10/16/2006 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Articles 11 - 17. Appropriation of Community Preservation Act Funds. Prior to 2004, Cape Cod municipalities had the option of participating in a program called the Cape Cod Open Space Land Acquisition Program(a.k.a. Cape Cod Land Bank) to raise funds locally to purchase lands to be kept as open space. Mashpee participation in the "Land Bank" program began in 1998. Beginning with the FY '05 budget, the State offered an optional program called the Community Preservation Act(CPA) which would allow municipalities to collect funds through an annual 3% surcharge on property assessments, which would then be matched by state funds, thereby substantially increasing the amount of money raised. The program, however, did require specific, limited categories for which the funds could be used. ° These uses include the acquisition, creation, preservation, rehabilitation and/or restoration of: 1). Open Space; 2). Historic Resources; 3). Recreational Land, and 4). Affordable Housing. In addition, of the funds raised annually, a minimum of 10% of the total had to be appropriated, or reserved for future appropriation, in each of the following categories: 1) Open Space (excluding recreational uses), 2) Historic Resources, and 3) Affordable Housing. Further, the enabling legislation creating this program established a local Community Preservation Committee to administer and oversee the program, and to review and recommend to the Board of Selectmen and to the voters those projects which it felt qualified for funding under the stated criteria. As required by the legislation, Mashpee's participation in the CPA program was approved and adopted by the town's voters at the October, 2004 Town Meeting and at the General Election held in November 2004. The creation of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was approved by the voters at the May 2005 Town Meeting. Selectman Wayne Taylor serves as the present chair of the committee. The raising of the first year of CPA funding through the property assessment surcharge began on July 1, 2005. As of June 30, 2006, the balance in the town's CPA account totaled $3,318,051, which includes $851,270 from the state, as well as a transfer of$3,219,227 from the former Cape Cod Land Bank account. The seven Articles listed below, therefore, are those projects initially being recommended by the CPC in this, the first year under the CPA program. Please note that while the Articles are listed as a group here for presentation purposes, each Article will be voted upon individually at Town Meeting. The Finance Committee recommendation follows the explanation of the 7 funding Articles. Article 11: Heritage Park Expansion Project, Phase I (Criteria: Renovation of Recreation Lands). This request is to appropriate $192,500 for the expansion and/or construction of additional recreational fields at Heritage Park. 5