Providence Athenaeum insurgency: and then there was one

I haven't posted much on the aftermath of the abortive takeover attempt at the Providence Athenaeum, largely because the judge's ruling, when it came, was so decisive that the plaintiffs' subsequent decision to appeal seemed to speak for itself.

Unfortunately, this action, pointless and obsessive as it might be, has been enough to put the Audubon sale on hold yet again. Meanwhile, the nature of the opposition has been further revealed by the abandonment of the suit by all of the plaintiffs but one. As a column in the most recent Providence Phoenix reports:

At the time, P&J were told by a few friends who had been long-time Athenaeum members that it was one person, Frank Mauran, who objected to the sale and that he convinced a few other members to join him in his opposition. Subsequent events tend to bear this out. After the overwhelmingly one-sided Silverstein decision, all of those who challenged the Athenaeum’s right to sell the Audubon portfolio dropped the issue. All, that is, except Frank Mauran. P&J called Mr. Mauran for comment, asking him why he is continuing with his actions against the Athenaeum board. His only comment was, "I’d rather not discuss it at this time."

This month, because Mr. Mauran (and only Mr. Mauran) is continuing to battle the Athenaeum board, retired judges Weisberger and Shea will hear mediation in the case.

Tim Philbrick, a nationally recognized furniture maker [and] long-time Athenaeum member . . . told your superior correspondents that Mr. Mauran (who apparently has deep pockets) has been an internal critic at the Athenaeum ever since the library changed from a shareholder to a membership organization a number of years ago.

Yet as we noted here, the change to public nonprofit status took place over 30 years ago, with no complaints voiced until the Audubon controversy exploded the year before last. The chances of Mauran prevailing are virtually nil, inasmuch as what he is seeking is (as we wrote here)

to seize control of a 501(c)3 nonprofit against the wishes of its current members, close it to the general public (who have subsidized it with tax exemptions for the past 30 years), and transfer ownership of it and all its assets to a select group of Providence oldtimers.

Posted by David on January 30, 2005 12:15 PM