05/03/1999 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Explanation: This article authorizes the acquisition of land originally approved at the October 5, 1998 Town Meeting and provides funding using so-called "Land Bank" funds. At the October 5, 1998 Town Meeting, voters approved the purchase of the `Belcher" or "Town Forest" property and authorized the Town to borrow and to issue bonds or notes for $2,300,000 to pay for the land. On November 14, 1998, the Town voted at an election to exempt the amounts required to pay for the property from the Proposition 21/2 cap. At that time there was not a "Land Bank" fund which could be used to finance this purchase. In November 1998 the Town of Mashpee voted to approve an additional excise tax on real property in an amount equal to 3% of the real estate tax levy to provide for the purchase of Open Space. The intent of this article is to allow the voters of Mashpee to use the approved 3% "Land Bank Tax" funds to pay for the `Belcher" property as Open Space and to avoid additional taxation by separately funding this purchase through a debt exclusion. It is important to note that the United States Department of Fisheries and Wildlife has expressed interest in a possible purchase of this property from the Town of Mashpee at some future date. Any Conservation or deed restrictions placed on this property by the Conservation Commission or Land Bank purchase could reduce the value of the property and therefore reduce the amount of money the USF&W would pay for the property. The USF&W does not currently have the funding for this purchase, but may at some future time. The people of Mashpee must decide how they desire to pay for this land, and if they want to consider the potential future purchase of the "Town Forest" by the USF&W. A yes vote will pay for the land from already committed "Land Bank" funds and not from a separate tax outside of the limits of Proposition 21/2. Recommendation: The Finance Committee recommends approval. Motion made by Selectman Leveille. Motion: I move the Town vote to designate the `Belcher" or "Mingo" property acquired pursuant to the vote under Article 21 of the October 5, 1998 Annual Town Meeting as an open space land acquisition pursuant to the provisions of the Cape Cod Open Space Land Acquisition Program established by Chapter 293 of the acts of 1998, to authorize the use of Land Bank funds for such acquisition, and to seek matching funds from the Cape Cod Land and Aquifer Protection Fund administered by the State Secretary of Environmental Affairs under said act. Motion made at to amend article to indefinitely postpone at 9:29 p.m. Motion to amend does not pass at 9:45 p.m. 147 to 135. Original motion passes at 9:48 p.m. 205 to 146. ARTICLE 21 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to acquire, by purchase or otherwise, for conservation purposes all or a portion of a certain parcels of land shown as lots 164-184 on a "Definitive Plan of Land in Mashpee, Mass. Prepared for Daniel C.