Letters to the Editor
Sale should be averted
To the editor:
In Kennebunkport, a community filled with historic houses and proud of its historic heritage, the current Kennebunkport Historical Sociey’s plan is to sell the Nott House, the most visible emblem open to the public of Kennebunkport’s pride and prestige of place. The proposed sale is a catastrophe in the making but can be averted by plausible and available means.
Betsy Ames-Fitzgerald and her several accomplices are steadying the resolve of the seller-clique on the board of directors, dissident board members Larry Soule and Finn McDonald have enlisted professional museum consultants, Arlene Palmer Schwind and Laura Fecych Sprague to balance the doomsday scenario Ms. Ames-Fitzgerald and her cabal would have us believe. The professionals present a profile of vitality and value in an exceptional property. Ask any museum member if you’d like to read their report.
Under present and recent leadership, the historical society has fallen heavily on hard times as the darkening bruises reveal. It’s all too convenient and lazy to blame the current economy and to find statistics that point to shrinkage for museums and their programs. But where are the historical society’s fundraising efforts? Where is the effort to increase and invigorate membership? The board seems to be under a siege of its own making. What or who will save the society from its own board of directors?
As of now the odds don’t look good for the Nott House continuing to be part of Kennebunkport’s active historic profile. Having built the weakest possible case for selling the Nott House, the Ames-Fitzgerald team counts on our indifference to allow the house to be sold, its valuable furnishings to be dispersed and a once proud historical society to fade into insignificance.
Michael Tarabilda
Kennebunkport
Curb Congress
To the editor:
Since assuming office, the 111th Congress has attempted to solve our economic woes by increasing our national debt by $5 trillion. They flouted the will of constituents nationwide by superimposing a trillion dollar, Stalinist, health care plan. They further add insult to injury when some arrogantly insisted that if we disagree with their reckless policies, then we’re fear-mongering, greedy, xenophobes.
We looked to Congress in a desperate economy to restrain the spending, cut the waste, and respectfully manage the taxes they collect from our hard-earned paychecks. They look backward blaming George W. Bush. We looked to Congress to respect, uphold and defend the United States Constitution. They assert that they, as representatives of the federal government, can do whatever they want, and then willfully impose their draconian control of the auto industry, banking institutions and health care industry.
Through it all, Rep. Chellie Pingree has gone along to get along, voting with Nancy Pelosi 98 percent of the time. That makes her more San Francisco’s representative than she is the citizens of Maine. It is time for her to retire with her generous government pension. It is time to elect someone who will respect both the Constitution and the sacred trust of the voters. It is time to elect someone who has been running from town to town throughout Maine’s 1st district to demonstrate our need to drive down our debt. Elect Dean Scontras to Congress.
Elizabeth Hetz
Kennebunkport
Save historical society
To the editor:
Rather than resign ourselves to a Kennebunkport Historical Society without the Nott House (and perhaps without the Pasco Center, as well, if the current board gets its way), we write as long time Kennebunkport Historical Society volunteers (58 years among us) in favor of saving the society and all of its treasures, including the Nott House.
For the first 26 years since 1982 that the society has owned the Nott House, the board was able and willing to raise the necessary funds to maintain the society and its holdings, without having to deplete the endowment.
The Nott House is the only antique home open to the public in northern New England that still has all of its original furnishings and fixtures, as well as 33 volumes of Nott House family daily diaries written over three generations.
We still believe the Kennebunkport community will support our programs and fundraisers to fulfill our mission of saving Kennebunkport’s history. In the future, the society plans to sponsor an antique show, jazz dinner, fashion show, golf tournament and music and a plant symposium in the Nott House garden.
These events provide fun, social activities and raise needed funds. To enhance the history of Kennebunkport for members, visitors, and children, we plan antique craft demonstrations and an exhibit on shipbuilding.
Please renew your membership or join our society so you can vote to save both the society and our Nott House at the Kennebunkport Historical Society Annual Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 14 at the Townhouse School on North Street. We hope all society members will join us in voting to not just save the society and the Nott House, but also to save the very history of this unique town for all of us and for future generations.
