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Shaker Village reports balanced budget start, private grant secures collections work, delays food service
Summary
Shaker Village staff told the Select Board the organization began the fiscal year with a balanced budget, won a private collections grant, and is prioritizing building repairs and fire-alarm upgrades while some projects and food service remain on hold pending fundraising.
Erin Hammerstead, a Shaker Village representative, gave a quarterly operational update to the Select Board, saying the organization started the fiscal year with a balanced budget on April 1 and that its annual operating appeal met its goal. “We just finished our annual operating appeal, and reached our goal,” Hammerstead said.
Hammerstead said several project grants that previously helped cover staff salaries were lost and staff have reallocated priorities, but that private funding will cover much collections and interpretation work. “We do have the Lillian Downey grant that you may have heard about that is really focused on collections and interpretation. That's private funding that will not be impacted,” she said.
Why it matters: The private Lillian Downey grant reduces immediate pressure on operations and permits Shaker Village to continue or restart some preservation work despite other grant losses.
Details: Hammerstead said the meeting house preservation project is fully funded; a historic building assessment is complete and staff are coordinating with the Historic District Commission and the state to obtain approvals needed for exterior-envelope and electrical work, with construction expected this season. She described a plan to make the carriage house (visitor center) ramps safer by regrading, and said Historic Core volunteers may help replace the horse farm roof this summer.
On safety systems, Hammerstead said the village is moving from one networked fire-detection system with multiple faults to separate, building-level systems to isolate problems and phase upgrades more easily. “We're moving to an individual building system…that'll make it, 1, easier to phase the work,” she said. Phase 1 — funded and ready — will cover the Dewey School, the trustees' office and the Hubbard Building; a second-phase application, if funded, would add the Carriage House, Creamery and East House.
Hammerstead said interior improvements (public restrooms in the brethren shop) are planned but cost estimates are higher than anticipated and fundraising is underway. She also said plans to restore food service have been delayed: “That’s gonna take me a little bit longer. So we won't be bringing that back right now.”
Programming and access: The village’s events calendar and public programs are expanding; Hammerstead said seven special tours, a summer concert series and other workshops are posted at shakers.org/events. She told the board the village will again offer free admission to all Canterbury residents and continue free admission for all visitors age 21 and under this season.
What’s next: Hammerstead asked board members to raise questions now or to reach out by email; she provided an email address (ehammerstead@shakers.org) and said the May newsletter will note the village’s May 17 opening date.
