David R. Oliver: Demolition of Taylor House would not be a wise decision

To The Daily Sun,

As a resident and taxpayer in Moultonboro I strongly feel that any new building or unnecessary demolition expenditure article on the town warrant is fiscally irresponsible. Right now, we are in a period of disarray in society where it would be prudent to look to our great-grandparents’ thriftiness, look to our responsibilities to our families, and understand the burden of debt held by so many. We do not know where this road will lead, and I truly recommend that we all look to securing our households as we experience an economic contraction due to the pandemic.

I joined the Heritage Commission for the purpose of serving my community, and to preserve the history and heritage of our town. The people of Moultonboro gave us a mission to oversee and stand up for the cultural and historic icons that define our community, which make our town a special and attractive place. The constant backlash and constant pushback on efforts to save the landmark Taylor House is absurd. If we asked any of the many transplants to this area, I’m sure the draw of the our old villages and our rural character was part of their decision to move here.

Recent reports show that the Lakes Region real estate market is experiencing interest, as buyers and investors seek properties outside of densely populated urban areas. Relocation and reinvestment in rural areas may be the silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic for towns like ours with high-speed internet on Route 25. The Taylor House presents an opportunity in our new pandemic economy, and could be a success story like rehabilitation projects we see in Tamworth and Wolfeboro. Why would we squander the opportunity for reinvestment in our village now?

Demolition of this house is a not a wise decision, it’s a failure of planning and vision. Why does Town Hall continue to claim that the Taylor House is on the verge of collapse? Nothing could be further from the truth. The house is structurally solid, built to last. Multiple professional reports, most recently Fisher Engineering’s 2019 assessment, confirm that the house is solid. So what’s the agenda, what’s the rush to demolish a historic community asset? We need to be patient, use our heads, focus on our families and neighbors. Please vote with your heads, and vote no on Article 19.

David R. Oliver

Moultonboro