From the Trustees- The Steeple

From the Trustees - The Steeple

A little over twenty years ago, First Church underwent a series of major renovations. The exterior of our Meetinghouse had a sill plate replaced, the church was painted, and the steeple was rebuilt. For those who remember it was the last time we had a Capital Campaign to raise the funds needed to do all this work.

Last year, after several storms several pieces of our steeple (and a few roof slates) were found on the front lawn and upon inspection we realized that rainwater was coming into the inside of the steeple and causing damage. We currently have claim with our insurance company seeking the funds for an inspection and temporary protection to mitigate further damage to our building.

The Trustees met last week to begin the process of hiring an engineering firm (GNCB) to inspect, evaluate and determine the extent of the damage we have sustained and develop a course of action needed to protect and repair our steeple. Over the next few weeks an inspection will be performed. Don't be surprised to find contractors with aerial lifts checking out the steeple as they develop a plan for us to consider. While we don't expect this to be as expensive a repair as the one twenty years ago, we're bracing ourselves so the report we receive doesn't shock us too badly. To prepare, we are already starting to evaluate our options to apply for a grant, which will take awhile as that process unfolds to pay for the necessary work.

We will continue to post additional articles in the Parish Post to keep the Congregation informed as we review and explore our options. We take immense pride in our historic meetinghouse. Maintaining our aging properties requires an investment of time, talent and funds from all of us. If you can contribute some expertise to help guide us through this process, please contact April Preiss, Chair of Trustees.

Respectfully, The Trustee




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