NA selectmen outline strategy on 'Afghans'
BY AMY DeMELIA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Sunday, November 16, 2008 1:44 AM EST
“Afghans” by Alexandre Iacovleff
NORTH ATTLEBORO - It took more than a year, but selectmen have responded in writing to a school committee memo on conditions that must be met before the "Afghans" painting can be brought back to town.
Selectmen voted to send the formal response to the school department's memo on Thursday. Although selectmen had previously discussed issues raised in the memo - from the need for appraisals of the Alexandre Iacovleff painting to insurance to where to hang the Russian masterpiece - they never sent a formal response.
The letter says that with October's vote of Representative Town Meeting against selling the painting, the board is now interested in working to bring the $1 million masterpiece back home.
The painting, which was donated to the town in 1951 by W. Charles Thompson, is stored at Sotheby's auction house in New York City.
"The board of selectmen recently discussed the outcome of that vote, and determined that the best next course of action is to honor that vote on continue to stand by its original unanimous vote not to approve the sale of that painting," the letter starts.
"As a next step, the board of selectmen recognize that there has been no formal written response to a memo we received dated Nov. 6, 2007, from you that outlined a number of conditions that School Committee Chair Mr. David Manoogian stated must be met before the matter can be placed on the agenda of the school committee."
In the letter, selectmen ask for a meeting with the school committee and say that many of the issues raised in the memo can be hashed out in the meeting.
Selectmen say an appraisal can be done for about $4,000 to $5,000, and the town's insurance carrier says one must be conducted about every three years.
It says issues relating to an insurance policy for the painting, where the painting could be displayed and the cost of returning the painting to town can be discussed during the meeting.
When it comes to the dicey question of the painting's ownership, selectmen said a joint opinion should be solicited from town counsel and the school department's attorney. Selectmen said they will abide by that opinion and asked the school committee do to the same.
Superintendent Rick Smith said the school department has not yet received the letter from selectmen. "Upon receipt of the selectmen's letter, consideration will be given to their request," he said.
AMY DeMELIA can be reached at 508-236-0334 or at
ademelia@thesunchronicle.com.
