To the editor:
“Hometown Proud” is an Ad Hoc Committee which has been formed to propose something to community members today which we are sure they have never considered for the Town of Houlton.
Let’s have something that does not exist in any other town in the State of Maine, something that will enliven our historic downtown. Of what do we speak? To gold leaf the cupola above the bell tower on the Aroostook County Court House this summer.
This is a critical time of a short duration for us to take advantage of an opportunity to do something special for our town.
The heart of our historic downtown area is Market Square where we seek to bring tourists. Adjacent to it, standing tall and majestic is the Aroostook County Court House on Court Street. It stands as a beacon whether we are coming into Houlton from north, east, south or west. For us today it is one of those things we see so often that we don’t see it anymore.
We are presented a limited special opportunity at this time. The County Commissioners are having the bell tower painted this summer. Through the persuasiveness of our Commissioner, Paul Adams, Aroostook County will authorize the gold leafing of the cupola if we raise the money to do it.
Obviously, the people of Presque Isle, Caribou and the St. John Valley are not going to want their tax dollars spent on gold leafing our cupola in Houlton. We think that is certainly an understatement! The Commissioners are willing, though, to tie the two projects together which is economically to our advantage.
We cannot tell you exactly how much it will cost to gold leaf the cupola which will include the weather vane on top of it. Internet estimates at this time have the range between $12,000 and $25,000. We will not know how much will be needed until we see how it fits in with the bids for the painting of the bell tower itself. Initially we are working with a good faith estimate of $16,000.
You should know that we are getting much better value for our dollar with gold leaf as opposed to paint. The gold will be 23.5 karat and will last two to three times longer than paint. It will keep its brilliant gold tone and not dull like paint in four or five years.
We have a magnificent building in the most striking setting of any county office building in the State. Let’s do it proud — like members of the Rockabema Lodge of Odd Fellows in Houlton who have already stepped up to the plate with the first pledge $5,000!
Let’s do something while we have the chance. If we may paraphrase Samuel Beckett’s character Diddi in “Waiting for Godot,” “Those cries for funds are directed to all mankind. Let us do something while we have the opportunity. At this place, at this moment in time, whether we like it or not, we are all mankind if this project is to be accomplished for Houlton.”
Public recognition of donors will be made at the conclusion of the project. We “thank you” for your timely support of this special project, if you have any questions please call me at 532-9595.
Please make your checks payable to Vital Pathways, a tax exempt organization and mail to: Court House Bell Tower, P.O. Box 743, Houlton, ME 04730.
Richard L. Rhoda, chairman
Committee members
Jody Anderson
Leigh Cummings
Dylan Johnston
Audrey York
