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Historical Society asks town for $3,250 to complete Grange assessment to qualify for LCHIP match
Summary
The Brentwood Historical Society asked the Selectboard to use $3,250 from its maintenance budget to pay half the cost of a building assessment; the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance would match the other half, and the assessment is required to apply for LCHIP grants. The board tabled the request pending budget-account reconciliation.
Dexter Swayze, president of the Brentwood Historical Society, told the Selectboard on Oct. 11 the society needs a professional building assessment for the Grange building to qualify for LCHIP grant funding and asked the board to authorize $3,250 from the society’s maintenance line.
The assessment — offered by May Williams and Drew Bedard and arranged through the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance — would cost $6,500; the Alliance would match half the cost ($3,250). Dexter said the society has a maintenance budget of $5,000 for the year, has spent $1,482 on lighting repairs, and therefore has a balance of $3,518 available.
“New Hampshire Preservation Alliance would match half of it. That would be $3,250. We have a balance of $3,518, so I'm coming to ask that we could use that money for the assessment for the historical building,” Dexter said. He described the consultants’ assessment as comprehensive and said the report would prioritize repairs and help the society prepare grant applications.
Board members raised an accounting discrepancy: town records showed a different balance in the historical society line item. One board member said pest-control and other expenses might have been charged to the line, creating a roughly $800 discrepancy. Given the unresolved accounting and timing questions about contractor availability and the assessment schedule, a motion was made to table the request until the next meeting so the board can confirm the available funds. The motion passed by voice vote.
Dexter said completing the assessment in time for spring grant rounds would help identify high-priority structural work, including foundation and sill repairs, and allow the society to pursue larger grants for repair work.
