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Committees: Community Preservation Committee

Community Preservation Committee Begins New Round of Funding

Application for Community Preservation Funding - Due: October 15, 2012

The Community Preservation Committee is accepting project applications for the 2012-2013 round of funding. Applications are available in the Town Clerk's Office, the Selectmen's Office and the Historical Commission Office. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday October 15, 2012. Completed applications should be submitted to CPC Administrator Andrea Young in the Historical Commission Office located on the second floor of Town Hall. Please call Andrea at 781-741-1492 if you have questions or wish to discuss your application.

The Community Preservation Committee reviews applications submitted by Town bodies and citizens at large for funding projects involving the acquisition of open space, preservation of historic resources, and the support of low and moderate income housing, and makes recommendations to Town Meeting regarding the use of the Town's Community Preservation Fund for those purposes. That fund is composed of a 1.5% surtax on Town real estate taxes and state matching grants payable each October 15th based on the surtax revenues for the fiscal year ending the prior June 30th, and interest on the accumulated funds. The Community Preservation Act requires that at least 10% of each year's Community Preservation revenues be spent or set aside for each of the three Community Preservation categories. The remaining 70% is available spending on any one or more of the categories as the Committee and Town Meeting see fit.

2011 Annual Report

Nine members comprise the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) – one each appointed by and from the Conservation Commission, the Planning Board, the Historical Commission, the Housing Authority and the Board of Selectmen, and four citizens at large, two appointed by the Board of Selectmen and two by the Moderator. The Committee reviews applications submitted by Town bodies and citizens at large for funding projects involving preservation of historic resources, creation of low and moderate income housing, acquisition of open space, and recreation. The CPC makes recommendations to Town Meeting regarding the use of the Town's Community Preservation Fund for those purposes. In FY 2011, the CPC engaged the services of Town Engineer, Roger Fernandes, to provide technical oversight on construction projects and assistance in analyzing grant requests. Carol Costello, Administrative Assistant to the Town Engineer, provides administrative support to the CPC on a part-time basis.

The Town's Community Preservation Fund is composed of a 1.5% surtax on Town real estate taxes effective beginning July 1, 2001, State matching grants payable each October 15th based on the surtax revenues for the fiscal year ending the prior June 30th, and interest on the accumulated funds. The total amount that will have been collected by the Fund through June 30, 2012 is approximately $10,914,580 including a total of $4,215,297 in State matching funds. The Community Preservation Act requires that at least 10% of each year's Community Preservation revenues be spent or set aside for each of the three Community Preservation categories, i.e., Historic Preservation, Community Housing, and Open Space/Recreation. The remaining 70% is available for spending on any one or more of the categories as the Committee and Town Meeting see fit. At the end of FY 2012, the amount available in Hingham's Community Preservation Fund to support upcoming projects is approximately $2,299,000 including a projected amount of $200,000 to be added in October 2012 when the State match is delivered.

In 2011, the Committee received a total of eight applications in two categories - Historic Preservation and Open Space/Recreation. No applications were submitted in the category of Community Housing. Of the eight applications received, CPC recommended four for Town Meeting approval. Three Historic Preservation projects were approved by Town Meeting: (1) conservation of 41 documents and artifacts from the Civil War and World Wars I and II, part of a large collection of historical memorabilia maintained by the Trustees of the G.A.R. Hall ($23,750); (2) a feasibility study requested by the Recreation Commission for preservation, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the Cordage Factory Head House ($25,000); and (3) structural reinforcement and brick repair to stabilize the Memorial Bell Tower, Phase I of a three phase project ($175,000). The fourth application requesting a $50,000 block grant was submitted by the Conservation Commission in the Open Space/Recreation category; Town Meeting approved a transfer of $50,000 into the Conservation Fund.

The Committee wishes to thank John Kelleher for his contributions to Community Preservation during five years of service, including two years as Vice-Chair; and Selectman Appointment Chris Burns for his service during FY 2011. Finally, the Committee expresses appreciation to John Riley for the support and guidance he provided during four years on the Committee as Selectmen Representative. The CPC welcomes Selectmen Representative Bruce Rabuffo and Selectmen Appointee Kathleen Peters.

Community Preservation Committee Members

Dan Coughlin, Chair (Conservation Commission Rep.)
William Reardon, Vice Chair (Moderator Appt.)
L. Bruce Rabuffo (Selectmen Rep.)
Gary Tondorf-Dick (Planning Board Rep.)
Bob Curley (Historical Commission Rep.)
James R. Watson (Housing Auth. Appt.)
Kathleen Peters (Selectmen Appt.)
Sally Weston (Moderator Appt.)
Vacancy (Selectmen Appt.)

Andrea Young, Administrator