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Delegates approve land sale to fund Edwards House renovations
July-August, 2002
> Read a letter about the sale by Board of Directors Chair Charles Close.
> See a map of the Conference property showing the land to be sold
> Read an article from the April edition about the Edwards House renovations.
Visit our Special Annual Meeting Section for more, including: a photo gallery, complete text of the resolutions as voted, reports of the Minister & President and Board of Directors and detailed information on the land sale.
> Comment on this article through our Discussion Forum Delegates to the 203rd Annual Meeting overwhelmingly approved a plan to sell approximately eight acres of Massachusetts Conference land to fund renovations to the Conference’s main meeting facility.
The Board of Directors was authorized to sell the land, which is at the far end of the 114-acre Framingham Conference Center property, and to use the proceeds for the renovation of Edwards House.
Few delegates expressed opposition to the sale, although the question of what to do with any proceeds beyond what will be needed for Edwards House was hotly debated. Various proposals to designate further proceeds for affordable housing, open space and an endowment fund were all referred to the Board, which will return to the next Annual Meeting with a proposal for use of any excess proceeds.
“The Conference has voted resolutions on homelessness dating back to 1989,” said Rick Hughes, pastor of Union Congregational Church in North Reading. “I find it hard to do this in good conscience without doing something for affordable housing. It seems like we are taking care of our needs first.”
And Lorrie Hall of the Pilgrim Church in Duxbury urged the Board to “give serious consideration to offers to preserve the land as open space.”
Board of Directors member Wayne Frigard said the Board would consider offers to preserve the land, and would take the various ideas for use of the proceeds into consideration when bringing a proposal to next year’s Annual Meeting. But for now, he said, the Board needs flexibility in dealing with the land sale.
Ross Putnam, pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Attleboro, said a commitment should be made up front to tithe from the sale’s proceeds.
“It is important that the Conference as a body stand up and be willing to dedicate 10 percent, maybe more, to affordable housing. It’s modeling; making a statement that we will tithe right off the bat,” he said.
The Board had originally proposed that the initial $500,000 from the land sale be dedicated to the renovation of Edwards House, but Annual Meeting delegates removed that cap, in case costs were higher than expected.
Construction bids for the renovation have come in at over $900,000, plus architectural and engineering fees. The Gift and The Promise Campaign is covering $600,000 of the cost.
The renovations will make the building accessible to the handicapped with the addition of a connecting corridor, restrooms and an elevator, and will upgrade the fire safety and heating systems.