ROCKPORT — Members of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) are expected to vote tomorrow on whether to recommend eight requests for community preservation funds — including a contentious $2.26-million request from the selectmen to renovate the Community House — for passage at fall Town Meeting.
CPC Chairman Mary Francis said the committee hopes to vote on each application during tomorrow's meeting, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Police Station community room. If the committee is unable to consider all applications tomorrow, Francis said she has already certified an additional meeting to take place on July 28.
"When we get to 8:30 p.m., we'll make a decision on whether to gut it out and do the whole thing at once or decide to go over to July 28," Francis said
She plans to make a motion that, if supported by a majority of the committee, would require that an application receive a two-thirds vote from the Committee in order to earn the committee's recommendation. Usually, a recommendation requires a simple majority vote.
The CPC will propose moving the projects it supports to the Sept, 14 fall Town Meeting, where voters will then have the final word on how to dole out the funding. Money from the Community Preservation Act can be used for open space, historic preservation and affordable housing.
In an effort to ensure fairness to all applicants, Francis said the committee would take up the Community House application last.
The controversial Community House project application seeks $2,268,787 from the CPC aimed at stabilizing the historic structure's second floor, installing an elevator, bringing the building up to modern code and making the town-owned structure fully handicap-accessible with an eye toward reopening the Broadway building as a mixed use Senior Center. It is the largest funding request considered by Rockport's CPC, which has never borrowed money to fund a project in its seven-year history.
Open Space and Recreation Committee Chairman Christopher Lewis has repeatedly spoken out against the application, saying Rockport's seniors don't approve of the Community House location for a senior center and that the project would consume an unfairly large amount of money.
However Finance Committee member June Michaels said the town's CPC can afford to borrow the money needed to fulfill the selectmen's $2.26 million request and still have enough money each year to fund other CPC-eligible projects.
Council on Aging Chairman Roger Lesch has also said that, while the Council on Aging is a "little divided" about the building housing a new Senior Center, the townspeople should give it a chance.
Lewis' most vocal critic, however, has been Building Study Committee Chairman Jack Campbell. The local architect is also a member of the Community House Building Committee and chairman of the Community House Users Group Advisory Committee.
He contends that Lewis has misrepresented the results of a Council on Aging 2008 survey of needs regarding a senior center.
"There was no 249-54 vote opposing using the Community House," Campbell wrote in a letter to the Times. "In fact, 249 people said they would not mind sharing a building with other groups, while only 54 said they would mind.
"It appears Mr. Lewis has reversed these numbers to support his position that senior citizens are against using the Community House," he continued.
Campbell says the renovation project does not require debt exclusion and therefore would not result in increased taxes.
"The project can be covered by the Sale of Real Estate Fund ($250,000) and the Community Preservation Fund," Campbell wrote. "There is no other major capital project which the town can pursue at this time which can be financed without an impact on taxes. Voting to accomplish this renovation using (CPC) funds will allow the town to move forward with its building plan, even during these tough economic times, without burdening the taxpayers."
Campbell said the cost would be spread over the life of a 20-year bond and that there is no proposal to drain all of the existing CPC reserves or to impede funding the other designated community needs under the CPA.
If the CPC recommends financing the project through borrowing, a two-thirds vote would be needed at fall Town Meeting to make financing a reality, Francis said.
Other funding applications being considered by the CPC tomorrow were presented by the Conservation Commission to help bolster its land acquisition fund; the First Congregational Church for on-going restoration of the Old Sloop; the Public Library for exterior restoration; Action, Inc. to help qualifying Rockport residents get back on their feet; the Rockport Art Association for the restoration of its Old Tavern building and electrical systems, and by the newly created Rockport Housing Partnership for "start-up money."
Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
IF YOU GO
What: Rockport Community Preservation Committee meeting to decide recommendations on funding projects, including $2.26 million request for Community House to serve as a Senior Center.
When: Tomorrow, 7 p.m.
Where: Rockport Police Station community room.
