06/05/2023 SELECT BOARD Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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0 Mashpee Select Board Minutes June 5, 2023 APPOINTMENTS & HEARINGS PublicComment: (continued) Former Select Board member Andrew Gottlieb indicated the Select Board has rallied in the past and there is a need to do this again. The timeline necessary to gain SRF funding imposes a deadline of August 11, 2023 for applications to receive 0% financing. With approval and a vote of Town Meeting construction might commence in 2025 taking three years for completion. Conceivably additional connections and the start of Phase II would commence in 2028. Water quality would not begin to improve until 2030. Mr. Gottlieb stated if the Town does not apply for SRF funding, it will cost an additional year. What you thought is disgusting will get worse until sometime in the 2030's. Mr. Gottlieb requested the Select Board discuss and vote on this matter at their next meeting with the intent to fund Phase I1 of the Wastewater Plan in May 2024. To meet the deadline of August I I' it is necessary to direct staff members to prepare for the October Town Meeting, and for construction authorization in May 2024 with a financing plan to fund Phase I1. If you wait until it bubbles up, it is never going to happen. Mr. Gottlieb indicated there is plenty of time to discuss the details. It was recommended the Select Board tell the staff we are moving forward and this is the schedule. J. Marie Stevenson, Chair of the Mashpee Inclusion & Diversity Committee spoke about the projects exploring diversity though stories and photographs in a joint initiative with the MM//MHS Human Rights club and other students an intended legacy project. The second series is now in the public library until August. Of interest is the hallow flag on display at the middle/high school, a project representing 14 different countries. At a recent Local Comprehensive Plan meeting the desire for boards and committees to cross over was discussed. In an effort to move forward, it is requested the Select Board, School Committee and Department Heads meet jointly at the Mashpee Library to gather and to read and to see the stories that have evolved. The exhibit is also planned to be on display at the Cotuit Center for the Arts. This is something the whole Town should be proud of. In closing Ms. Stevenson made note of Race Amity Day on June 11, 2023 inviting all members of the public to attend. In other business, Ken Debrowski offered comment on tax policy and encouraged the Select Board to be more proactive in the management of tax policy in future years. Mr. Debrowski discussed the need to be attentive to real estate tax policy as it is the Town's main source of revenue with the largest impact to the community. Adopting the residential tax exemption at 5% has shifted the tax burden. If we had not adopted the 5% residential exemption residents below the median would have seen a 5.4% tax increase and non-residents a 2.7% decrease. Residents above the median would have seen a modest increase of 0.9% increase. Mr. Debrowski asked if the results would remain as voted or does the Town want to consider using the residential exemption to mitigate the impact that was seen this year. As analysis indicates market forces will change how the tax burden is distributed. Mr. Debrowski indicated he is willing to further discuss this with Town Officials.