We heard that Congressman Moulton's office and Parker River Refuge Manager Matt Hillman thought things had "died down" when it came to public reaction to his proposed demolition of The iconic Pink House. Matt says he also believes there is a silent majority who want to see it taken down. 

This week proved that wrong. 

News of a Pink House Rally went viral, spreading through not just our Newsletter and Social Media, but through other town pages, to Theater in the Open and the Newburyport Preservation Trust, to event invites to several private newsletters.

We got an influx of new Followers, inquires, letters with suggestions and offers to help, and it launched a series of Letters to the Editor of the Daily News, as well front page stories on the Town Common for the last 3 weeks. 

​Thousands of people are certainly awake and paying attention, just as we believe The Pink House will be listed for Auction - a process which can still be stopped. 

This rally served to put elected officials, The US Fish and Wildlife Service and Matt Hillman on notice.

This is part of an ongoing series to tackle commonly asked question or misconceptions, one at a time, to help everyone educate themselves before forming an opinion. 

On occasion, we hear "There are so many other causes that are more important to spend this effort on, like housing - not just this one house."

We know there are as many causes as there are people to take them on. Not all of us can work on everything that matters. In fact, each of us probably care about too many causes to contribute to them all.

We trust there are some focused on housing - which we agree is beyond worthy- while we are taking care of this house, which matters to the tourist bureau, to businesses, to many of the regions fundraisers, to artists and photographers worldwide and thousands upon thousands here and afar who have flooded us, elected officials and FWS saying they want us to continue our work to save and restore it.

What many are missing is that this stands to be a huge win for FWS. We wanted to help them conserve up to hundreds of truly pristine marsh acres locally or anywhere in the country which is the purpose of the land swap they proposed.

Did you know FWS Realty chiefs called US up 2.5 years ago, inviting us into another partnership for land swap precisely because it would be so much more beneficial to their mission to get rid of this acre, which had become so valuable monetarily that they could trade it for hundreds of acres of new land to conserve?

They asked us to complete a series of steps —and pay for them—- which we did while they cosigned all the way. It’s public record if you’d like to check it out. It took 18 months and the pro bono services of approximately 80 people. This mattered enough to them to do so too! 
And when it came time for FWS to provide the land, they did not succeed and within months, simply decided to stop. Without letting us- who they repeatedly described as partners - know about their plan to remove the house.  

Please scroll back through our blog to read more and look for the next installments of this series.  If you have a question to ask, please write us with it at [email protected]

Knowing the The Pink House was weeks from being listed for auction, Support the Pink house President, Rochelle Joseph, began meeting with municipal and state elected officials starting with Mayor Reardon on May 25. We reached out to Michael Colburn, Salisbury Select Board Chair , Alicia Grecco, Newbury Select Board Chair, Geof Walker, Newbury Selectman, Newburyport City Council President Ed Cameron, Amesbury Mayor Gove, State Rep Kristin Kassner, State Senator Bruce Tarr and Governor Healy's Senior Advisor, as well as the Lt. Governor. 

FWS and Moulton's office has been saying things were dying down. We realized that perhaps the municipal and state elected officials didn't know just HOW MUCH work and response was still going on daily, because we knew it absolutely had not. Many people continue to contact us daily, join our mailing list and social media, make suggestions and ask questions. And increasingly, prominent leaders in the area, business owners, attorneys, even lobbyists who have relationships with Moulton, Markey and Warren took it upon themselves to intervene to ask why they are not stepping in to change things. 

OUR MESSAGE: This has not died down. The effect of the removal of The Pink House on this region was not to be underestimated.  And the auction is imminent. 

OUR ASK: STEP in on behalf of your constituents if the federal delegation, who has been flooded with calls and emails from constituents, is not responding as they are duty bound to do (and instead seem to be protecting FWS's objectives). Meet as a group with Seth Moulton in person - not his people, without FWS or STPH there - and talk about what can be done before it's too late. 

The idea elected officials meeting with out pressure, a need to censor or interference from invested parties, might be able to get closer to an honest discussion.   

