Presentation Transcript

1. The Community Preservation Act in Bridgewater

   2005 ― 2013 8 Years of Success
2. Bridgewater Adopted in 2005with the following optional provisions 2% surcharge (3% is maximum allowed) Exempt first $100,000 of property tax Exempt on property owned and occupied by a person who qualifies for low income housing or low/moderate income senior housing in Bridgewater
3. Administration The Department of Revenue oversees the administration of the CPA in cities/towns The CPA provides resources for 4 purposes Creation or maintenance of Community Housing Historic Preservation, Restoration or Rehabilitation Open Space Conservation or Creation Creation or Rehabilitation of outdoor active/passive Recreational facilities
4. It’s All About the Verbs! CPA funds may be used to: Acquire, CreateorPreserveCommunity Housing, Historic, Open Space or Recreational resources Restore orRehabilitateHistoric or Recreational resources MaintainorSupportCommunity Housing (the only time CPA funds may be used for maintenance and the only category offering “support”)
5. CPA Funds Come From Two Sources Local Surcharge (2%) State Trust Fund (Match) Surcharge on Bridgewater property taxes Cost to the average household = $64/year Aggregate total collected in the first 8 years = $3,452,199 Fees collected by the registers of deeds across the Commonwealth when property is sold or transferred Goes only to cities and towns that have adopted the CPA
6. Bridgewater’s CPA Funds 2007-2014
7. Averages and Grand Totals Over 8 Years
8. How We Compare Statewide Bridgewater is a 2% surcharge Community; Communities who assess at 3% receive additional trust fund distributions. Following is a description of this year’s distributions : Municipalities receiving a trust fund distribution on 11-15-13: 148 Match % with a CPA local surcharge less than 3%: 52.23% Match % with 3% CPA surcharge : Range from 53.04% to 100% Number of municipalities receiving 100% match: 23 Average % match statewide: 65.42% Total payout, first round : $48,318,485 [Bridgewater included here] Total payout, second round distribution: $4,438,470 Total payout , third round distribution: $2,137,048 Total payout for all rounds: $54,894,003
9. Where Has Bridgewater Made CPA Investments? Bricks and Mortar Projects Community Housing = $0 Historic = $1,386,056 Open Space/ Recreation = $1,173,784 Studies/Plans Community Housing = $25,000 Historic = $150,000 Open Space/ Recreation = $10,000
10. What is in the Bridgewater CPA “Bank?” Reserve Accounts Undesignated General Fund Balance Community Housing $489,348 Historic Preservation $18,321 Open Space/Recreation $58,586 Budgeted Reserve $337,744 Administration $26,293 $972,455
11. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) :– Makes recommendations for appropriations– Ensures compliance with DOR regulations and the state statute What Happens With That $$$ in Bridgewater?
12. Community Preservation Committee The state statute requires 5 members and allows up to 4 additional members. Bridgewater’s by-law designates those 4 additional members
13. When, Where and How Does the CPC Work? The CPC meets monthly to plan for future projects, entertain proposals and oversee on-going projects Meet at the Cole-Yeaton Sr. Center The third Thursday of every month@ 6:30 PM Meetings are posted and open to the public All agendas and minutes posted on the CPC’s website (linked to the Town) www.bridgewatercommunitypreservation.org

