Minutes
North Stonington Affordable Housing Committee
July 25, 2013
In Attendance: Mary Ann Ricker, Tim Pelland, Kristen Comstock, Michelle Brophy, Tina DuBosque and Jim Scaramozza
Absent: None
Guests: None
Location: Wheeler High School Media Center
The meeting was called to order by Co-Chairman Tim Pelland at 6:15 PM. By motion, minutes from the June 27, 2013 meeting were reviewed and ratified.
Discussion amongst the Committee members took place as to the recent awarding of a Predevelopment Grant from the State of Connecticut, Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). The Committee elected to reach out to Town officials or perhaps to the State itself to learn of the precise terms and conditions to its disbursement and any, if any, time limitations imposed as to its utilization. The Committee is interested and motivated to assist as it may to ensure those moneys are in fact used in a timely fashion and in accordance with any contract or grant agreement that DECD may require be signed in conjunction with this award. The Committee acknowledged the contributions and work of Juliet Leeming and Michelle Brophy in putting this application together.
There is a meeting on July 29th regarding the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) generally run by the Steering Committee, at which apparently further discussion will take place as to what the POCD should “look like” and more importantly contain as required under State statutes. Members of the Committee were encouraged to attend.
Mary Ann Ricker indicated that she is waiting to hear back from Leslie Higgins Biddle of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) about the Town’s potentially establishing a program affording resident certain tax relief in the form of tax abatement in exchange for one’s restricting his or her home for affordable housing purposes (and pursuant to State affordability housing guidelines). Apparently, Ms. Higgins Biddle is still trying to connect with certain DECD principals. Once she does make contact, follow up will occur with the Committee and the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to meet.
A quick update of Meadowcourt occurred, and it appears certain “approvals” remain outstanding and/or additional analysis has been requested to be taken place by Town officials. The Committee remains in unequivocal support of this project and stands ready to assist as may be needed to ensure its procuring all final approvals so that it may in fact finally become shovel ready.
Lastly, the Committee returned to last month’s discussion of the $1,000 that was originally in the budget of Board of Finance (BOF) as a line item. Given the budget’s expiration and the fact such moneys were not yet spent, the Committee will need to work with BOF and BOS to retrieve those dollars. The aforementioned “traveling display” remains the focal point for use of such funds.
The next meeting is scheduled for August 22, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at Wheeler High School Media Center.
With no further action items in which to discuss, a motion for the meeting’s adjournment was made and seconded and thereafter approved. Accordingly, the meeting was adjourned by our co-chair Tim Pelland at approximately 6:53 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
James Scaramozza
Recording Secretary
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