2008 CPC Rpt - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Request: CPA Category: Amount Requested: Amount Recommended CPC Vote: Administrative Expenses Administrative $50,000 $50,000 Approval (9 -0) Background: According to the Community Preservation Act, up to 5% of annual CPA funds may be spent on the operation and administration costs of the Community Preservation Committee. The Committee is allowed to use this money to pay for staff help, mailings, public notices, overhead, legal fees, membership dues, and other miscellaneous expenses. At 5 %, a minimum of $215,282 of annual receipts in FY2009 could be authorized for this purpose. At this time, however, the CPC is requesting an appropriation of $50,000, for FY2009, for administrative costs. This money will be used to fund a part-time administrative assistant, to pay membership dues to the non - profit Community Preservation Coalition, and to cover legal and miscellaneous expenses related to CPA sponsored projects. The CPC's administrative assistant (hired in December 2007) will track and monitor all Town Meeting approved and CPA sponsored projects; monitor draw -downs and financial transactions in conjunction with the Finance Office; craft agreements; draft and update CPA reports and correspondence; oversee the annual CPA project application process; post meetings and schedule public forums; take minutes; work with the Assessor's Office to obtain surcharge abatement data needed for State reporting purposes; communicate with project applicants; and assist the CPC and others, as needed, with all CPA related activities and agreements. Membership dues, which will be paid from the requested $50,000 administrative fee allocation, are paid to the Community Preservation Coalition. The Community Preservation Coalition, a non - profit statewide organization, responds to questions and provides CPA news and information to participating communities, as well as engages in legislative advocacy and lobbying work to improve the effectiveness of the Act. The Coalition also fends off raids on the CPA Trust Fund and works to defeat bills that propose harmful CPA amendments. Their web site is www.communily]2reservation.org Lastly, it should be noted that according to the Department of Revenue, funds appropriated for administrative expenses but not spent in a given fiscal year revert back to the general CPA fund balance on June 30. Those funds then can be appropriated from the fund balance in the future for any of the three main CPA purposes. Funding Request: The Community Preservation Committee respectfully requests $50,000 for administrative expenses. 21