14. CPC Members, with the exception of the citizen-at-large, give DOUBLE service to Bridgewater

    8 Members are appointed by committees on which they already serve The citizen-at-large member is appointed by the Town Manager and confirmed by the Town Council
15. How Are CPC Funds Accessed? An Application for Funding submitted to the CPC begins the process The Application is available on the CPC website www.bridgewatercommunitypreservation.org The CPC has a rolling application process; it acts on proposals as they are received A Preservation Planner/Grant Writer is funded through the CPA to help proponents determine eligibility before writing an application write excellent applications The Community Preservation Plan provides guidelines to help the CPC prioritize projects JM Goldson community preservation + planning
16. The CP Plan is Created with Community Input This year’s Public Hearing: Tetris Exercise
17. What Happens With Applications for CPA Funds? The CPC receives and reviews the application The proponent attends a CPC meeting to answer questions/concerns The CPC requires letters of support from relevant Town Boards, Committees or Commissions The CPC votes If the proposal is successful, a recommendation is made immediately to the Town Council
18. Who Appropriates CPA Fund$ The Town Council authorizes all CPA appropriations The Town Council can appropriate only after a recommendation from the CPC With a CPC recommendation, the Council may: Approve the recommendation Deny the recommendation Approve the recommendation with a lower appropriation The Council may not increase the appropriation above the CPC recommendation
19. Process for CPA AppropriationAfter Recommendation from CPC Town Council Finance Committee, Budget & Finance Committee, Other Committee(s) Recommendation’s 1st reading Referral to the Budget and Finance Committee/Finance Committee/other relevant Committee(s) Receive recommendations from Committees 2nd reading of the Recommendation Questions/Discussion Vote If approved, subject to 30 day waiting period CPC’s Recommendation to the Town Council referred to each Committee Each Committee hears and votes on the recommendation (this may be quick or may take weeks/months) The Committees returns their recommendations to the Town Council for 2nd reading
20. Project versight CPC Town Planner The CPC was formed before the Town had a Planner, or capacity to oversee projects A CPC liaison is assigned to each project to ensure that work is completed before invoices are paid The CPC now works hand-in-glove with the Town Planner to ensure excellent communication and project oversight The Town Planner plays a vital role in advising the CPC He attends all CPC meetings and maintains on-going communication regarding potential grants, planning assistance, etc. He is an invaluable resource linking the CPC to the Town Manager, Accountant, Treasurer and Inspectional Services Department
21. What’s Been Done? Bricks and Mortar Studies/“Paper” Work Historic Preservation/Restoration Mt. Prospect Cemetery Fence Town Vital Records 1656-1956 Academy Building Accessibility Town Hall Envelope First Parish Church doors/columns Library HVAC in history room Purchase of the Keith Homestead Memorial Building Ceiling Repairs Open Space Purchase of 9.2 Acres of the Hockomock Swamp Recreation Siting for Town River Landing Girls Softball Fields and Fencing Historic Four Building Study McElwain School added to the National Registry Phase II Feasibility Study for Academy Building Restoration Open Space GIS Mapping for the Town’s Open Space and Rec Plan (accepted by the State) Housing Housing Production Plan (allowed us to apply for Safe Harbor under 40B)
22. Thanks to the Debt Exclusion and the CPA…… Ceilings (CPA) and other areas (debt exclusion) are repaired at the MEMORIAL BUILDING
23. What’s Coming Up? IRON WORKS STABILIZATION Keith Homestead Master Plan Updates RFP was posted & a bid received for a contractor/ mason with historic capacity Winterization will take place Mortar samples will be taken Work will be completed in the spring The Keith Task Force has worked diligently to advise the Town Manager A real estate broker specializing in historic properties is marketing the property but no sale has yet been accomplished Vandals continue to cause havoc but the Town Police and Inspectional Services Director are tracking and repairing respectively JM Goldson won the contract to update the Open Space and Housing sections of the 2002 Master Plan Community Workshop held Expected completion of the updates to the Planning Board: February 2014
24. The Biggie Academy Building Restoration Written presumptuously hoping for an affirmative vote earlier this evening from the Council to bond/appropriate $5,150,000 from CPA The Municipal Building Committee, Chaired by John Gerrish, is hard at work Committee members include: Peter Colombotos, Pat Driscoll, Marilee Kenney Hunt, Jay Leach and Mike White An Owners Project Management (OPM) firm has been recommended by the committee & the Town Manager has negotiations underway The expected completion is December 2015
25. Other Things You Should Know Regional Outlook State Trust Fund Support The Bridgewater CPC has begun co-hosting with Middleborough quarterly Regional CPC meetings Take place at the Cole-Yeaton Sr. Center Encourage dialogue Investigate Regional Projects Again this year, it will be necessary to ask our state legislators to support additional funding for the state trust fund Both Legislators supported last year Please contact them early and encourage their support The CPC chair will join others to lobby for the funding
26. Other Things #2 Community Preservation Plan Historic Preservationist The new, updated Community Preservation Plan, based on last spring’s workshop, will be completed within the next two months. Watch for it on our web site! The CPC has invested administrative funds to hire an internationally renowned historic preservationist to advise on historic preservation and restoration projects such as the Memorial Building Ceiling, the Stanley Iron Works wall stabilization and the OPM selection for the Academy Building
27. NOT The End! Marilee Kenney Hunt, Chair, Bridgewater Community Preservation CommitteePhone: 508-697-3681; Cell: 508-562-2896E-mail: marilee@thehunts.org