NORTH ATTLEBORO - Saying it would be "foolish and irresponsible" to bring the town's million-dollar Russian painting back to town without a comprehensive plan, the school committee is planning to leave the masterpiece in Sotheby's hands for now.

School committee Chairman David Manoogian said he will not include a discussion of Alexandre Iacovleff's "Afghans" painting on the agenda unless a plan is prepared by selectmen detailing what will happen if the painting is returned to town.

"I have not included that item on the agenda nor do I have any intention of putting it on the agenda until a plan is presented that meets certain benchmarks," he said. "To simply bring it back without a plan for its safe keeping would be foolish and irresponsible."

Manoogian pointed out that the painting, which was donated by W. Charles Thompson in 1951, was removed from the Community School auditorium due to security concerns. After learning of its value in February, the school department sent the painting to Sotheby's auction house in New York City where it remains today.

At the time, the board hoped to sell "Afghans," which could have been auctioned for at least $1.2 million, according
to Sotheby's, and use the money to support arts and music programs in the town's schools. However, selectmen unanimously vetoed the idea of selling it. "They missed a golden opportunity to perpetuate the arts in North Attleboro in perpetuity," Manoogian said.

While selectmen could stop the sale, the board does not have the ability to bring the painting back to town since the masterpiece was sent to Sotheby's auction house in New York City by the school department.

Manoogian said selectmen must present the school committee with a proposal to bring the painting back to town that includes funding for appraisals of the painting every few years and insuring the masterpiece against theft, vandalism and fire. The plan must also identify a place to hang the painting that will be accessible to the public and detail what will be done to secure it.

"The facility must be a place of museum quality and have a security system that is museum quality," Manoogian said. "Since this saga has unfolded, people have called us unsolicited who are experts in the security field and have said it would be irresponsible to bring the painting back to town. I don't believe there is a security facility in the town that would do the painting justice."

Selectmen have received $65,000 in pledges from anonymous individuals to help with the costs of keeping the painting in town. While the board has not discussed where the painting might hang, ideas bandied about include placing the painting in the police facility, town hall or library.

Manoogian said the painting is school department property and the board needs to ensure that its assets are protected. However, he said that the school department's "scarce dollars" should not be used to secure the painting.

"I think that's the right move right now. We have to be responsible about this asset," said school committee member Christopher Frost.