as an idea and demonstrates the possible use of the property. It is in concept only and the elements are labeled on plan as well as described here It is our recommendation that the Selectmen utilize the efforts of the recommended 'newly formed future Memorial Committee' to organize and orchestrate the creation if the Westminster Memorial Garden; from fundraising efforts to provide the initial groundwork, to the protocol for purchasing memorializing elements within the Garden.
This Garden is envisioned as a natural and important compliment to the Town Common by not only its mere proximity but also by its virtuous significance. A stone wall exists along the road and the property now both open field and young woodlands. The existing topography is sloped down and away from Academy Hill. There is an existing Barn with a short drive which currently provides storage to the town. The Entrance into the Garden is along Academy Hill Road. Stately Maple trees, fitting of New England roads, could be planted along the existing stone wall on Academy Hill. The idea would be to create a tranquil and meditative garden space that is level by introducing a stone retaining wall in a circular design that has plant beds on each side of it along with smaller flowering trees and benches. The lawn area would slope down to the lower garden that would transition into the existing woodland as well as provide a future expansion need. The retaining wall itself could provide an opportunity for memorializing individuals. Within the upper level area, a flag pole is centered within a large circular pea stone area where individuals are memorialized on flush granite stone squares with simple descriptions. Veterans could be memorialized closest to the flag pole and citizens could be memorialized along the outer edge of the circular pea stone area on flush granite stone squares as well. Benches would line the perimeter of the circular area under the flowering trees. There would be opportunity to purchase memorial trees, plant material, benches, and stone squares as memorials, which would also provide the monetary means of maintaining the garden.  Westminster of today as well as Westminster of tomorrow will be what the citizens of Westminster determine it to be through their actions. Existing town land allows us to increase our “common.” Protocol / Policy / Procedure as proposed allows:
-Ability to formally memorialize a citizen.
-For the mutual benefit of all citizens.
-A codified process for implementation and review. Westminster is a vibrant and changing community.
-We can watch change or shape change, but change will happen.
-Third generation or third year citizens, all have equal say. |
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