Rono City Council approves limited funding, survey for Washington Park caretaker's cottage after heated debate

Rono City Council voted on April 6 to provide $150,000 to support a structural condition survey, grant applications and city backing for preservation work at the historic Washington Park Caretaker's Cottage, a small brick building long contested by neighbors and preservationists.

The move follows months of effort by Friends of Washington Park and community partners seeking to stabilize and adaptively reuse the two‑chimney cottage as a small community amphitheater and interpretive site. During more than two hours of public comment, speakers urged council to preserve what they called a critical site in the city's Black history; others argued city funds should instead be returned to programs such as school services or used for housing repairs.

Councilman Faison Nash introduced the measure and framed it as both preservation and a step toward reparative local action: the council should show "that when we say we value history and equity, we truly mean it," he said. Supporters included Dr. Brenda Hail of the Rono NAACP, who told council, "Haven't you taken enough from us already?" (public comment) and Kathy Carter of Friends of Washington Park, who said preserving the cottage would "honor generations and provide a space for community storytelling." Opponents, including resident Anita Price, warned about current budget constraints and urged prioritizing schools and housing needs.

Council debate ranged from procedural concerns about transparency to technical questions about costs and long‑term maintenance. Vice Mayor Maguire and others urged the city to pursue grant funding—especially from the state historic preservation program—and to view the city's commitment as a lever to attract matching private donations. At one point council voted to remove language that would have set an automatic deconstruction deadline if grants did not materialize.

The final amended resolution directs the city manager to provide a right of entry for a condition survey (to be completed within 90 days), to provide a letter of support for grant applications, and to allocate $150,000 in the FY27 capital plan to back that work. Council members emphasized the sum is intended to underwrite the immediate survey and to strengthen outside grant proposals; any further restoration or reconstruction would be the subject of later decisions and appropriation.

The vote concluded a long, emotional public record: dozens of residents, neighborhood groups, and history advocates—some tracing ties back generations—spoke for preservation; others said the city should not commit more funds while schools and other services face cuts. Mayor Joseph El Cobb closed debate by noting the council had reached a compromise that both advanced preservation planning and set guardrails for future spending.

What happens next: Friends of Washington Park and allied organizations may use the city letter of support and survey results to apply for competitive grants. If awarded, those funds would be combined with the city commitment and private donations to underwrite preservation work. If grant funding does not follow, the council will revisit any next steps, including how to preserve salvable materials or interpret the site, under a future resolution.

The council's action was unanimous on the final amended text (roll call recorded in the official minutes).