Community Preservation Committee Meeting
Approved 8.13.15
HARWICH Community Preservation Committee Public Informational Hearing and Regular Meeting
July 9, 2015, at the Harwich Town Hall, Griffin Meeting Room
Present: Chairman Bob MacCready, Vice Chair Kathy Green, Cindi Maule, Walter Diggs, Daniel Tworek, Peter de Bakker, and David Nixon (new Recreation & Youth Commission representative, Jan Bowers stepping down)
Absent: Robert Bradley
Many town residents attended the Public Informational Hearing
Public Hearing opened 6:30 PM by Chair MacCready. Guests were welcomed.
Chair MacCready provided a short synopsis of the Community Preservation Act. Figures for this year’s funding
aren’t available yet. Harwich’s land bank debt service is approximately $700,000 annually and is being paid down every year. The town accountant accounts for the CPC monies via the town accounting process and is in charge of how the projects receive their funds.
Town resident Mr. Urbano is interested in presenting a project and questioned what makes a good CPC application?
The application and guidelines are available. It was suggested applicants should get started on the application process now, review past successful applications, garner support for the appropriate overseeing committee before submitting application, and ask questions of the CPC along the way. It was suggested to see past years’ committee minutes of October, November, and December to see the CPC process of project application review. Does the project have a plan? A plan related to a building restoration needs to discuss the future use of the building with credible figures of the overall costs for all the restoration needed, including any phases. If the building is town owned, the overall maintenance is a component. Include other funding sources. The entire project scope needs to be evaluated, even for the first phase. Future phases may stand on their own; there is no guarnettee of CPC funding support because they will depend on that project presented, returns on project, public value, and funds available. Can the operating costs be covered? Evaluations consider how the town will benefit from the project; why would the project be funded? Is the project work preservation or maintenance?
Mr. Urbano asked if the CPC could pay for a part time historical commission worker. He would like a tour of the town’s CPC projects including the Albro House, South Meeting House, and recreation projects. It was noted that recently the Selectmen toured the Albro House and the CPC toured the recreation projects.
Potential project applicants were encouraged to come to the CPC meetings to receive assistance.
Town resident Mr. Brooke N. Williams provided a handout of his talking points. He would like the applications to have more transparency for public review and comment, with additional lead-time to explore the projects; to have the project proposals posted on town website; and to have public input part of review process. He would like to see funding for studies to help the CPC to evaluate the feasibility of projects. He would like Harwich to have a preservation plan. He would like to see hardcopy tracking updates of all projects available at the library. He would like to see towns and committees work together to jointly fund projects. He would like to see the Harwich Planning Committee integrated into the process. He would like to see the town Housing Authority come forward and ask for funding. He would like to integrate existing housing into projects. He would like to have second opinions for building demolitions, hired by the town. He would like the CPC to fund research to find land of unknown property owners.
Chase Library Director Carol Dickerson thanked the CPC for their assistance in their past projects.
Brooks Free Library’s Board of Trustees member JoAnne Brown provided an update on their project. The restoration study report has been a very useful project. The Harwich Historical Commission was included in talks for the report. The streetscape incorporating the sidewalk and plantings are being discussed. A vapor barrier has been added to the walls. Maybe later this summer the library may invite the CPC to a meeting to review the progress.
Approved 8.13.15
Town Selectperson Mr. Hughes reminded the audience that the CPC replaced the land bank, funded through tax collections. The town will be receiving less money this year from the state. He would like to see a town preservation plan to provide direction on long term objectives. A plan would help to make sense of the overall view of historic buildings; costs to renovate/restore plus their costs in the future. He made a point of the town’s waste water issue that may cost the town some $200 million. To help lessen the financial burden to the Harwich taxpayer, maybe the town could vote to reduce the CPC allocations and redirect those monies.
Town resident Mrs. Urbano inquired about the funding allocations of CPA reserves. The town’s policy was explained.
Town Selectperson Linda Cebula commended the CPC on their work reviewing past projects and collecting outstanding balances and getting those funds returned to the books to fund future projects.