We asked them to fight for this cause the way they had fought for Whittier, for Salisbury Sand, and other recent issues. And asked that they fight for their constituents and their businesses, artists, tourism and historic values. If they all went together and meet with Seth Moulton himself, who could fault them for doing what they are voted in to do? By all of them going together, no one would be sticking their neck out. 

Lastly, we suggested that they meet without FWS or Support The Pink House to increase the chance they could talk frankly about a solution. 

The one hitch: FWS would only give a 3 week window for when the auction would start - even elected officials -- and that window kept changing. 

Everything seemed to be set, but when Chair Greco reached out to Kelly Bovio at Moulton's office to find out about dates, the meeting was immediately dismantled, steering to meeting with Matt Hillman about land swap. And this is how it happens. Weeks of work go into a perfectly rational plan, and as soon as it gets to Moulton's office, things get blocked.  Greco didn't know that STPH's attorney had reached out way over everyone's heads to the DOI attorney, and had submitted these new lands STPH found, trying to talk with the decision makers about them. Those meetings were deflected for 3 months, and interestingly, the same day Bovio was called, the DOI refused to do the meeting we were so close to getting.  When that was corrected, She was told that Seth would not meet without Matt Hillman there. 

This was not the purpose of the meeting. When Moulton's office would not shift, naturally the ask was to have STPH also present, if FWS would be. The answer was no. 
At this point, several attendees saw it for the sham it was becoming and kind of fell off. 
We suggested they not waste their time, welcome to how things have gone behind the scenes that the public just doesn't realize. 

And this is how it goes. It's been a terrible look at how politics works up close, even at our local level.

Considering how many of Congressman Moulton's voters and major donors live in the towns that most benefit from business and tourism generated by The Pink House, they are not happy with this inexplicable standoff. ​

Today the Merrimack River Beach Alliance (MRBA) met at PITA Hall. Led by Senator Tarr, this is a public meeting that happens regularly Matt Hillman’s Pink House update was last on the agenda. There was about 13 minutes. There was little info new to us, and what was stated was not specific.

​*GSA process is still underway to put house up for auction in the next few weeks. * There will be a “For Sale” sign on the house 
*There will be a website for info and bidding on The Pink House. 

*FWS is lobbying for it to start at the lowest bid possible. We learned yesterday that they don’t think the auction will succeed, so understandably, setting the big as low as possible would be the way to a) avoid having to demolish it themselves and the optics with it, b) throw more funds after bad for the demo. 

*There will be a 30 to 60 day bidding period. 

A prominent business owner and Pink House supporter asked, ”Why are we here, when there when there are several viable land swap options are on the table, two of which I facilitated?" Matt answered that in his opinion they weren’t viable after looking at them for various reasons. 

STPH President Rochelle Joseph spoke up about how Support The Pink House are actually the people who have worked every day of the last 8-9 years and did things exactly the way FWS wanted. 

​She pointed out that FWS asked for fresh options – and the town of Newbury asking that the much needed house /acre be reclaimed and go back on their tax rolls is just that. The town asked that Matt give them even 4 weeks to work out that option. Especially when Newbury’s elected officials, staff and committee members have also worked along side STPH on all the things FWS requested. Matt did not answer it directly, instead returned to something about land trade being exhausted. 

STPH also made comments -- for those in attendance to know. Rochelle asked why the higher ups at FWS have been stonewalling Support The Pink house and the public's calls and letters, and why, when Matt himself has admitted the auction probably won’t work, they give respect to those of us who have worked so hard in partnership with them all these years to take a few more weeks to work out Newbury's request. Because FWS acquired land can be disposed of by not jut a land trade but also by n State or Town Cooperative Agreement. 

Matt said the Realty Division at Fish & Wildlife doesn’t have the ability to keep going down this path. Rochelle pleaded that they just allow 3-4 more weeks for town of Newbury to make plans to acquire the property. Matt again repeated that 8 years has been long enough and the question about Newbury was not answered.

​Senator Tarr offered that this could be a further conversation for another time. 

Senator Tarr – there is precious little time left. 

