CPC Minutes

Community Preservation Committee

Minutes of November 18, 2020

Virtual Meeting

Attending: Gary Sorkin, Chair; Michael Fisher, Rhonda Fowler, Robert Jackson, Elaine McIlroy, David Mead-Fox, Janis Plaue, Geraldine Ramer, Thomas Siggia

Also Attending: Adam Gracia, Joe Taylor, Becky Rosenberg, Angel Robinson

Chair Gary Sorkin called the virtual meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and welcomed David Mead-Fox to the Community Preservation Committee as the official representative from the Planning Board. 

Minutes

Janis Plaue moved to approve the minutes of October 21, 2020.  Michael Fisher seconded, and the motion carried 9-0. 

New Applications

Veterans Home, Dennis

Adam Gracia, Marketing Director, and Joe Taylor, Executive Director of the Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center, were present to discuss the application for the Veterans Home in Dennis.  Adam Gracia explained this is a first step to end homelessness for veterans.  Dennis has offered a 99-year lease for the property and a CPC grant of $200,000.  The Barnstable Housing Authority and numerous businesses have contributed to the Veterans Home in Dennis.  Besides Wellfleet, Barnstable, Harwich and Yarmouth Community Preservation groups have been approached for CPA grants.  Mr. Gracia explained the support program for veterans who came to the transitional home to deal with the barriers they faced.  Case managers will provide help with sobriety, mental health, documentation, job training and managing money.  All veterans receive vouchers for two-thirds payment of rent and include first, last and security amounts.  The vouchers ensure getting them into their own places.  A stay at the Dennis home is ideally for a few months, but a veteran is allowed to remain there for up to two years.  Rhonda Fowler and Joe Taylor discussed food insecurity and food pantries available to veterans.  They will continue the conversation after the CPC meeting.

Joe Taylor and Adam Garcia gave additional information on their fundraising efforts The Veterans Outreach Center does not receive assistance from the Veterans Administration.  As a non-profit organization, Mr. Taylor said that ninety cents of every dollar goes to veterans and ten cents goes to administration and operations. 

The Dennis site is the closest Veterans housing property.  It is on the main transit routes for 6A and Rt. 134.  Like Cape veterans at two Habitat units in Brewster, the ten-unit home in Hyannis or from individual dwellings, veterans at this location will be admitted to the VA hospital in Providence, RI.

Joe Taylor, a Wellfleet resident, said the Veterans Outreach Center is looking for a property on the Outer Cape, but Dennis is the closest project at this time. 

Stage for Pavilion

Recreation Director Becky Rosenberg and Assistant Director Angel Robinson had reduced their request to a pavilion stage only with a contingency built in for a total of $17,450.  The Recreation Department heads said they had worked out storage with the DPW.  Angel Robinson reported on what other towns use, but this varied with stage rentals, gazebos and amphitheaters.  He said there is no permitting needed for the stage, which is just like the other stage.   Becky Rosenberg said that erecting a new stage in July would not impede their summer program.  The old stage would stay in use for the first few months of the 2021 season, and the replacement stage would continue to be used for an extended season.  Ms. Rosenberg enumerated the 2020 uses for Tuesday and Thursday plays, 16 concerts, eight regular activities and “Wild Wednesday” classes held in the pavilion.  The Recreation directors are looking into heaters to start the programs as early as possible in spring.  The pavilion is available for outside meetings during these COVID times. 

Decisions

Veterans Home

CPC members, when polled, expressed overwhelming support for the Veterans purpose but a divergence of opinion on the grant amount.  They considered the amounts offered by other entities and the distance of the Home from Wellfleet. 

Janis Plaue moved to approve a grant of $20,000.  Robert Jackson seconded.  Further discussion ensued over an appropriate amount that showed support, took into account greater expenses the Veterans Home faced because of COVID delays, One-Cape efforts, multi-town collaborations, yet offering a figure in line with Wellfleet receptivity.

Gary Sorkin moved to amend the amount to $15,000.  Rhonda Fowler seconded, and the amendment carried 9-0.

The motion to approve the $15,000 was approved unanimously by an individual voice vote.

David Mead-Fox recommended sending the Veterans Outreach representatives a letter explaining CPCs support for the Dennis project with the expectation that Wellfleet would offer a greater grant for a potential Veterans Home located closer to Wellfleet on the Lower Cape.  The Coordinator will send them the letter informing the Veterans Outreach of the CPC decision and intentions for a future project.

Pavilion Stage.

Rhonda Fowler moved to approve $17,450 for a stage for the pavilion at Baker’s Field.  Michael Fisher seconded, and the motion carried 9-0.

Finances

Mary Rogers reviewed the finance available for the projects and said there was money to cover them all. 

Needs Assessment Lists & Hearing

Committee members discussed the needs list to be presented at a public hearing during the Selectboard meeting of December 8, 2020.  Gary Sorkin and Mary Rogers have been including an introduction to the new projects as a part of the presentation.  Prior to the meeting, the hearing advertisement will be published in the Cape Codder for two weeks.

Next Meetings 

The public hearing on December 8th will serve as the December meeting.  The next CPC meeting will be held virtually on January 20, 2021 at 9 a.m.

Adjournment

Janis Plaue moved to adjourn.  The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 10:34 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Rogers,

CPC Coordinator

Public Records material of 11/18/2020

Applications are available in the Community Preservation permanent files