CPC Minutes
Community Preservation Committee
Minutes of Thursday, August 4, 2022
Virtual Meeting
Attending: Gary Sorkin, Chair; Michael Fisher, Rhonda Fowler, Elaine McIlroy, David Mead-Fox, Janis Plaue, Geraldine Ramer, Fred Streams
Regrets: Jim McAuliffe
Also Attending: Selectboard Chair Ryan Curley
Chair Gary Sorkin called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.
Minutes of 7/20/2022
Jan Plaue moved to approve the minutes of July 20,2022. David Mead-Fox seconded, and the motion carried 7-0-1.
CPC FinancesThe Committee studied Lisa Souve’s figures of available CPA money in the accounting records but did not have thstarting amounts that the totals were based upon. They would like to receive the missing information. Coordinator Mary Rogers had prepared a spreadsheet showing yearly distributions of Wellfleet surcharge and state distributions side by side with yearly CPA spending and commitments. This shows a differential of over a million dollars that has never been used for CPA purposes. The Coordinator believes that the money is a part of the Land Bank/CPA bank account of $3,841,736.62, as reported by the Town Treasurer on August 1, 2023.
David Mead-Fox suggested that CPC request a meeting with the Town Administrator and the financial team to get an explanation for the Land Bank/CPA account and the extremely large difference between CPA distributions and spending. He recommended revising the spread sheets to include money that remained at the end of each fiscal year and a starting amount for each year that included the remainder and distribution figure.
Jan Plaue moved to request a meeting with Town Administrator Richard Waldo and the Town’s financial team prior to Special Town Meeting to discuss this critical financial issue. David Mead-Fox seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Gary Sorkin said he will send a memo to the Town Administrator requesting possible dates for the meeting. He will suggest the next CPC meeting of August 24th as the meeting date.
Maurice’s Campground
Committee members discussed the Special Town Meeting Warrant Articles for Maurice’s Campground, Article 8 – Purchase, and Article 9 – CPA Contribution for the purchase of the 3 acres behind the store. Gary Sorkin said it did not have language for borrowing and debt service, nor did it mention the 3-acre portion and the deed rider that CPA money is meant to cover. He said that the 3 acres should be included in the article itself, not just the explanation section. Chair Sorkin said he would work with the Town Administrator on a revised Warrant Article and suggest that CPC be included in the list of those making recommendations.
Fred Streams moved to approve the Chair’s effort to resolve Article 9 funding and bonding issues, include the deed rider and language that specifies that up to $125,000 would cover debt service in any year until the debt is finished. Further, the CPC should be listed as one of the Town boards making a recommendation for Article 9. David Mead-Fox seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Gary Sorkin will follow up with the Town Administrator about revising Article 9.
Agreements
All but he CDP agreement for the Housing Institute have been fully executed. Elaine McIlroy said she will remind them to send back the FY23 agreement with their signatures, so that the Select Board can complete the agreement.
Coordinator’s Job Description
A discussion of the Coordinator’s job description and timeline was postponed for a future meeting.
Fall Deadline for Applications
Jan Plaue recommended making October 15th the deadline for applications for 2023 Annual Town Meeting. She and Mary Rogers said that gives the committee more time to review the proposals and meet with the applicants before the holiday season. Since October 15th falls on the weekend, Monday, October 17th became the target date for the deadline.
Jan Plaue moved to make Monday, October 17, 2022, the deadline for applications for the 2023 Annual Town Meeting. David Mead-Fox seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. (Rhonda Fowler had left the meeting prior to the vote)
The representatives will bring this information back to their boards. Mary Rogers will publicize the date. Elaine McIlroy said she would notify the group working on 95 Lawrence Rd. and Ted Malone, who is expected to resume work on the Paine Hollow rental units, approved at the 2006 Town Meeting.
Project Concerns & Updates
Habitat for Humanity sent in their quarterly report that the Old King’s Highway homes are still on hold, pending a land court decision. Mary Rogers said she has completed the Community Preservation CP-3 report for the Department of Revenue. She said that Lisa Souve said she would be submitting the CP-2 report to the DOR.
Next Meeting
The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, August 24 at 9 a.m. This will be a virtual meeting to reconfirm the recommendation for STM Warrant Article 9, to consider the Coordinator’s position with the possibility of sharing an employee with Truro, and to learn if the Selectboard had selected a liaison for CPC.
Adjournment
Before closing the meeting, Gary Sorkin announced the WHAT Housing Benefit to be held Monday, August 8th at 7 p.m.
Jan Plaue moved to adjourn. David Mead-Fox seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:31 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Rogers,
CPC Coordinator
The Community Preservation Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 8/24/2022.