Bev Keough, Pat Pence, and Sandy Severance
Past presidents, officers and board members, Kennebunkport Historical Society
To the editor:
In Kennebunkport, a community filled with historic houses and proud of its historic heritage, the current Kennebunkport Historical Sociey’s plan is to sell the Nott House, the most visible emblem open to the public of Kennebunkport’s pride and prestige of place. The proposed sale is a catastrophe in the making but can be averted by plausible and available means.
Betsy Ames-Fitzgerald and her several accomplices are steadying the resolve of the seller-clique on the board of directors, dissident board members Larry Soule and Finn McDonald have enlisted professional museum consultants, Arlene Palmer Schwind and Laura Fecych Sprague to balance the doomsday scenario Ms. Ames-Fitzgerald and her cabal would have us believe. The professionals present a profile of vitality and value in an exceptional property. Ask any museum member if you’d like to read their report.
Under present and recent leadership, the historical society has fallen heavily on hard times as the darkening bruises reveal. It’s all too convenient and lazy to blame the current economy and to find statistics that point to shrinkage for museums and their programs. But where are the historical society’s fundraising efforts? Where is the effort to increase and invigorate membership? The board seems to be under a siege of its own making. What or who will save the society from its own board of directors?
As of now the odds don’t look good for the Nott House continuing to be part of Kennebunkport’s active historic profile. Having built the weakest possible case for selling the Nott House, the Ames-Fitzgerald team counts on our indifference to allow the house to be sold, its valuable furnishings to be dispersed and a once proud historical society to fade into insignificance.
Michael Tarabilda
Kennebunkport
Curb Congress
To the editor:
Since assuming office, the 111th Congress has attempted to solve our economic woes by increasing our national debt by $5 trillion. They flouted the will of constituents nationwide by superimposing a trillion dollar, Stalinist, health care plan. They further add insult to injury when some arrogantly insisted that if we disagree with their reckless policies, then we’re fear-mongering, greedy, xenophobes.
We looked to Congress in a desperate economy to restrain the spending, cut the waste, and respectfully manage the taxes they collect from our hard-earned paychecks. They look backward blaming George W. Bush. We looked to Congress to respect, uphold and defend the United States Constitution. They assert that they, as representatives of the federal government, can do whatever they want, and then willfully impose their draconian control of the auto industry, banking institutions and health care industry.
Through it all, Rep. Chellie Pingree has gone along to get along, voting with Nancy Pelosi 98 percent of the time. That makes her more San Francisco’s representative than she is the citizens of Maine. It is time for her to retire with her generous government pension. It is time to elect someone who will respect both the Constitution and the sacred trust of the voters. It is time to elect someone who has been running from town to town throughout Maine’s 1st district to demonstrate our need to drive down our debt. Elect Dean Scontras to Congress.
Elizabeth Hetz
Kennebunkport
Save historical society
To the editor:
Rather than resign ourselves to a Kennebunkport Historical Society without the Nott House (and perhaps without the Pasco Center, as well, if the current board gets its way), we write as long time Kennebunkport Historical Society volunteers (58 years among us) in favor of saving the society and all of its treasures, including the Nott House.
For the first 26 years since 1982 that the society has owned the Nott House, the board was able and willing to raise the necessary funds to maintain the society and its holdings, without having to deplete the endowment.
The Nott House is the only antique home open to the public in northern New England that still has all of its original furnishings and fixtures, as well as 33 volumes of Nott House family daily diaries written over three generations.
We still believe the Kennebunkport community will support our programs and fundraisers to fulfill our mission of saving Kennebunkport’s history. In the future, the society plans to sponsor an antique show, jazz dinner, fashion show, golf tournament and music and a plant symposium in the Nott House garden.
These events provide fun, social activities and raise needed funds. To enhance the history of Kennebunkport for members, visitors, and children, we plan antique craft demonstrations and an exhibit on shipbuilding.
Please renew your membership or join our society so you can vote to save both the society and our Nott House at the Kennebunkport Historical Society Annual Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 14 at the Townhouse School on North Street. We hope all society members will join us in voting to not just save the society and the Nott House, but also to save the very history of this unique town for all of us and for future generations.
Bev Keough, Pat Pence, and Sandy Severance
Past presidents, officers and board members, Kennebunkport Historical Society
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