An early draft of a monument dedicated to the people of the town drew considerable conversation from attendees and selectmen during Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting.
John Kaufhold, owner of Peterborough Marble & Granite, proposed a monument that would stand approximately 5 1/2 feet tall, and 5 to 6 feet wide. It would be carved from a one-foot thick slab of marble. Kaufhold suggested the monument be placed in front of the community center and that it could be moved if further renovations to the building render the site unusable.
The conceptual monument is embossed with the words “This monument is erected to continually remind us of all the hardworking citizens and their organizations past & present who have made & continue to make Peterborough ‘a good town to live in.’” The sentiment is placed above large lettering which says “Welcome to… Peterborough, a good town to live in.” Below the town slogan is an emblem of a handshake between two individuals with the words “where a handshake seals the deal.”
When the Recreation Committee approved the notion of a monument in town during its July meeting, it did so on the contingency that the concept be adjusted. Concerns raised by the committee surrounded the wording of the monument seeming exclusionary to some demographics in the town, including those without a long history in the region and those without businesses. Another concern, which Select Board Chairman Tyler Ward raised in the meeting, was that it resembled a tombstone.
“Someone mentioned ‘tombstone,’ and that’s all I see when I look at this,” said Ward. “And I’m sorry, but I can’t get past that.”
Kaufhold, whose business is oriented heavily around making tombstones, saw no issue with Ward’s qualm.
“There’s nothing wrong with tombstones, either,” said Kaufhold.
Ward went on to raise a concern about the expensive appearance of a slab of marble sitting a mere 60 to 80 feet from the town food pantry.
Ward said that at least a dozen citizens had approached him about the concept and that they were not pleased with the proposed location. He also took issue with the “handshake seals the deal” aspect of the piece, fearing a parallel to corruption. A representative from the Recreation Committee who was present said they had told Kaufhold they were “uncomfortable” with the same aspects that the Select Board was and had suggested a change.
After a 20-minute presentation from Kaufhold and 20 minutes of questions from both the Select Board and the audience, the concept was ultimately tabled.