Public Informational Hearing adjourned 7:15 PM.
HARWICH Community Preservation Committee Regular Meeting
Called to order at 7:17 PM by Chair Bob MacCready.
New Business:
- A motion was made by Peter de Bakker, and seconded to approve the minutes of the May 14, 2015 CPC meeting.
Vote: 6 Yes. 1 Abstain. Motion carried. Note the June 11, 2015 CPC meeting did not have a quorum.
- Committee Reorganization:
A motion was made by Peter de Bakker, and seconded to nominated Bob MacCready as Chairman. Bob said he would be glad to continue. Vote: 7 Yes. Motion carried unanimously.
A motion was made by Bob MacCready, and seconded to nominated Kathy Green as Vice Chair. Kathy said she would be glad to continue. Vote: 7 Yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- A motion was made by Walter Diggs, and seconded to pay the committee clerk the submitted May and June
combined 4.75 hours. Vote: 7 Yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- Discussion on Public Informational Hearing comments:
In response of Mr. Brooke N. Williams’ concerns Vice Chair Kathy Green pointed to procedure that the CPC reviews the submitted CPC applications, the committee does not create the projects to be funded.
The town and state use a broader use of the term community preservation to cover the scope of projects that can be funded. As in the bike path’s traffic light, the recreational project was based on a safety concern, which is a community priority. CPA allows for funding projects of community value in the fields of historic preservation, community housing, open space/real estate acquisitions, and recreation. The CPC’s proposed town Community Preservation Plan can be a useful component; parameters need to be organized. In speaking with the town of Eastham, the hired planner gathered historic information and found where monies were spent, and where multiple groups could share going forward. In review of their past open space projects, a five year plan was created on where expenditures will be spent. The CPC could employ some of their tools. It was suggested the CPC could create a grading policy in reviewing projects, similar to grant reviews. Town data is needed. The Historic Commission is working on the town’s historic inventory, a CPC funded project. The HC can be invited to present their findings to the CPC, along with the town’s facilities manger to evaluate the structures. The Housing Authority could address their inventory as well.
Approved 8.13.15
In regards to Mr. Urbano’s comments, maybe to stir more interest, the project cycle could start earlier than the present Oct. 1 submission deadline; instead begin in early May around the town meeting. The CPC has been encouraging the project submitters to come to the committee early and get assistance. Vice Chair Green sent out 16 emails to previous applicants to invite them to this public informational hearing. CPC members may need to get their committees to come in with their questions. The CPC may see application submissions for the Brooks Free Library, the West Harwich School, and any of last year’s non-supported projects. A good project idea still needs to follow the CPA criteria and CPC guidelines. The project needs time to garner support from appropriate committees prior to application review. The submitters need to get on their agendas as soon as possible to meet the deadline. Many projects have been sent back to the drawing board for not following the application’s written guidelines. It was suggested the CPC set goals and not to deviate from the guidelines. And further, it is O.K. to reject applications that don’t follow the application process. Submitters need to put work and effort in to achieve success. Many applications submitted by the Harwich Historical Society have been successfully supported; a good example of a project application submission. A good application reflects leadership in completion of the project.
Other:
- On July 27th the Town Selectperson Mr. Hughes is meeting with town maintenance and will be able to get an
overlook of the needs of the town buildings.
- Chair MacCready’s meeting with Eastham regarding their Community Preservation Plan (CPP) was not as successful
as hoped. The Eastham town planner is three months new to the job and was not part of the CPP process. Chair MacCready has asked for the RFP that they used for the CPP.
Chair MacCready requested volunteers to create an RFP for the Harwich CPP. Daniel Tworek volunteered. The CPC needs to determine what they want in the CPP. Eastham knew what they wanted and structured their RFP around it. Our tools may be different from Eastham’s, but some parts may be boiler plate.
Note: The Housing Committee may have appointed a new representative by the August CPC meeting.
Adjournment 7:52 PM.