No need to fear historic preservaton

To the Editor,

Rob Price’s front-page article about Bath Village’s revisiting of a proposed historical panel was very interesting.

Let me share that my husband and I moved to Bath 20 years ago. Prior to that, on Long Island, we lived in historic as well as not-so-historic neighborhoods. We saw the value to our property of having some sort of moderate protection as everything of beauty was being leveled around us, and an “Ehrbar TD-9” bulldozer was the vehicle of choice.

The one common denominator among the four villages we lived in was that nearly everyone seemed to take pride in their homes. You had to drive far and wide to see an automobile graveyard on a front lawn. In the Village of Glendale, it was longreported that the German housewives used to hose down their front steps and sidewalks daily. Merchants used to not only sweep the fronts of their shops, but clean up the back alleys as well. Recently, I took a shortcut through “Exchange Street” in Bath. Do you know Exchange Street? It is one of the earliest streets in Bath and its present condition is simply dreadful. (Joey Chitwood would have trouble driving through it.)

Thanks to the auspices of SCAP, there is $200,000 available for the Village of Bath to improve itself. Major and Trustees, let’s get going.

As we have now been informed by Trustee Skelly, this historic proposal is optional. Right there, that removes any anxieties. If they choose, homeowners will be able to access funds as well as the individual past histories of their homes. Dated plaques may be affixed to the fronts of the houses. Immediately, their property values rise. And, lastly, no one will be goosestepping into your house and telling you what to do.

There is no need, whatsoever, for this to become a tempest in a teapot. Please attend any and all civic meeting relative to this suggestion and ask all of the hard questions. Only then will you be satisfied.

Rosalie Niemczyk Bath