By BILL SHEEHAN

Recorder News Staff
 

TOWN OF AMSTERDAM — The group spearheading efforts to preserve the remains of the Sanford thoroughbred farm has decided to hire a professional consultant to help raise both funds and public awareness of the cause.
 

The Friends of the Sanford Stud Farm agreed Wednesday night to a three-month trial contract with Thomas Collins, of Collins Communications, who met with the group last month to discuss what he might be able to do.
 

"We needed to take it up a notch and I think he's going to be a big plus for us," said FSSB president Sam Hildebrandt.
 

Collins' job, according to Hildebrandt, will be to create new informational materials, distribute them, and "expand the word" on the effort to save what is left of Hurricana Farms in the middle of the growing Route 30 commercial strip.
 

"He plans to target the thoroughbred community and that, to me, is encouraging. He'll also help us with event planning which we hope will generate some more interest in what we're doing here," he said.
 

Hildebrandt said the group would like to hold an open house on the town-owned property Saturday, June 21, for what he said would be more of an "awareness program" rather than a fundraising event.
 

The event, at which he hopes to bring some big racing names as added attractions, would allow people to get closer looks at the broodmare and "jumping horse" barns.
 

"We've made a mistake so far in trying to sell our passion. It's an intangible that people can't wrap their arms around so we're going to change our approach," said Hildebrandt, hoping that a first-hand look will show people the project's potential.
 

"Sure, it's a 130 years old, but it's salvageable and maybe we could get more of the general public on board with us," he said.
 

Hildebrandt is hopeful that concurrent with the open house, would be the beginnings of repairs to the roof of the structure, bids for which are being prepared by the town's consulting engineer.
 

Issues over the makeup of the roof have been part of delays in addressing the project.
 

Hildebrandt says officials may be surprised if they take samples because, based on photographic evidence, he doesn't think there are any shingles to take into consideration.
 

The initial layer, he believes, are sheets of tin with leaded seams with perhaps a rolled roofing that was applied later and tarred.
 

"From what I can see there are no shingles at all," said Hildebrandt, who says he is "confident" that some work, even partial repairs, will be undertaken this construction season.
 

"I think once people start to see that work going on, they'll start understanding the effort more," he said.

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Contact Bill Sheehan at billsheehan@recordernews.com.