Oxford Democrat., 1921-06-21
Town wln Lease HAN and Exempt II.
SEVERAL IMPORTANT VOTES TAKEN AT
SPECIAL MEETING.

sEvERAL IMPORTANT VOTES TAKEN A.
/ SPECIAL MEETING.
At % town meeting we'll attended for ,
special, Wednesday afternoon, it wa
voted to take lease Of the hall for towI
meeting purposes, and Offices for th,
selectmen, In q new block II one shall b,
erected on the site of the burned Ode
Fellows' Block. Il was also voted x
exempt that block and the new Odd Eel
lows Block from taxation for term o.
ten years. There was discussion but M
action on several other articles In tht
warrant.
Walter L. Gray was elected moderator
of the meeting. There were between
100 and $50 voters present, some from
the north part of the town-all men ex
cept the town clerks stenographer.
The first article for action was to see
II the town would allow new block on
the site OF the old Odd Fellows Block
to be swung into the street about five
feet farther at the east end. Moderator
Gray explained briefly that the lot had
been bought by an association of citizens,
who did'no expect to make money from
1t, but rather to lose. The first scheme
advanced had been to build block cov-
ering this lot and that on which True
Block stands, but this is not feasible at
present. There might come . time
when IL would be advisable to extend
the new block over the lot where True
Block now 10, when Q straight front
would be desirable, and 1t would be
necessary to make the change suggested
in order to make the line Of this build
ing straight with the other.
Arthur e. Forbes briefly expressed
opposition to any further extension into
the street at that corner, and q motion
to pass over the article was carried with
out opposition.
The next article was to see II the town
would lease the hall In the new block
for election purposes, and town Offices
In the same building. Moderator Gray,
as one of the promoters of the new
block, stated that plans indicated that
q building such as would be required
would cost about $500 Careful flgur-
Ing of income showed that 1t would not
be practicable to erect the block unless
the town would take the lease indicated,
at good rental.
A number Of questions were asked,
and 1t was stated in reply to one of them
that the plans represented hall with q
seating capacity of $50 on the floor and
100 In the gallery. In reply to ques-
ton regarding what was q fair rental,
Mr.. Gray stated that the block would
have to have a rental from tho town of
$1,000 to make 1t feasible.
]. r. King said we must be willing to
consider more than fair rental.
K. P. Woodbury. favored paying more
than the amount named for the sake of
having the building and the hall.
John Pierce said we have got to have
q place large enough to hold town meet
ipgs even If Il costs considerable.
There was further discussion, and then
P. r. Ripley moved that the selectmen
be instructed to lease the ball and Offices,
at rental not to exceed $1,000 per year,
for term of ten years.
John Pierce moved to make the
amount $500, and this amendment and
the main question were carried, with no
votes in opposition.
were instructed to abate the taxes on
the new block for the term of ten years,
and under another article to do the same
with the taxes on the new Odd Fellows
Block.
Two articles relative to the new real
estate valuation caused some discussion,
but did not clarity the situation much.
One article, to see II report should be
bad on the valuation, or so much of it as
is completed, was passed over with but
little discussion. The other, on the
general question what should be done
about the valuation and the men who
are making II, was not 80 readily dis
posed Of.
]. W. s. Colby said we should know
something about when the work Of these
men will be completed, and what it will
cost.
Mark e. Perry of Sweden, one of the
men making the valuation, addressed
the meeting, saying that as to the ques-
ton when their work would be COM
pleted, he did not know. They had
gone on without any papers OF any sort
to guide them, and had done most OF
their work. They now needed some
thing by which to check up and find out
what they had not got.
r. T. Flavin asked II the valuation
would have any value when completed,
and was in favor OF throwing 1t over
entirely.
After little more talk a motion TO
pass over the article was carried uiua
uoce, with several voting against the
motion.
After statements regarding the situa.
tion BY the selectmen and treasurer, the
sum of $4,000 was raised for the miscel-
laneous account, to be placed in the next
assessment. The meeting adjourned
after session of about three-quarters OF
an hour.