The town of Newbury's Select Board Chair, Alicia Grecco, has been meeting with federal and state elected officials to work toward finding a way to return The Pink House and its acre of upland to Newbury's vital tax rolls. The owners, US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) pay very little taxes on all the buildings and land they own in Newbury. This should be something they agree to.

It is a good solution, and one that Support The Pink House (STPH) endorses.  Senator Markey, Congressman Moulton or Senator Warren could absolutely facilitate this. How?

Though all these years we have only been told about land swap, yet our research showed that the Congressional Research Service lists other ways that acquired federal lands can be released from ownership: 

1. As part of an authorized land trade
2. Pursuant to a cooperative agreement with a state or local government
3. The Secretary (of the Interior) determines the lands are no longer needed for the National Wildlife Reserve systems purposes in the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved the disposal.

Aside from these limited authorities, NWRS areas administered by the FWS can be removed from the NWRS only by an act of Congress. (like a bill). 

The Governor, and Senator Tarr and Reps Kassner and Shand can help with #2 and should call on the federal delegation to join them. We are just wondering why didn't all work on it a year ago. On August 22, 2023, Support The Pink House sent a letter to Congressman Moulton and Senators Markey and Warren, ccing with the request to meet and  discuss them. We did so because FWS was failing to produce the land they promised it was "their job" to do. 

We should have known something was up when the Federal Delegation's response was ZERO.

Today, the efforts by Chair Greco and the municipal and state elected officials who support it, is an 11th 3/4 hour solution that has every reason to work. Several people have reached out to Governor Healy and Lt. Governor Driscoll to assist, and we hope they do respond.  Support the Pink House will be writing to their contact at Governor's office as well.  Chair Grecco is focused and determined to do all she can.

If anyone reading this has a connection to the Lt. Governor or Governor Healy, please write us immediately at [email protected]. 

As the clock runs down in the US Fish and Wildlife's (FWS) plans to remove the iconic Pink House, we want you to know that efforts to engage Congressman Moulton have not let up. He did quite a bit of campaign activity in this area, while refusing to meet with municipal and state, elected officials about options to save the house, but the Pink House project was ever-present in his schedule.

Thursday night, June 13th, with only two hours notice, his staff ran a virtual town Hall meeting. At least 3 Pink House supporters submitted questions via his online form. One caller also hoped to ask on air. She was notified that she was next up, but Moulton announced he had taken his last call. Regardless, Pink House questions were on their records.   

Saturday afternoon, June 15 th, a Support the Pink House (STPH) board member. Spoke with Seth at a backyard fundraiser in W. Newbury.  Because Seth does not have staffers to block him, he was able to talk to Seth for about 7 minutes. The topic was the wasteful costs involved in FWS current plans, and that the PH acre, which FWS says is too valuable to surplus (one solution), will be come unbuildable within 2 years after removing the house, and drop in value by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Congressman Moulton should care about that, as should Senators Markey and Warren, seeing as Congress funds FWS, along with constituent tax dollars. Yet Seth deferred our board member to his people to follow up, who have seemed committed to dismantling any effort to be productive or effect change in this matter.  

We know those staffers do not attend these fundraising meet and greets. A year ago, STPH's President spoke to Seth at one where he agreed to get on a call about other ways besides land swap that Congress could utilize to release the PH/acre from federal ownership. We reached out to his District Director, and Markey and Warren's reps, but as is the norm, the call with Moulton never happened. He knows STPH board are professional people who are representing a cause on behalf of HIS constituents, same as he should be.

On Monday, June 17, Moulton came to the Newburport Waterfront ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Reardon. Several well known business owners came dressed in pink wearing Pink House stickers. After saying a few words, the Congressman took off like lightening with his District Director. Everyone was a little shocked. A reporter ran after him, only to see his car had vanished. Upon his return, the reporter was heard saying he'd never seen than happen before.  

Through all this time, the area municiple and state elected officials asked Seth to meet with them to talk about saving The Pink House, knowing that there would be a huge public reaction if The Pink House came down. We suggested that the meeting not include STPH or FWS, so they could talk together with some hope of being frank. 

