Unapproved minutes
Becket Community Preservation Committee Meeting
Town Hall
2-1-10
7:00 p.m.
Present : Rob Gorden, Rita Furlong, Bob Podolski, Ann Krawet, Mercedes Gallagher, Merydeth Babcock, Ken and Ann Smith, Neil Toomey
Business:
The Board voted to approve the minutes from 11-9-09, with the changes as follows:
The public hearing for proposed projects is rescheduled for 2-15-10; Rita furlong and Tony Blair are handling public notification.
Rob Gorden sought clarification on funded projects from the CPC in Boston
Stuart Saginor replied that the Becket CPC is the body that decides where the funds will come from, whether that is from existing funds or the following fiscal years monies. A discussion followed regarding the necessity for waiting until the CP-3 form was filed before distributing funds. Neil will seek clarification in the form of an e-mail from Katherine Roth.
New Business
Ken and Ann Smith presented a project for repair work on the Mullen House. Jeff Penn, an architect has been retained to advice on priority structural repairs. Foundation and roof repairs have been funded through grants and town appropriations and the next phase of repairs is for insulation, windows, and replacement of the vinyl siding. The funding request is for $17000. Project completion depends on the timing and amount of funding received. All repairs are appropriate for historical restoration purposes. Rob Gorden has information regarding windows and siding for historical purposes. The purpose of the Mullen House is ultimately to be a center for educating and research on a year round basis. This project will dovetail nicely with a project being proposed by the Becket Land Trust for preservation of the nearby Becket
Gorge. Copies of the proposal will be made available on the town’s website. Rob Gorden will receive a hard copy. The Mullen House is on the states historic district being within the historic North Becket Village.
Merydeth Babcock presented a proposal for the protection and acquisition of a right of way for access to the Becket Gorge. This is an open space project. The money, $8000, would be used for a survey of the property. The appraised value is unknown, and to move the project forward deed research and a survey is necessary. The actual size of the area is unknown, but believed to be 2-3 acres. The BLT is interested in making the property of the town owned Becket Gorge accessible to the public. The town would eventually own the property as it is currently contiguous to town owned property. An easement is also possible, along with various other scenarios, but the funding requested is for the metes and bounds can be identified so that the town can leverage any future options on the property.
Mercedes Gallagher presented a project for funding weed pulling at Center Pond. Considerable research was done on her part into other similar projects done in the state using CPA funds. This is an open space project and the request for funding is for a 1, 2, or 3 year funding process (1yr-$2500, 2yr.-$4000, 3yr.-$5500). The invasive milfoil needs to be kept in check, but is nearly impossible to eradicate. The ecology of the body of water is at stake. Rita suggested that we need to educate the town that this problem is not going to go away and funding to protect the resource is necessary. Mercedes expects some portion of the funding to combat this weed to come from the property owners. Concern was raised regarding the use of CPA funds on what could be an annual basis. It was pointed out that protection of water quality is
of the purview of the CPA and falls within the open space guidelines for the CPA. The preferred option would be for option 3 funding for three years, with the likely possibility of the funds being able to be leveraged towards other funding sources. The town accountant would set the funds aside for each year’s disbursements. The consensus was to bring the proposal to the public meeting. The project proposal will be put up on the town’s website.
Rob made a motion to end the meeting, Rita seconded, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:45p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Neil F. Toomey
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