The chance to retain Gorham’s town clock is now up to the congregation at the First Parish Church – thanks to a gift from a Gorham couple.
Tuesday night, with Town Councilor Brenda Caldwell abstaining, the Gorham Town Council passed a measure, 6-0, offering the church a 99-year lease to house the clock, for $1 a year. First Parish has until March 30 to accept the town’s offer. Mark Faunce, church moderator, said he expected a vote before the end of the month.
The clock, a gift from Toppan Robie, was in the church steeple since 1868, but was removed last fall for restoration. Because taxpayer money was used to cover repairs, a question of the separation of church and state arose if the clock were to be returned to church.
But that issue was resolved Tuesday when Town Councilor Mike Phinney announced that his parents, John and Rosamond Phinney, had offered to donate $38,000 – the cost of repairing the clock – to the church for reimbursement to the town. The town had set aside $75,000 for the project, but has spent only $38,000 so far.
The debate over the clock had divided families, town council, church members and the community since it first arose last May. The conflict centered on whether to re-install the clock in either the steeple or vestibule of the church, or to move it to the municipal center. Last month, the council deadlocked in a 3-3 vote to put the clock in the municipal center.
“This clock business has been a conundrum for the town,” Town Councilor Burleigh Loveitt said.
Under the lease terms outlined, the church has to make the works of the clock available for public view. The Rev. David Butler, pastor at the church, told the council the church plans to place the clock mechanism in an old organ chamber off the balcony. Butler said that room is at the bottom of the steeple.
“It will be in a room of its own,” Butler said.
The clock faces will remain in the steeple, and the re-located mechanism will move the hands.
The church is also required to insure the clock for a minimum of $100,000, an amount that would have to be adjusted over the life of the lease. The church is also responsible for the clock’s annual maintenance.
Norm Justice, chairman of the town council, urged the church to make the clock accessible for the handicapped. Justice said he wants the clock available for everyone to see. After the meeting, Faunce said he took Justice’s request to heart and would make sure that it’s addressed.
The Phinneys were lauded for the donation, which was central to resolving the debate. Faunce said after the council meeting that the gift was key.
“We can’t thank them enough,” Faunce said.
“A very generous gesture,” said Butler.
“I felt something had to be done,” John Phinney, who represents the eighth generation of Gorham’s first settler, said Wednesday morning. “It seemed to be the critical time to do it.”
Faunce went to Freeport recently to view the clock at Balzer Family Clock Works. “It’s a beautiful work of art, people are going to want to see this,” Faunce said. “The Balzers have done amazing work.”
Butler thanked Loveitt, who chaired the council’s clock committee, for his “dogged” work in reaching a compromise on the clock.
“A month ago I didn’t think this had a chance,” Butler said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
