Lenox Community Preservation Committee
October 27, 2008
Minutes
Members present: Roscoe Sandlin (RS), Midge Sandlin (MS), Joe G. Strauch (JGS), Scott Pignatelli (SP), Jim Sorrentino (JS), Joseph Kellogg (JK) Fred Keator (FK) and Olga Weiss (OW).
James Jurney, Jr. (JJ), absent with notification.
Also in attendance: Mary Albertson (MA), Town Planner.
Meeting opened at 7:30 PM. JS made a motion to approve the September minutes with corrections. SP seconded the motion and 7 members voted in favor and JK abstained.
RS stated that the town received the maximum one-hundred percent state match for CPA. The town received the one-hundred percent match because it has the three percent surcharge. The committee was very cautious last year and planned its budget based on a fifty percent state match. Members agreed this is great news and discussed the funds that were banked as a result of conservative budgeting efforts. RS said there is a minor discrepancy between the tax collector’s number and the amount the town actually received. He will investigate and report back to the committee. He will also check on interest funds.
The committee discussed the current projects. Baker’s Pond is the only project that has encumbered funds to date. Discussion ensued regarding how to distribute the funds. Members debated how to release the funds. Members will continue this discussion at the next meeting. MA will provide examples.
RS introduced the concept of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. He explained that the Affordable Housing Committee advocates the formation of the Trust Fund. It requires Town Meeting vote and the establishment of an Affordable Housing Board of Trustees. CPA money could be put in the Trust. MA explained that the Planning Board is developing an Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw and Flexible Zoning Bylaw and developers would be given the opinion of building affordable housing units or making payments to an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Members agreed that an Affordable Housing Trust is a good concept; however, the trustees would have to prepare an application and compete with other project. CPA funding would not be automatic.
MA distributed a draft press release. Members will email their comments to her by Friday. She hopes to get the press release on the town website by next week. She will work with the local press.
The next CPC meeting will be November 24 @ 7:00 PM.
Meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Albertson, Town Planner
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