Editor, The Smithfield Times:

The Times building is a Smithfield treasure and historic landmark in Smithfield. It has housed the local hometown paper for over a century. That is at least five generations of Smithfield residents, workers and visitors who have been impacted by this building. 

When you put that in perspective and think about the power of familiar and comforting sites, the Times building is one of those special things. The Times building and Times Square could always be counted on to not change. I am fully in support of letting the Times owner, Steve Stewart, purchase this building from the town to ensure that many more generations who live, work and visit Smithfield have the same experience of seeing our hometown paper remain in its historic location.  

There is so much changing here. Look at what we have already lost just in the last three years: the historic site at Pierceville to a developer and the Old Red Barn behind the Smithfield Inn.  This is one thing that we need to preserve to attempt to hold on to our small-town feel and quality of life. 

I have heard that the town is looking at selling this landmark building to another business for less than we paid for it, which is fiscally irresponsible and a waste of taxpayer money. This does not make sense. Why would we do this when Mr. Stewart, the Times owner, has offered to pay appraised value. He has had a standing offer to the town for over a year-and-a-half.  

The Town Council will be holding a public hearing on the sale of this building on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m. at The Smithfield Center. Once the hearing is completed the council will vote on the sale. Please make your opinion known by coming to this meeting and sharing your concerns about losing this most important feature of our historic downtown. 

This very unique building with its long history as the home for our local paper, The Smithfield Times, needs to be protected and preserved as our newspaper’s location. DO THE RIGHT THING: Protect and save the Times building for future generations. 

 

Mary Harris

Smithfield