October 19, 2018

WELCOME       

Thank you for attending the Topsfield Town Hall Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. 

I’m Ben Nutter, a member of the THBC, and the host for this morning’s event.

After I make a few remarks, I will welcome Senator Joan Lovely and then Representative Brad Hill up to the podium. After their remarks, Mark Lyons, the Chair of our Board of Selectmen (BOS), will also offer a few words. Then we will invite several people up to the decorative ribbon in front of me to make the official ribbon cut. After the ribbon cutting, please make you way up to the Public Hall at the 2nd floor. Our Town Hall Building Committee (THBC) Chair, Gregor Smith, will offer a toast. And the Town Hall will be open for you to enjoy a full tour of the pubic and private spaces. 

For some of us, achieving this Ribbon Cutting day has taken a lifetime. Or in my case, about one-third of a lifetime. The BOS appointed the first THBC in 1998. Joe Iarocci and I were on that committee. Joe was a long-time resident of Topsfield and a member of the BOS that year. Joe was an early advocate for including space for our Council on Aging within any plans for a renovated Town Hall. Back in 1998, with no grey hair, I thought that was a sensible idea. Now, 20 years later and being a senior, I recognize this as an especially great idea. Over those 20 years, there have been many people such as Joe who participated in making this ribbon cutting ceremony possible. My primary goal this morning is to recognize all of you who made the Town Hall – our Town’s home – a successful accomplishment. As I acknowledge you, please stand and remain standing. If you are presently standing, please remain standing and raise your hand. 

ACKNOWLEDGE ALL PARTICIPANTS HERE KEEP THOSE HANDS UP! THANKS!

THEN:

Joe Iarocci coined the phrase “Topsfield Working Together”. And in the spirit of another expression “It takes a village” you all made this extraordinary restoration and building mission come to fruition over twenty years. Now, I want to ask all of you to give yourselves a rowdy and robust round of applause in celebration of your remarkable accomplishment! This is a spectacular example of Topsfield Working Together. Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to your Town Hall, and to your Town.

INTRO SEN JOAN LOVELY

Joan has worked with Brad Hill to obtain funds for our Town Hall. Joan and Brad: your effort to secure the $100K for an elevator was literally a great lift. Joan and Brad also helped when we sought historic grant funding from the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) for preservation work on our Town Hall. Thank you each for these efforts. We can all see the results. Mark – please join Joan and Brad at the podium.  

INTRO REP BRAD HILL

INTRO MARK

Mark Lyons has been a resident of Topsfield for a few decades. During this time, he has offered his time as a member, and Chair, of the School Committee, Finance Committee and as a Selectman. He participated as an Ex Officio member of our THBC. I’m not sure when he sleeps, or if he sleeps.

MARK’S COMMENTS  Thank you for your enjoyable and enlightening remarks.

To wrap up this part of the ceremony, allow me to offer a brief bit of history. During my tenure as a THBC member, a fellow resident, an active member of our community, would say to me on occasion “Ben, why don’t we just tear down that Town Hall and build something new”. And I would smile and reply “Wait and see”. When the construction fence came down about a month ago, this man sought me out and expressed with enthusiasm “Ben, the Town Hall is magnificent”! I smiled. And I said, “See how waiting can be a good thing”? 

Most of you know that our Town Common is part of an Historic District. But I wonder how many of you are aware that our Town Common is circled by fine examples of the architectural styles from the 1600’s to 1930? We enjoy the Parson Capen house, a 1683 example of the First Period style. The Rolsma’s home is a classic Georgian farmhouse and barn. The Emerson Center represents the Federal Style. There is no finer example of the Greek Revival Style than our Congregational Church. And both Proctor School and our Public Library are examples of the Colonial Revival Period. And now, freshly restored and preserved for another 145 years, is our very own Town Hall. It is one of the finest wood - framed, publicly owned examples of the Second Empire Mode on the Northshore. A style considered modern and progressive when it was built in 1873. Imagine that: modern and progressive in Topsfield! Just another reason to be proud of your Town Hall. And your Town Common. 

With our wonderful Second Empire Mode Town Hall entry as a backdrop, it is time for the ribbon cutting. Eric Roth will place us in the best possible light for this photo op. Eric and I will ask others to step up after this initial photo, so that we may record more of you who have been participants, for example, the BOS and past members of the THBC. 

In the first group, let me now invite up to the podium, my fellow THBC members. Before we do, a quick comment about Peter Bryson. Peter and I were each on the first committee appointed in 1998. Since then, there have been three additional committees appointed, bringing the total number of committees to four over the past two decades. Therefore, Peter and I entered this process as freshmen, and now, 20 years later, have graduated as seniors. I would just ask that you overlook the fact that it took Peter and me 20 years to graduate. All the committees did their homework, and now two decades later, we are here to celebrate the opening of our restored Town Hall. The rest of our current team is our Chair, Gregor Smith, Elizabeth Mullholland, and Josh Rownd. Also, Mark Lyons. Senator Joan Lovely and Representative Brad Hill. Town Administrator, Kellie Hebert, Fred Soule of MK&A, John Sayre-Scibona and Lee Sollenberger of Design Technique, and Anthony Consigli, Ryan Stock and Bob McBride of Consigli Construction. 

As we finish the photos, it is now time for all of you to gather in the Public Hall at the second floor, and our Building Committee Chairman, Gregor Smith, will offer a toast. You may access the Public Hall either through the original East-facing front entry, or through the new West-facing entry. Please proceed up to the second floor. After Gregor’s toast, you are welcome to tour the Town Hall. Many of our Town employees are here today so that you may also “peak behind the curtain” and see their newly renovated offices. Enjoy your tour. Enjoy your Town Hall. Visit with your fellow residents. Thank you all for attending the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for our Town Hall.

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS           October 20, 2018

Participants and Contributors                                                        PAST AND PRESENT

Town Hall Building Comm                                                              GREGOR, PETER, ELIZABETH, JOSH

Board of Selectmen                                                                        MARK, BOYD, JOHN, DICK, LYNNE

Town Government, Fin Comm, PLBD, ZBA, CONS C                       present and past, including Veterans

Senator Joan Lovely and Representative Brad Hill

Town Employees                                                                             NINA, ROBERTA, JEN C-B, DAVE BOND

MK&A                                                                                             FRED SOULE. FORZEEN (SP?)                                           

Design Technique                                                                           JOHN, LEE

Consigli Construction                                                                     ANTHONY, RYAN, BOB

Council on Aging - $$                                                                   present and past  

Friends of the Council on Aging - $$                                            present and past 

Friends of the Town Hall                                                                SUCCESSFULLY ACCEPTED 65 TO DATE

Donors -  65 TO DATE                                                                 THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!

Meg Black                                                                                     5 PANEL VIEW OF RIVER ROAD - MUST SEE!

Official Photographer Extraordinaire                                             ERIC W/CAPABLE ASSIST LUCILLE WYMER

Current and former residents

References / Further Reading

Nutter, Ben. 2018 October 19. Topsfield Town Hall Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (speech and notes). Topsfield Town Hall Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Topsfield, MA. [Used by permission of the author. A printed copy may be found in the Topsfield Town Library Vertical File.]

Contents

Topsfield Times: A Community and Local History Resource

WKT