Community Preservation Committee recommends FY27 budget and approves multiple eligibility requests

The Community Preservation Committee voted unanimously to recommend the FY27 Community Preservation Act (CPA) budget to the town council after reviewing projected revenues and required set-asides. Carlton Hunt, vice chair, said the town finance director estimated roughly $950,000 in local receipts and a state match of about $147,250, producing a revenue plan that the committee balanced with required 10% allocations to preservation buckets and a 5% administrative cap.

The recommendation now goes to the town council for first reading next week, with council second reading and final action to follow. Hunt explained the budget “takes 10% into each of the required buckets” and that administrative funds include a payroll line to cover 104 hours of additional support from staff member Josh.

Alongside the budget vote, the committee approved several eligibility determinations that allow applicants to submit full CPA funding requests. The committee accepted a revised online eligibility form for applicants and deemed the library renovation items (historic window and exterior column work, ADA railings and walkways) eligible for application while excluding nonhistoric items such as new carpets. Hunt noted the library has a prior Green Communities grant; committee members agreed carpets are not eligible and that the application must include contractor quotes and a certificate of appropriateness from the historic district commission.

The committee also voted to deem two fire-department projects eligible: a full restoration of a 19th-century hand-pulled fire apparatus and a conservation/restoration proposal for a set of historic photographs. Members stressed that eligibility does not imply automatic funding and urged applicants to obtain multiple quotes and detailed scope documents before application.

Other project updates heard before the votes included the Styles & Hart Park work, for which the committee said a southern-end survey will be procured (expected under the $50,000 RFQ threshold) and that about $780,000 currently sits in the related account pending rescoping and rebidding for trail and a possible bridge connection. The Hansen Farm trail requires a laid-out route, approval by Wildlands Trust (which holds the conservation restriction) and review by the conservation commission before construction can proceed.

Next steps: the town council will take up the committee’s FY27 recommendation at its upcoming meeting; eligible applicants were advised to prepare full applications with final costs, contractor quotes and historic-approval materials.