2006-04-19 Community Preservation Act Report to TM

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is for funding to upgrade the safety dispatch center. The project will entail interior renovations to accommodate the larger equipment that the police are required to have. Of the $840,000 total cost, $100,000 is for interior renovations (the rest is radio equipment). This project is part of a long range plan to renovate and upgrade the facilities. This upgrade will enable the police department to continue operations while the back half of building is being renovated. The police station is on State Register of Historic Places as part of the Town Hall complex, so it qualifies as an “historic resource” and the renovation is CPA eligible. The third CPC project is the Fire Station renovation for $100,000, Article 28(c). The project includes replacement of the rubber roof on the rear of the building; it was last done 12 years ago, and now leaks. Also, the basement needs a drain to prevent water buildup and growth of mold from the damp conditions. Finally, the floor where the apparatus is kept needs to be shored up: new equipment creates 2000 pounds more weight of pressure on the infrastructure. The estimated costs are $50,000 for the roof and drainage, and $50,000 for shoring up the flooring. The Historical Commission has determined that the Fire Station meets the criteria of the definition of “historic resources” in the CPA, and therefore these expenses are eligible for CPA funding. In addition to these Warrant Article projects, the CPC recommends approval of an allocation for administrative expenses. The CPC is allowed to use up to 5% of yearly receipts for expenses, or approximately $115,000, and we are now requesting $25,000. Of this amount, $5,000 will be spent on general administrative expenses such as mailings and notice publication. $20,000 will be allocated for an update of the Town’s open space/ recreation plan, needed as a planning tool for the CPC. According to Karen Mullins, Conservation Commission Administrator and Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation, the Town’s Open Space Plan was last updated in 1997. Although the State Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) requires an update every five years, ours expired in 2002. The plan is an important historical document because it keeps track of land acquisition history and use in town. We need to update maps and information, making the plan compatible with GIS. As part of the process, the Commission will conduct new surveys and research. The plan must then be copied and widely distributed. Once updated, the open space/recreation plan can be used to obtain grant money. Commonwealth Capital, a state funding source, has a scoring program for grant applications. Because our plan is out of date, we do not get points that would affect the Town’s ability to receive grants for land acquisition reimbursement. A town can receive up to 50% reimbursement, and we have funded many of our past open space purchases using this program. For example, the Town might be eligible to receive grant aid toward acquisition of Lot One, off Walnut Street, a part of the Western Greenway. The Plan would also provide an inventory of our recreation space, including playing fields, to assist in future planning. It can help the Town qualify for grant funding on - 2 –