Town approves CPC grant for Pentecostal church but rejects private-house preservation funding after heated debate

Article 12, authorizing a grant agreement and preservation restriction for the First Pentecostal Church, passed after proponent testimony from Community Preservation Committee representative Brian Hyde and confirmation from the historical commission that churches may receive CPC funds when work excludes religious objects (e.g., stained glass). The Community Preservation Committee and finance committee recommended approval and the article passed 278–147.

Supporters highlighted the building’s historical role as an inclusive social center that served Black, Portuguese, Cape Verdean and Wampenog community members, and noted the property lies within the historic district and was deemed eligible for listing by the state historical commission. Brian Hyde and Ava Costello of the historic commission described outreach and prior review processes and said the project meets CPC criteria for historic preservation.

Article 13, which would have authorized a grant and preservation restriction for the privately owned Horatio Amos house on Great Neck Road South, provoked more contested testimony. Tribal member Jesse Little Dober and others noted historical injustices in land conveyances and opposed public spending on a private residence that left the property out of Wampenog ownership through contested historical processes. Preservation professionals also questioned public benefit and the scale of public investment in a private dwelling. The motion to end debate and proceed to the vote carried; Article 13 failed 17–20.

The debate tied preservation policy to broader community history: proponents invoked heritage and inclusive narratives; opponents raised concerns over fairness, the proper use of CPC funds, and whether the public would meaningfully access or benefit from the privately owned property. The town approved the church funding while denying the private-home grant.