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Committees: Community Preservation Committee

Community Preservation Committee Begins New Round of Funding

Application for Community Preservation Funding - Due: October 15, 2012

The Community Preservation Committee is accepting project applications for the 2012-2013 round of funding. Applications are available in the Town Clerk's Office, the Selectmen's Office and the Historical Commission Office. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday October 15, 2012. Completed applications should be submitted to CPC Administrator Andrea Young in the Historical Commission Office located on the second floor of Town Hall. Please call Andrea at 781-741-1492 if you have questions or wish to discuss your application.

The Community Preservation Committee reviews applications submitted by Town bodies and citizens at large for funding projects involving the acquisition of open space, preservation of historic resources, and the support of low and moderate income housing, and makes recommendations to Town Meeting regarding the use of the Town's Community Preservation Fund for those purposes. That fund is composed of a 1.5% surtax on Town real estate taxes and state matching grants payable each October 15th based on the surtax revenues for the fiscal year ending the prior June 30th, and interest on the accumulated funds. The Community Preservation Act requires that at least 10% of each year's Community Preservation revenues be spent or set aside for each of the three Community Preservation categories. The remaining 70% is available spending on any one or more of the categories as the Committee and Town Meeting see fit.

2010 Annual Report

Nine members comprise the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) – one each appointed by and from the Conservation Commission, the Planning Board, the Historical Commission, the Housing Authority and the Board of Selectmen, and four citizens at large, two appointed by the Board of Selectmen and two by the Moderator. The Committee reviews applications submitted by Town bodies and citizens at large for funding projects involving preservation of historic resources, creation of low and moderate income housing, acquisition of open space, and recreation. The CPC makes recommendations to Town Meeting regarding the use of the Town's Community Preservation Fund for those purposes. That fund is composed of a 1.5% surtax on Town real estate taxes effective beginning July 1, 2001, state matching grants payable each October 15th based on the surtax revenues for the fiscal year ending the prior June 30th, and interest on the accumulated funds. The total amount that will have been collected by the Fund through June 30, 2011 is approximately $9,997,367 including a total of $4,007,822 in state matching funds. The Community Preservation Act requires that at least 10% of each year's Community Preservation revenues be spent or set aside for each of the three Community Preservation categories, i.e., Historic Preservation, Community Housing, and Open Space/Recreation. The remaining 70% is available for spending on any one or more of the categories as the Committee and Town Meeting see fit.

The Committee recommended projects in all three Community Preservation Categories to 2010 Town Meeting. Three Historic Preservation projects were proposed for Town Meeting approval: (1) restoration of the Bare Cove Park Fire Museum building ($252,000); (2) completion of a structural analysis, and preparation of scope of work and estimated cost documents to stabilize the Memorial Bell Tower for future restoration of the bells ($38,000); and, (3) purchase of a time capsule to preserve documents and artifacts in celebration of the Town's 375th Anniversary ($1,216). In the category of Open Space and Recreation, the Committee recommended funding a project to dredge Foundry Pond ($162,500), contingent upon receipt of state matching funds for the remaining 75% of the project cost. Finally, Town Meeting was asked to consider three Community housing projects: (1) creation of 3 – 4 affordable units at 80 Beal Street ($150,000); (2) creation of 6 affordable units on Fort Hill Street specifically for Veterans ($250,000); and, (3) the purchase of two new boilers for Thaxter Park ($54,700), to be expended only if the state did not replace the boilers.

As of the writing of this report, the Community Preservation Committee is proposing four projects for 2011 Town Meeting approval. To address those recommended appropriations, at the end of FY 2011 Hingham's Community Preservation Fund will have approximately $1,583,000 available and a projected amount of $198,000 to be added in October 2011 when the state match is delivered.

The Committee wishes to thank Phil Edmundson for his contributions to Community Preservation during four years of service, including two years as Chair. The Committee also thanks Sarah Dewey for serving as the Historical Commission appointee for two years, and for her commitment to historic preservation. Finally, the Committee welcomes new Historical Commission appointee Robert Curley, Jr. and Selectmen appointee Christopher Burns.