Community Preservation Committee Meeting
Thursday, September 4, 2003
The Community Preservation Committee held a meeting in the Mural Room, Lower Level of the Town Hall beginning at 8:00 a.m. Members present included Chairman Holly Morris, Jody Hall, Tony Kelso, Pat Loring, Arthur Vautrain and George Wadsworth. Diane Bartlett was absent. Also present was Joe Grady, Conservation Administrator
PUBLIC FORUM
No subject was brought forth.
HOUSING CR'S
There was nothing new to report. The Chairman is still trying to arrange a meeting with Town Counsel and Judi Barrett.
SWANSON PROPERTY
Mr. Grady reported that the deed to the Town was recorded at the Registry of Deeds on 9/3/03.
WRIGHT BUILDING
Ms. Morris reported that there was nothing new to report and that she was still waiting for the Town Manager to appoint the RFP Committee. When Mr. Longo arrived at the meeting, the Chairman asked for a status report. Mr. Longo reported he was waiting for the Youth Commission to meet, since three members of that Committee were to be involved with the RFP. Ms. Hall questioned the makeup of the RFP Committee. It was suggested that the Town Meeting record be checked.
CONSERVATION RESTRICTION ENDOWMENT
Holly Morris and Pat Loring recused themselves from this discussion. Mr. Wadsworth was Acting Chairman. Also present for the discussion were Rocco Longo, Town Manager and Mark Primack, Executive Director of the Wildlands Trust. Mr. Primack explained the purpose of conservation restrictions and the stewardship endowments. During the discussion, Mr. Primack agreed to review the proposed cost calculations and factor in abutters to the parcels. Since the Committee will have to get Town Meeting vote for the stewardship endowment, Mr. Vautrain commented on the importance of written documentation in order to justify the expense to Town Meeting. When asked, Mr. Primack indicated that if anything happened to the Wildlands Trust, the responsibility for the conservation restrictions would be offered
to the Trustees of Reservations. Mr. Vautrain noted that in future land acquisitions, these endowment costs would be included in the Town Meeting articles as part of the costs for the purchase of conservation land. The Committee also discussed installing concrete bounds along the property boundaries and the benefit of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that defines the responsibilities of the Wildlands Trust and the Town for each parcel. For the next meeting Mr. Primack and Mr. Grady will review the stewardship calculations and Mr. Grady would obtain estimates for installing concrete bounds as well as an estimate for legal expenses.
At the end of this discussion, Ms. Morris and Ms. Loring returned to the Committee meeting and Ms. Morris took over as Chairman.
OTHER BUSINESS
The Committee reviewed the draft minutes of the meeting for 8/7/03. Ms. Loring made a motion that was seconded by Ms. Hall
Motion: to approve the minutes of the meeting on 8/7/03 as written.
Vote: 5 – in favor; 0 – opposed; 1 - abstention (Morris). Motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 9:48 a.m.
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