Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-02-03-CPC-min Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, February 3, 2011 3:00 pm Room 207 Town Offices Present: Board Members: Wendy Manz,Chair; Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice-Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Jeanne Krieger, Leo McSweeney, Sandy Shaw, and Dick Wolk. Administrative Assistant : Nathalie Rice Also in attendance was David Kanter, member of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC). The meeting was called to order at 3:05 pm by Ms. Manz. 1.Approval of Minutes – Minutes from the meeting of January 27, 2011 were approved as submitted. 2.Muzzey Condominium Window Replacement Project – Ginger McGuire representing the Muzzey Condominium Association was present for the discussion regarding this project. Ms. Manz updated the CPC, noting that the Association now had eight members who wished to participate in the project and six who did not. She also informed the Committee she had spoken with David Weiner, Town Counsel, regarding the structuring of the note and the associated legal costs. She said Mr. Weiner was amenable to keeping the legal fees for the project as low as possible. Ms. Manz then asked for an indication of the CPC’s “enthusiasm” for the project, to which Mr. Adler responded that the low participation was unfortunate since it would increase the per unit legal fee and translate poorly to Town Meeting. Ms. McGuire noted that members who did not want to participate in the program were concerned about the lien on their property. She reported that th there was a meeting of the Association scheduled for February 9, at which participation in the project would be more definitively assessed. She questioned the Committee about whether there was a threshold of participation for going forward. Ms. Manz responded that she would like to see a strong majority of the 35 unit owners sign on. Ms. Krieger noted that she was concerned about whether Town Meeting would look favorably on the project, but stressed her commitment to make the project work. In response to a question from Ms. Manz as to whether the Committee was willing to wait to hear from more participants, Ms. Krieger made a motion for the CPC to wait th until after the Association meeting on the 9 before voting final support or lack thereof for the project. The motion was passed (7-1). 1 3.Battle Green Master Plan Implementation – Ms. Manz reported on Town Counsel’s response to a CPC email, which questioned whether certain parts of the Battle Green Master Plan work could be funded with CPA dollars. At issue were reseeding and painting of fences, which some had noted might represent maintenance work. Ms. Manz reported that Attorney Kevin Batt noted that such small jobs, if done separately, could raise concern, but as insignificant portions of a $50,000 restoration job, which were arguably integral to the work, they were not worth disputing. 4.Updates a.)Needs Assessment Report Public Hearing - Ms. Manz summarized the points raised by attendees at the public hearing for the Needs Assessment Report. These included requests that; (1) at-large CPC members be appointed to represent precincts, and (2) a farmland preservationist be appointed to the Committee to better represent the farming interests in Town. The Committee discussed these requests, and noted that seven of nine precincts are presently represented on the CPC. Regarding the appointment of a farmland preservationist, the Committee noted that this would be comparable to appointing an individual from Pop Warner, or a Baseball League supporter. Such “special interest” representatives would contradict the purpose of the statute which calls for an “at-large” appointee. Further, such special interests are represented under the main categories of the CPA appointment. Farmland is addressed under the open space/conservation appointment, just as a Pop Warner supporter would be represented by the recreation appointee. Ms. Manz updated the Committee on an email she had received from Margaret Heitz following the public hearing. She had responded to Ms. Heitz’s concerns that the CPA funneled money from poorer town across the state to wealthier suburban communities. The emailed response was copied to the Committee. b.)Cotton Farm Debt Service - Ms. Manz explained that Mr. Addelson had requested that the CPC hold the figure of $1,300,000 in their report to Town Meeting since the Town was not certain when it would be receiving the $500,000 State Self-Help funds for the Cotton Farm parcel. 5.Next Meeting – The next CPC meeting was scheduled for Thursday, th February 17 at 3:00 pm. It is anticipated that the CPC will take a final vote on the Muzzey Window project at that time. The CPC meeting was adjourned at 4:10 pm. 2 One new document was presented at the meeting by Ms. McGuire of the Muzzey Condominium Association. It was a undated printout of a powerpoint presentation, entitled “Muzzey Window Replacement Project”. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Rice Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee 3