WOODSTOCK — The town-appointed Union Church Committee met for the first time Wednesday evening at the building on Andrews Road to discuss its future.

Discussion on what to do with the vacant structure began during the annual town meeting March 24. Voters were asked whether to raise and appropriate up to $4,500 to make repairs to the granite foundation. Several residents said they wished to see the church repaired; some said they believed it should be sold or torn down.

The small, one-room church was built in 1856 and has not been used for decades. The original contents have been removed. It sits on six-tenths of an acre.

Residents voted against raising the money for the foundation and voted to form a committee to figure out the most prudent course would be.

Committee members are Marta Clements, Elizabeth Gallagher, Monica Mann, Bob McQueeney, Sheryl Morgan and Rosalie Poland.

Town Manager Vern Maxfield and Selectman Ron Deegan met with the committee to tour the church and see if there was anything salvageable.

For most of the hourlong meeting they reminisced about events held there over the years, from breakfasts and suppers to baby and bridal showers.

“As a selectman, and as a resident of this town, the building has a lot of sentimental value to me,” Deegan said. “At a certain point, though, you have to know when to say goodbye.”

A majority of the committee agreed that the town should keep the land and get bids to tear it down.

“We could still keep the land and fix it up as a parking area for the cemetery,” Deegan said.

The South Woodstock Cemetery is next to the church.

Clements agreed and said she didn’t want to see “a flea market or something come here, set up shop and have a bunch of clutter.”

McQueeney agreed.

“I’ve done a lot of remodeling in the area, and I don’t think it would be worth it to fix this thing up,” McQueeney said.

Clements said the town could use the granite blocks that make up the foundation for benches at the site or in other places around town.

“We could even put some picnic tables down, and families could visit and have lunch or supper together,” Clements said.

Deegan pointed out that the committee’s original vision was to “either fix up the building or to tear it down and make it a parking area, something that the town seemed receptive to at the town meeting.

“I think if you wanted to make it a picnic area, you could do it,” Deegan said. “I thought I’d just remind you of the original vision.”

Poland said that if the town were make a picnic area, it would be “more like a rest area” where people would likely “just stop, dump their rubbish and move on.”

Maxfield said if the town pursued a picnic area, “cleaning up trash would be something we’d work into our mowing package. They’d be responsible for mowing and for making sure that the area looks nice.”

Maxfield said that he wanted the committee to meet again, because Gallagher and Mann were not present Wednesday night.

The committee agreed to meet at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, at the church so Gallagher and Mann can give their input.

Maxfield said the committee will bring its decision to the Board of Selectmen for a vote on whether to approve it.

“After that, we’ll have to either hold a special town meeting or wait until next year’s annual town meeting to decide whether to approve it,” Maxfield said.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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