Post by Truth on Jun 27, 2006 9:26:21 GMT -5
FYI article....
www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/oswego/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1151399867111460.xml
Oswego common councilors Monday night took the first step toward acquiring the historic Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse.
In a unanimous vote, the council gave acting Mayor Randy Bateman permission to send a letter to the U.S. General Services Administration, saying the city wants to be the lighthouse's new owner.
The letter, to be sent in collaboration with the H. Lee White Marine Museum, is due Aug. 1. But Bateman said he plans to have the letter in the mail much sooner.
"The lighthouse is a landmark. It welcomes people to Oswego," Bateman said. "The first step (to acquiring it) is to get the letter of interest submitted to the GSA. I hope to do that in the next few days."
The GSA, the federal government's real estate broker, announced earlier this month it was making the lighthouse available free to "eligible entities" - federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofits or community development organizations.
There are conditions: The lighthouse must be used for historical, recreational or educational purposes, and the public must have access to it.
The lighthouse sits at the end of a 2,000-foot-long break wall, which marks the mouth of the Oswego River and Lake Ontario.
The lighthouse dates to the early 1930s, when the harbor was redesigned and an older structure, built in 1834, was torn down. The 57-foot-high tower is made of steel and cast iron and is painted white with red trim. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Rosemary Nesbitt, founder and director of the H. Lee White Marine Museum in Oswego, said she is glad the council supports sending the letter of interest.
"This is the first step. It's just a formality of getting this letter in," she said.
After Aug. 1, the city and museum will have 90 days to submit a detailed plan for using the lighthouse, Bateman said. The city has yet to come up with such a plan, he said.
Even so, Nesbitt said the talk around town is upbeat.
"I haven't heard a single negative comment. People have called me to say how much they support keeping the lighthouse for the community. The talk is so positive," Nesbitt said. "The only thing is you have to be realistic in terms of raising money to maintain it."
www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/oswego/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1151399867111460.xml
Oswego common councilors Monday night took the first step toward acquiring the historic Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse.
In a unanimous vote, the council gave acting Mayor Randy Bateman permission to send a letter to the U.S. General Services Administration, saying the city wants to be the lighthouse's new owner.
The letter, to be sent in collaboration with the H. Lee White Marine Museum, is due Aug. 1. But Bateman said he plans to have the letter in the mail much sooner.
"The lighthouse is a landmark. It welcomes people to Oswego," Bateman said. "The first step (to acquiring it) is to get the letter of interest submitted to the GSA. I hope to do that in the next few days."
The GSA, the federal government's real estate broker, announced earlier this month it was making the lighthouse available free to "eligible entities" - federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofits or community development organizations.
There are conditions: The lighthouse must be used for historical, recreational or educational purposes, and the public must have access to it.
The lighthouse sits at the end of a 2,000-foot-long break wall, which marks the mouth of the Oswego River and Lake Ontario.
The lighthouse dates to the early 1930s, when the harbor was redesigned and an older structure, built in 1834, was torn down. The 57-foot-high tower is made of steel and cast iron and is painted white with red trim. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Rosemary Nesbitt, founder and director of the H. Lee White Marine Museum in Oswego, said she is glad the council supports sending the letter of interest.
"This is the first step. It's just a formality of getting this letter in," she said.
After Aug. 1, the city and museum will have 90 days to submit a detailed plan for using the lighthouse, Bateman said. The city has yet to come up with such a plan, he said.
Even so, Nesbitt said the talk around town is upbeat.
"I haven't heard a single negative comment. People have called me to say how much they support keeping the lighthouse for the community. The talk is so positive," Nesbitt said. "The only thing is you have to be realistic in terms of raising money to maintain it."
