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2 Tuesday, August 22, 2017 GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES FROM PAGE ONE www.gloucestertimes.com Putting pieces in place BOOKSTORE Ann and her husband AUDIT City Council President Joe Continued from Page 1 John have been taking Continued from Page 1 Ciolino, who had previously expressed concern over the fictions books set in Cape their three children, unpaid two-week suspension months of delay, said Mon- Ann. now adults, Paul, and other sanctions to Con- day he would be glad to see “We come in and buy ners over allegations the city an audit go forward, even in something to support it 48, Elizabeth, 46, has never defined. The city preliminary form. because it helps the environ- and Sam, 45, to the passed on information from “Anything like this isn’t ment,” she said. The store, its own investigations to the going to happen overnight,” which opened on the coun- bookstore when visiting office of Essex District Attor- he said, “and it’s been (eight) try’s first Earth Day in 1972, Ann’s mother since ney Jonathan Blodgett, who, years since we did the previ- has used its proceeds to sup- in turn, forwarded them on ous one. We need to get a port regional environmental they were toddlers. to the state AG’s office and sense of what best practices projects. The store operates federal officials. are, and what we should be as a nonprofit under the looking to do once we get HADLEY GREEN/Staff photo umbrella organization Essex of vernal ponds and why Moving forward ready to look for a chief. County Ecology Center. A customer shops at Toad Hall Bookstore in Rockport. they’re important tempo- The city has heeded a call “None of this has anything “It’s more of a rarity than rary wetlands. from the U.S. Attorney’s to do with John (McCarthy) ever before. One of the downstairs into the kids’ the late Buck Robinson, who “It’s a lot easier to get office to hold off on pursu- — he’s doing a terrific job, we charms of Rockport is that room,” Ann Broderick founded Toad Hall. grants once you’ve already ing its departmental audit know he will continue to do a it has these things,” Zecher recalled. A spiral staircase Linda O’Toole, 70, of gotten grants, so after we got until its investigation is com- terrific job, and he’s said he said, “There’s not a regular winds downstairs into the Tewksbury, grew up in the Toad Hall grant we got a pleted, which spokeswoman will stay as long as we need bookstore back where we children’s room and upstairs Gloucester and has been bunch of other ones and we Christina DiOrio-Sterling him,” Ciolino added. “But live, with new things coming to the used books and young going to Toad Hall since ultimately finished the proj- indicated Monday ongoing. we do have to get a sense of in every week.” adult sections. she was old enough to read. ect,” Roth said. “They were Last week, Judge James what we need and what we “I think that spiral stair- “It’s disappointing and sad,” very supportive.” F. Lang, hearing the case of need to do. He can have the Books a family affair case is responsible for me O’Toole said. “This is like a After the project was fin- a man charged in the 2015 job for as long as he wants it Ann Broderick grew up in getting a degree in Eng- historical landmark.” ished, “Buck” Nelson, who shooting of a bouncer out- as far as I’m concerned, but Pigeon Cove with her sister, lish,” Sam Broderick said. Rick Drost of Rockport was started Toad Hall, enjoyed side Gloucester’s Mingle- it would be good to put all Moira O’Conner, and the two They also remember sitting buying books with his four the video they gave him so wood Tavern, ordered the these pieces in place.” used to come to Toad Hall in front of Toad Hall for the children, Julia, 13, Anna, 11, much that he showed it in release of the AG’s and U.S. The previous MRI audit Bookstore with their parents, Fourth of July parade every Sophia, 7, and Erik, 11, on the store and had it running attorney’s reports regarding found a variety of prob- and continued the tradition year. Monday. The family was in there for about a year. “It Conners to the defense attor- lems within the Police and with their own children. “Now where am I going to shopping for books after get- ran all day long and he sold ney, but also ordered that the Fire departments, and led Ann and her husband John get this stuff?” Ann Broder- ting gift cards to the store it in the store as well as some lawyer not share them with to the retirements under have been taking their three ick asked as she held one of for their birthdays. “It’s sad of our other products,” Roth anyone else because of the then-Mayor Carolyn Kirk of children, now adults, Paul, 48, the store’s unique books set to see a local business close,” said. ongoing probe. police Chief John Beaudette Elizabeth, 46, and Sam, 45, to in Cape Ann. “It would be Drost said. “This is a great Toad Hall gave the Cape Destino said Monday the and fire Chief Barry McKay. the bookstore when visit- nice if they could open up place to get gift certificates.” Ann Vernal Pond Team city is looking to “tweak the Among other issues, the ing Ann’s mother since they somewhere else ... it’s just The Drosts shop local in town another grant years later to scope” of the probe in a way audit cited command issues were toddlers. Now the Brod- too bad,” she said. whenever they can to sup- work on certifying vernal to allow it to move forward. at emergency scenes, which ericks, who live in Whitman, port the local economy. pools, which is how habi- The audit aims to revisit led to the addition of full- come to visit Rockport often Hopes for another store tats become protected. The the damning audit of the time, non-union assistant and always stop by Toad Hall. Directors plan to sell the Giving to the community team used the money to help city’s Police and Fire depart- chiefs, one of which was O’Conner, 77, remembers business and hope another Toad Hall, named after the them certify 175 ponds out ments that MRI carried out McCarthy, who was named Toad Hall before it was Toad bookstore will open in town. estate in Buck Robinson’s of around 300 on Cape Ann. in 2009, to identify structural to the assistant’s post in Hall, when it was a bank. Toad Hall’s departure will favorite childhood book, When the team finished the and other problems with the 2012. Mike Lane had served “It was the only little classy leave Art Longwood Books, “The Wind in the Willows,” project, it had $75 leftover police department today. The as interim police chief from place to visit,” she said. Now at 33 Broadway, the town’s has given more than $120,000 and Toad Hall let the group results would be used to lay 2009 through 2012, when the she lives in Raleigh, North only bookstore. It special- in grants over its 45 years to keep it. the groundwork for search- city hired Campanello. Carolina, and returns to izes in books on art history, scores of projects initiated by “They’ve been great sup- ing and hiring a permanent Those positions had Rockport once a year to visit. architecture, design, modern Cape Ann schools, according porters of us and we hate to chief to succeed McCarthy, remained in place until this Those yearly trips always thought, history, and fluctu- to the directors. see them go,” Roth said. “It 59. McCarthy is a 39-year year, when both were left out include a stop at Toad Hall. ating groups of books in a Cape Ann Vernal Pond was always a fun bookstore” veteran of the department of the city’s budget for fiscal “It’s sad,” she said. “If any variety of subjects. Team Executive Director The store will host a “com- who has long been eligible 2018, which began July 1. other time kids need books, If another bookstore does Rick Roth said that Toad munity celebration” to mark for retirement, though he has Destino said the city hopes it’s these days.” open, it probably would not Hall was the first grant this Toad Hall’s 45 years of ser- not submitted papers to step to resurrect those positions The family is disappointed be in Toad Hall’s location at group was ever awarded. vice to the community. aside, Destino said. “as soon as we can.” to hear that a store they have 47 Main St. The 1926 build- That was in 1995 and the Mary Markos may be con- Destino said talks with “But there are some things made so many memories in ing is the original home of team used the money for tacted at 978-675-2708 or the U.S. Attorney’s office we need to look at — includ- will close at the end of fall. the Granite Savings Bank a 15-minute video proj- mmarkos@gloucestertimes. indicated that the office’s ing their (salary) levels,” he “They always went and is owned by the family of ect that tells the story com call to hold off on any audit said.