National Trust disappointed by WCLS

On July 21 the National Trust for Historic Preservation wrote and electronically delivered a 4 1/2-page letter to Mayor Sager and Members of the City Council. It contained their recommendation that the City Council deny the special use permit being sought by WCLS that includes demolition of Grace Hall.

I wonder how many of the City Council members read the letter before the meeting. Certainly, they didn't have time to digest and reflect on it; did all of them even read it?

At the City Council meeting the attorney for WCLS, Mark Gummerson, hammered the National Trust for sending the letter just before that night's City Council meeting.

What he failed to include in his flaming oratory was the letter's mention in Paragraph 2 that the National Trust had not received WCLS' submittal until 2:57PM the previous day, "and then only as a result of a direct request from Allen Stebbins (Chairman of the Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission) to City staff.

The National Trust has been part of the "team" for months. The "team" is composed of WCLS officers, those opposing demolition of Grace Hall, and professionals. The National Trust letter mentioned "repeated requests to WCLS for detailed background information" and "lack of communication" from WCLS.

An argument developed last night about tax credits for WCLS, and Mr. Gummerson stated emphatically that tax credits do no good to a not-for-profit organization that doesn't pay income tax. Allen Stebbins said that tax credits can benefit such an organization through syndication and that there were experts available to show WCLS how to use them.

I concluded my remarks to the City Council last night with "There is an adaptive re-use plan that is economically feasible for Grace Hall. WCLS just isn't looking for it."

Their plan has been from the start to demolish Grace Hall. The City Council let them take another step toward the starter switch on the wrecking ball last night.

Councilman Turner asked Terry Egan last night just how soon he intended to demolish Grace Hall. The answer? "As soon as possible."

They, all of them, ought to be ashamed.