North board admits talks about painting's future are at impasse

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NORTH ATTLEBORO - Selectmen said Thursday that stalled negotiations for a trust agreement have stymied a resolution of what to do with the town's Russian masterpiece, after a group of citizens presented the board with a petition urging the town to sell the painting.

"We've been working hard for the last couple of years to bring this to (resolution), but we just can't come to an agreement," Selectman Paul Belham said. "The thing that bothers me most is if we vote tonight to sell it, the money would go to the general fund, and there would be a feeding frenzy.

"We're doing everything we can to bring this to closure and we're not getting any help."

The school department wants to sell the painting titled "Afghans," which is valued at $800,000 to $1.2 million, and use the money for arts education programs. Selectmen, who have the final say, are opposed to the sale, as are the relatives of W. Charles Thompson, who donated the painting to the town in 1951.

Belham said the board has been working to put together a trust agreement that would dictate what would happen if the painting is sold. Parties involved in the negotiations cannot reach an agreement, he said, but declined to go into specifics. Organizer Melanie Samuel and eight other residents attended the meeting to present the board with the petition urging sale of the painting.

A total of 213 registered voters signed the petition urging selectmen to reconsider their opposition to the sale of the Alexandre Iacovleff painting. A second petition, signed by 166 non-voters, including students and relatives, was also submitted.

"I know one of the arguments against the sale is that the money will go into the general fund and everyone will pick at it," Samuel said. "A lot of people are going to scream if the painting were sold and the money was used for something that wasn't the original intent."

Isabel Samuel, a 13-year-old student and daughter of Melanie Samuel, also advocated for its sale.

"Since 1951, the painting has increased 34,185 percent in value," she said. "From the kids in school, I've heard a lot of comments like, 'I wish I had destroyed that painting' - mostly from boys - so one of the things I'm concerned about is that it might be a target for vandals."

Selectmen Chairman John Rhyno said that even if the board voted to sell the painting, it would not happen quickly. Relatives of the donor have threatened to bring a lawsuit if the town sells the painting, he said.

Selectman Michael Thompson suggested a ballot question to determine the town's thoughts about what should be done with the painting.

 

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