Rutland votes against selling Chaffee

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(Host)   More than 150 people attended an emotional meeting in Rutland last night to decide the future of the Chaffee Art Center. Financial difficulties this past year forced the Chaffee to cut programming and staff and close for the winter.  

In a last ditch effort to save the organization, board members recommended they sell their landmark headquarters and find a new, less costly one.   But many in the community felt the historic mansion was too important to give up and a grassroots effort to save the building has gained momentum.   

Last night members of the Chaffee voted overwhelmingly – 83 to 22 – not to sell their building.   Deirdre Erb, a former director of the Chaffee, was pleased.

(Chaffee) "I think sometimes it takes a crisis like this – the threat of the sale of something that’s really precious to you to cause you to really band together as everyone did this evening and make a decision that runs contrary to what was the recommendation."

(Host)  Right after the vote, newly elected members of the Chaffee’s board of directors met to decide how best to move forward.

 

 

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