Windrock Watch: "God Bless Us, Everyone!"

Christmas came early for our family, and in of all unlikely places a meeting of the Town of Wareham Board of Selectmen.  Those of you who have been following the 2 year odyssey of our negotiations for the sale of a conservation restriction or easement to help keep this family land intact and in the family for generations to come know it has been a journey fraught with twists and turns, setbacks and strong resolve to find a way to make this happen. 

Last week, with a renewed vote of the citizens of Wareham at their annual Town Meeting this Fall to go forward with this transaction, the Selectmen decided that the sign-off that they had received from their attorney was not in the form they needed from the firm that provides Town Council and held up their formal endorsement of the conservation restriction, which is an absolute requirement under Massachusetts Law before it can be recorded. 

Last night, with very little discussion, they gave it their unanimous approval and signed.  With any luck, we could go to closing as early as next week, or if vacation schedules make that difficult then in early January. 

One of my cousins remarked that the Selectmen have actually done us a huge favor by delaying this project by six months until they were fully satisfied they could sign it, because had we been paid in June we would have lost a very large chunk of the proceeds in the stock market crash.  As it is, with careful planning we should have enough to rebuild the original trust that cared for my grandmother and now can help keep the land and the family together while adding a critical piece of conservation land to a remarkable 300-acre land protection effort among our neighbors and several conservation entities.

We all is signed and sealed, we shall sound the tucket.  My grandparents, wherever they may be, are most assuredly smiling.

Comments

[Miss Chestnuts]

Bravo Tim! That is a Christmas gift to all of Buzzards Bay!

We will raise a glass tonight to all the great conservation easements and the great conservationists who create them.

[frumiousb]

Wonderful news! Merry Christmas to you and the whole family, Tim!