It's a shame that people have to go to such lengths to get Congressman Moulton to personally address this high optics issue now just 4 months from the election. The op ed and form letters in response were hollow, and people were not happy with them. Whether or not he's unopposed this cycle, you'd think he'd embrace doing something so positive and tangible for his constituents -- not in Washington, D.C., but right here where he calls home. 

If the Pink House is removed, the public will be holding both FWS and the elected officials who could change this outcome responsible. 

Maybe it's time for new, and more effective representation for this district. 

If things continue on the course that Parker River Wildlife Refuge and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has set, The Pink House will go up for auction in the next few weeks.  

As auctioned, the house would be taken away, broken apart or whole, to another location. And the perpetual preservation restriction that Support The Pink House (STPH) worked hard to create through the MA Historical Commission, to ensure its signature silhouette and pink color would forever stay the same, would not transfer with the house.  

If the auction is unsuccessful, FWS would proceed with active demolition of The Pink House. 

​A sole public meeting was held on this issue of high interest, at the urging of State Senator Bruce Tarr, 3 weeks after FWS announced their decision to remove the iconic Pink House. The Daily News reported that not one representative from the federal delegation attended the meeting. 

Despite FWS's report that 78% of the responses to their 30-day comment period wanted to keep The Pink House right where it is -- added to the flood of letters and calls to the federally elected officials who's job it is to assist constituents with federal agencies -- this is still the outcome. 

Though FWS said all options had been exhausted, Support The Pink House volunteers found and submitted several parcels that fit FWS's criteria. Some were adjacent to other refuges, some came from land trusts (both ideal to FWS). Some were offered by wonderful locals seeking to keep the Pink House standing, whose land off Rte.1A abuts the Parker River Refuge -- criteria that Refuge Manager Matt Hillman specifically requested only a month prior. All the trade parcels provided value to FWS in different ways. All were rejected. 

STPH's wetland attorney met multiple times with Hillman, going over in detail why FWS chose to decline each of the land options STPH submitted. Our attorney offered solutions, and volunteered his expertise to help it work and further increase the efficiency of the trade --an offer which still stands. 

STPH's Board even met with the Board of the Friends of the Parker River Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit whose purpose is to provide for Refuge needs. It was a very positive meeting that produced an understanding of the many still viable solutions available and confirmed that they could take donations to fund FWS, should it be needed, to help shore up the house while a solution occurs. 

Remember, STPH's local Restoration Partner has been on board for years, ready to buy any land FWS wants, anywhere in the country, to trade with them for the Pink House. He's patiently waited to take ownership and fulfill his personal pledge to restore the house and grounds as pictured, according to STPH's perpetual preservation restriction.

This could still be completed in time to celebrate The Pink House's 100th birthday in 2025, and ensure this beloved cultural landmark, economic driver, tourist draw and artistic muse would continue to welcome and inspire generations to come.  

Of all those wins for our region, this outcome would be of the greatest benefit to FWS. It would make heroes of all elected officials for keeping their commitments until this succeeds,  and would be a boon for the town of Newbury, who would recoup a needed home and vital taxes that are not paid under federal ownership.
​
Everything is in place to save and restore The Pink House. 

We call on political leaders who have the power to make this happen, like Congressman Moulton, to step in and make good on his commitment to see this project through to completion. Saving the Pink House can still be accomplished, but time is growing short. There are only days from FWS listing The Pink House for auction.

As a community, this region has certainly tried everything. STPH has not stopped our efforts because so many people continue to contact us every single day. Our efforts have been bolstered by business owners, organizations, prominent leaders and attorneys who have increasingly reached out personally to our political leaders with whom they have existing relationships, as they have the power to stop this unnecessary outcome. 

Yet here we are. 

Take your photos, bring your canvases, savor your rides past. Greet the special light at sunrise and marvel as each sunset makes The Pink House's windows glow, seemingly from within. Wish upon the stars above the cupola while you can, because it's looking like it will be your last chance. 

​The question is: WHY?