The Editor:
I want to thank Gary and Cindy Lou Vogt for their thoughtful and heartfelt letter to the community, and thank you for printing it in the March 13 issue.
When I first learned of the plans to turn their historic home into a community-centered library, I was excited and so pleased that this beautiful home would be preserved.
More recently I found out that those plans, sadly, have been changed. Apparently, the research, expertise and estimates that should have been completed before the property was purchased, were either completely overlooked or very poorly done, causing this present dilemma.
The property was purchased with the understanding that this beautiful historic home would be preserved and remain on the original property. Since that is no longer the case, it should most certainly be sold back to the Vogts, as agreed.
As the recent voting (twice now) has proven, the community is not in support of moving forward with a library in that location at this time. Another reason to sell it back to the Vogts.
It has been my observation that the people who call Birch Bay home have a balance of dreams and practicality, and a knowing that history is valuable. When the time is right, there will be a library. Hopefully, a community treasure like the Vogt home will not be a casualty of that process.
I don’t know if it is possible, but I would love to see this property added to the National Register of Historic Places. That would encourage its preservation for the future, no matter who owns it or what use it may eventually have for the community. It is a lovely example of craftsman architecture and has historic significance to the Birch Bay community.
Hopefully, the WCLS will do the right thing. Listen to the voters, keep their word to the Vogts, and sell the property back to them. When the time is right, a suitable property will be found.
Christena Miller
Birch Bay
(Ed note: See WCLS response on the next page).
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