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Mashpee CPC debates reopening Johns Pond study after draft warrant would cut CPC surcharge
Summary
Committee members debated whether to reconsider a previously approved $350,000 diagnostic study for Johns Pond after a draft warrant surfaced proposing to cut the CPC surcharge from 2% to 1% and shift 1% to a wastewater fund; a motion to reconsider the pond study failed to get a majority.
Members of the Mashpee Community Preservation Committee spent a substantial portion of their July 28 meeting discussing whether to reopen votes on a Johns Pond diagnostic study after learning a draft town-warrant article would reduce the CPC surcharge from 2% to 1% and transfer the lost 1% into a town wastewater infrastructure fund.
Committee members divided on strategy. Mary Wagon warned that cutting the CPC surcharge would significantly reduce annual funding and cited the program’s legacy work: “When Land Bank rolled over into community preservation... we’ve paid $15,000,000 in land acquisition debt,” she said, and added the committee had “touched, 621 acres of land” through those efforts. Other members said the pond study might qualify for state grant programs (the Santuit alum treatment was cited as funded under a state program referenced as “319”), and suggested demanding evidence that applicants had exhausted other funding sources before turning to CPC for large feasibility studies.
The committee specifically moved to reconsider its prior vote to fund the Johns Pond diagnostic study so members could reopen the question in light of the possible surcharge cut. After discussion the motion to reconsider was put to roll call and failed to secure a majority (a tie/no majority), which means the original funding recommendation remains as voted and will move forward to the town warrant unchanged. Several members said they will prepare materials and a memo to present to the Select Board and at upcoming public sessions if the warrant articles progress to town meeting.
The committee emphasized the immediate fiscal implications: members noted that a reduction to 1% would shrink the pool of available funds, reduce state-match opportunities and make future project funding more constrained. The group asked staff to assemble project photos and matching statistics to support a committee memo to the Select Board ahead of the Aug. 10 meeting.
