COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
MINUTES
October 8, 2013
A meeting of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was held on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 6:00 pm at 120 Washington Street, Salem, MA. Present were Chair Helen Sides, Vice Chair Kevin Cornacchio, Bart Hoskins, Ed Moriarty, Mickey Northcutt, Tim Shea, and Leslie Tuttle. Also present was Jane Guy of the City of Salem.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the minutes of September 10, 2013. Mr. Cornacchio seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Status Updates: Taxpayer Information Guide
Ms. Guy distributed copies of the Taxpayer Information Guide and stated that it has been uploaded to the City website and is available at the Assessors Office. A press release was sent out and it has been published. A city news posting was issued.
Budget Update and Submittal Timeline
Ms. Guy stated that the DOR has still not provided guidance on the budget for blended communities. She provided a revised budget without the $50,000 city appropriation and asked the CPC to vote to submit the revised budget for the Council’s October 24th meeting. This will give them October 24th and November 7th to act before setting the tax rate.
ESTIMATED ANNUAL FUND REVENUES |
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Estimated CPA Surcharge |
$400,000.00 |
State Match |
$0.00 |
City Appropriation |
$0.00 |
TOTAL |
$400,000.00 |
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|
RECOMMENDED BUDGET |
|
|
Housing Projects Reserve |
$40,000.00 |
Historic Projects Reserve |
$40,000.00 |
Open Space & Recreation Projects Reserve |
$40,000.00 |
Administrative Expenses |
$20,000.00 |
FY14 Budgeted Reserve |
$260,000.00 |
TOTAL |
$400,000.00 |
Ms. Tuttle asked if the $50,000 city appropriation will still be available.
Ms. Guy stated replied in the affirmative and noted that it is in the Capital Improvement Plan account.
Mr. Hoskins made a motion to submit the revised budget to the City Council for its October 24, 2013 meeting.
Mr. Northcutt seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Scheduling of public hearing and other methods to solicit public input
Ms. Guy distributed an outline for soliciting public input. For the board member representatives, she proposes that the CPA be placed on upcoming board agendas. For at-large members, she suggested that the CPA be placed on an upcoming Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Committee (NIAC) agenda. NIAC members represent various neighborhood groups throughout the city. Handouts would be sent to all the boards ahead of time. CPC representatives would ask the boards to provide consensus in writing. Ms. Guy will arrange to have the city boards place the item on their agendas and will provide the handouts ahead of time to the board staff.
Ms. Guy proposed that the public hearing be at the CPC’s next regular meeting time - 11/12/13 at 6:00pm. She stated that notice would be through a legal ad in the Salem News each of two weeks prior and the notice posted or sent to www.salem.com (city news and email subscriber), www.buildingsalem.com, SATV, City Hall and City Hall Annex, Salem HOPE, Historic Salem, Inc., Salem Public Library, Salem Council on Aging, Salem Housing Authority, Mayor and City Councillors. A press release would be sent to the Salem News, Salem Gazette, Salem Patch and placed on the City website. The public can either comment in person at the public hearings, at any of the boards (Planning, Historical, Conservation, Park and Recreation, NIAC and/or Housing Authority) or could submit comments in writing to the CPC in care of Ms. Guy at the DPCD. She suggested that all comment be submitted by noon on 11/22/13.
She stated that, if the CPC desired, there could also be a comment period once the draft plan is ready, in order to get additional feedback from the community just before applications are made available.
Ms. Guy stated that she is not recommending sending out the notices in the water bills. She did not feel there would be much return for the amount of time that will be lost. The last water bill would not go out until January, leaving the beginning of February as the comment period end date. Also, there may be a cost involved. She felt that with the list of notices she would send out and the opportunities to comment at six board meetings plus the public hearing, and in writing was more than adequate.
Ms. Guy asked the CPC to permit her and the Chair to develop the format for the public hearing. If possible, she may prepare a Powerpoint presentation.
She stated that at the board meetings and the public hearing, the CPC could pose questions to the public (and ask for consensus in writing), such as:
- What would you suggest for guidelines/criteria for selecting projects to fund with CPA (provide examples from other communities)?
- What do you see as specific needs?
- What are the goals to meet those needs?
- What types of projects would your prefer to see funded with CPA rather than the City budget?
- Several planning documents have recommendations (i.e. Open Space & Recreation Plan, Preservation Maintenance Plan for City-Owned Properties, 5-Year Consolidated Plan, North River Canal Corridor Plan, Bridge Street Neck Neighborhood Plan, Winter Island Master Plan, Point Neighborhood Historic Resources Survey and Preservation Plan, Salem Point Vision and Action Plan). Are there any priority projects you would recommended from these plans?
- Are there any specific projects that you would support funding with CPA?
- Any other comments?
Mr. Shea asked if the at-large members could also solicit public comment from other places.
Ms. Guy replied in the affirmative.
Mr. Northcutt agreed that the proposed plan was better than using water bills.
Mr. Cornacchio made a motion to accept format for soliciting input.
Mr. Shea seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Ms. Guy asked the CPC to allow Ms. Sides and her to prepare the presentation for the public hearing.
CPC members were in agreement.
Ms. Tuttle suggested that public hearing participants write down why they are in attendance, in order to determine if there is something specific for why they came. She suggested a questionnaire or survey.
Mr. Northcutt was in agreement stated that a survey could also be used for the boards. He suggested that it be translated.
Ms. Guy will prepare a survey.
Review of Draft Information Materials
Ms. Guy stated that she emailed members a draft Overview and Implementation Guide handout, as well as a handout of success stories from other Massachusetts communities. She stated that copies were sent to the City Solicitor and to the Community Preservation Coalition and their comments have been included.
Mr. Hoskins stated that he felt that the part on the eligibility chart regarding maintenance not being permitted may be confusing and that he did not want people to be discouraged or for it to be a disinsentive.
Ms. Guy stated that she would try to explain it in the Powerpoint and that she would check the Coalition website for articles regarding maintenance.
Mr. Hoskins suggested an amendment to the handout to explain that the Eligibility Application will be a one-page document used to review the eligibility of submitted projects.
Mr. Northcutt made a motion to approve the Overview and Implementation Guide as revised. Mr. Hoskins seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Ongoing - Action Steps
Ms. Guy distributed the updated draft Action Steps.
Other Business
Ms. Guy stated that there is a cost associated with advertising the public hearing. She stated that she would like a motion from the CPC to expend the needed funds to advertise the public hearing using the proper appropriation method.
Mr. Cornacchio made a motion to allow the expenditure of CPA funds for advertisement of public hearing according using the proper appropriation method.
Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Mr. Moriarty agreed that there should not be disinsentives to submitting project applications. He suggested that there be an explanation of why the CPC is using a two application system (i.e. that it is to pre-determine if a project will meet the guidelines) and that denial does not preclude someone from reapplying at a later date.
Ms. Guy stated that she could include an “instructions to applicants”. She noted that applications for eligible projects that are not approved initially can be carried over to the next year.
Elaine Gerdine, 10 Chestnut Street, stated that she is a Historic Salem, Inc. board member and observer. She stated that there was a rumor the CPA funds would be restricted to city-owned properties. She stated that, after listening, she can see that this is not the case.
Next Meeting Date
Tuesday, November 12, 2013, 6:00 p.m. (public hearing)
There being no further business, Mr. Moriarty made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Cornacchio seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion so carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane A. Guy
Administrator
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