Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bartlett Mall Restoration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council accepts $775,000 LWCF offer for Bartlett Mall restoration amid questions on operating costs
Summary
The City Council accepted a $775,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant toward a $5.2M Bartlett Mall restoration package; the project depends on Morrill Foundation gifts and a proposed CPA bond and raised debate about timing, operating costs, and long‑term maintenance.
The Newburyport City Council on March 23 considered and advanced acceptance of a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant worth $775,000 to support the Bartlett Mall restoration project.
Committee members outlined the project scope — dewatering the pond, installing a liner and plantings, restoring the fountain, adding walkways and a removable dock and building a pump house — and noted the broader funding plan: approximately $800,000 from the Morrill Foundation, the $775,000 LWCF grant, and a proposed Community Preservation Act (CPA) bond of about $3.5 million to reach an estimated total near $5.2 million.
Andrea Igerman, president of the Port Parks Alliance, urged the council to accept the LWCF grant, telling the council: “I urge you to accept the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for the Bartlett Mall restoration project,” arguing the grant and matching funds would allow the project to proceed and protect public health and habitat.
Council discussion emphasized two linked concerns: timing and ongoing operating costs. Council members noted that LWCF requires a successful council appropriation of 100% of project cost to retain the grant, which makes sequencing of CPA bond approval important. Several councilors warned that the project will create ongoing operating expense for pumps and upkeep; previous estimates of annual operating costs discussed in committee ranged roughly from $20,000 to $40,000 per year.
The committee had recommended the LWCF acceptance by a 2–1 vote. On the council floor, members debated the project’s value versus its recurring costs; proponents framed the restoration as both a public-health and recreation investment, while opponents stressed fiscal transparency and the need to identify operating-budget offsets before finalizing large CPA or bonding commitments.
The council advanced the LWCF acceptance on a roll-call vote; the measure moves next into the CPA/bonding process and related appropriation steps. Councilors asked staff to provide the CPC line-item breakdown and confirmed the dock will be removable for winter use.
