Chilmark Housing Committee
Minutes
Thursday, January 10, 2019 9:00am
Chilmark Town Hall, 401 Middle Road, Chilmark, MA Conference Room 1
Present: Jim Feiner (Chair), Jessica Roddy, Andy Goldman, Ann Wallace, Jessie Holtham (admin)
Others Present: Lucy Morrison (MV Commission Liason), Peter Cook (Planning Board)
Absent: Bill Rossi, Roland Kluver, William Randol, Michelle Leonardi
The chairman called the meeting to order at 9:32 AM when a quorum of the Committee was met.
Lucy Morrison introduced herself as the newly appointed Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) liaison to the Housing Committee. If ever there are questions arising from housing development, transportation, water quality, or maps, Lucy is now our best first point of contact. She also sits on the DCRHA and Edgartown Planning Boards.
The draft FY20 DCRHA administrative budget submitted for review shows a total proposed FY20 administrative budget increasing 16% from FY18. Ann explained last year we saw a $31,000 refund for unutilized admin hiring, which brings the actual increase to only 4.9%. Per the recent Collins Center classification and compensation study this is a reasonable increase. Jim Feiner motioned to approve the budget as-written. Ann Wallace seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 4 Ayes
Housing Committee will bring their budget to the Finance Committee + BoS on Wednesday January 30, 2019 at 7:00PM.
Jessica Roddy read aloud her draft of the CHC 2018 Annual Report and provided admin with the edits. Annual reports are due February 1, 2019.
Jessica provided final edit to “How to Make a Homesite Housing Lot” document. The Committee unanimously voted that the document be finalized, dated and added to the CHC website.
Thomas Huber & Leah Littlefield donated $3,000 to the Molly Flender Municipal Housing Trust on 12/27/18. The chairman sent a thank-you letter.
Jim briefed the CHC on the new Short Term Rental Tax and the Island Housing Bank. Makenzie Brookes recently volunteered as the first administrator of the Housing Bank. Two warrant articles were created and have to be passed to 1) Create and recognize the Housing Bank and 2) to encourage the Towns to commit to a dollar amount (or %) to contribute to the Housing Bank.
Lucy reported that there is a 3rd warrant article in the making that would create a home-rule petition allowing these funds be immediately available to the Housing Bank and not require annual appropriation form the general fund.
As of now there is a 6% State tax plus a 3% Town impact fee – 35% of the 3% going to the Municipal Housing Trust. The Water Protection Trust was initially a mandatory 2.75% for Cape & Islands. The MVC petitioned for and had the Tax law edited to make this Water Trust an optional opt-in.
The CHC finds this an important topic with many questions that is worthy of a public meeting to educate the community ahead of ATM. The committee, with the MVC and Housing Bank, will offer an Open House in early April at the Chilmark Library. Potential dates for two sessions are April 3rd & 10th.
Minutes were approved as written for 10.4.19
Minutes from 11.13.19 were approved as amended.
Meeting adjourned at 10:25AM.
Respectfully Submitted, Jessie A. Holtham.
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