The renovation of the historic Tarkiln Twin Schoolhouses on Summer Street has begun. This week, selectmen voted unanimously to accept a donation worth $16,000 to restore ten antique windows dating to 1871. The donated labor and materials come from Linda Kucera, a Hingham window restoration specialist.

Chairman of the Tarkiln Committee Tag Carpenter brought a two-pane 39-inch window sash that Kucera had recently completed to the selectmen’s meeting. Carpenter said she had completely disassembled the old frame, removed the glass, which was broken under the glazing, and searched and found period glass to use as a replacement. The sash had been painted and varnished and was ready to be re-installed, he said.

“”You couldn’t ask for better results,” Carpenter said.

The value of Kucera’s labor and materials for each sash is worth $1,600 according to Carpenter.

Kucera offered to restore Tarkiln’s historic windows after she came to a spring open house held at the building, said Carpenter.

Selectmen said they plan to publicly recognize Kucera’s efforts.

Town Meeting approved $435,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for the partial restoration of the building, which was shuttered in October 2006 after a heating system failure. The project includes a new roof, septic system, bathrooms and better handicapped accessibility. The interior will also be receive a facelift.

Carpenter told selectmen that the Tarkiln renovation project will begin in earnest soon as the contract to replace the building’s roof is awarded, which he expects will happen next week. Bids for the roof came in well below what was estimated, Carpenter said.

Bids have also been requested for a new septic system. Carpenter said that redoing the septic system, which will be in the front of Tarkiln, would completely disrupt the weekly farmer’s market held there, so he is hoping this project can begin after the market ends in mid-October.

In other business, selectmen:

•    Approved an event permit for the Pilgrim Church to hold a Hunger Walk around the Powder Point neighborhood on Saturday, October 17 from 10 until noon. Approximately fifty walkers are expected. The event is open to the public.

•    Approved a one-day liquor license for a fundraiser for Children Without Borders on Saturday, September 5 from 5- 7 pm at 298 Powder Point Avenue. Selectmen also waived the parking restrictions for one side of that street. Children without Borders is a non-profit organization started by Dr. George Whitelaw of Duxbury to provide medical care for children and families in Costa Rica.

•    Voted to allow BBSC Endurance Sports to hold a relay race in Duxbury on May 1 and 2, 2010.

•    Announced Senator John Kerry’s staff will be available today from 10-11 am at the town hall to meet with citizens.

•    Announced that a representative of the Massachusetts historical Commission will discuss local historic districts on Wednesday, August 26 from 7-9 pm at the Senior Center. The public is invited.

•    Learned that the solar panel from Mass Technology has been installed at Chandler School and the amount of energy it generates can be monitored at www.sunviewer.net/portals/Chandler.

•    Plan to hold an informational meeting with the developers of the Island Creek expansion project. The date has not been announced.

•    Learned that there will be a pre-construction meeting for the pool renovation project this week and that the Birch Street water tank will be completed in mid-September.

•    Met in executive session before their open meeting with members of the King Caesar fund.