CPC Meeting Minutes.06.18.2020 FINAL APPROVEDCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
COMMITTEE /COMMISSION: SUBCOMMITTEE
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Community Preservation Committee
June 18, 2020
Google Meet Virtual Meeting
Chair - Marilyn McCrory, Vice Chair -
Heather Richter, Derek Beckwith, John Hall,
Nancy Marino, Christy Edwards, Robert
Buchsbaum, Wendy Pearl
MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS PRESENT:
Tom Bussone
Denise Deschamps - Economic
Development Planner, Planning
Department, acting as Committee staff,
Kristin Carlson (Harborlight);
Jodi Byrne - Recording Secretary
1. Call to Order
Chair Marilyn McCrory calls the June 18, 2020 meeting of the Beverly Conservation Committee
to order at 6:30 p.m. and informs everyone that the meeting will be recorded. Chair McCrory
takes a verbal roll call and then reads an abbreviated version the following:
Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the
Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, and the Governor's March 23, 2020 Order imposing
strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the
Beverly Community Preservation Committee will be conducted via remote participation to
the greatest extent possible. No in- person attendance of members of the public will be
available, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the
proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so,
despite best efforts, we will post on the City's website an audio or video recording,
transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the
meeting. Applicants and /or representatives required to appear before the Beverly
Community Preservation Committee must make arrangements to present remotely as
there is not a physical meeting location. Documentary exhibits and /or visual presentations
must be submitted 3 business days in advance of the meeting to Denise Deschamps via
email at ddeschamps @beverlyma.gov. If you wish to have a comment and /or question read
during the meeting please submit them to Denise Deschamps at
ddeschamps @beverlyma.gov.
Chair McCrory repeats that the meeting is being recorded, and all participants are given the
option of turning off their video and audio. She says that anyone who would like a copy of
documents from tonight's meeting may contact Denise Deschamps. She states that all votes will
be taken in a formal roll call vote, and she requests that the chat feature only be used only for
technical issues.
2. Review of CPC Meeting Minutes from May 21, 2020
Beckwith motions to approve the May 21, 2020 minutes as amended. Marino seconds. There is a
roll call vote with each member voting yes: Chair Marilyn McCrory, Heather Richter, Derek
Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, and Wendy Pearl.
The motion passes (8 -0).
3. Election of Officers
Chair McCrory states that the Chair and Vice Chair are elected each year, and that it is optimal to
rotate these positions. She thanks Richter for her role as Vice Chair and says that Richter would
serve well as the new Chair. Marino motions for Richter to be named the new Chair of the CPC.
Beckwith seconds. Richter accepts the nomination. There is a roll call vote with each member
voting yes: Chair Marilyn McCrory, Heather Richter, Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum,
Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (8 -0).
Richter describes the role of Vice Chair, and Beckwith says that he would serve in this role.
Pearl motions for Beckwith to serve as Vice Chair. Hall seconds. There is a roll call vote with
each member voting yes: Chair Marilyn McCrory, Heather Richter, Derek Beckwith, Robert
Buchsbaum, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes
(8 -0).
4. Review of Draft Grant Agreement with The Cabot
Deschamps says that she does not have a final draft of the agreement, but that there has been
productive communication between the City and The Cabot. She asks the Committee for
direction on next steps, and Chair McCrory says that grant agreements are usually handled by the
City administration.
Pearl says that Deschamps has been keeping Bill Finch (Chair of the HDC) informed of the
process. All CPC members state that they are comfortable with the City administration handling
the grant agreement with The Cabot. Hall suggests that Bussone review the agreement, and
Deschamps says that she will share the agreement with Bussone.
5. Recap of Action on Proposed Emergency Housing Relief Program
Richter reports on the latest work of this CPC subcommittee. She states that the City Council did
approve the appropriation for this fund, and that the subcommittee is in the process of preparing
letters to be sent to various agencies who could oversee this fund. She says that the next step will
be to sign off on an agency. There is a brief discussion about the City Council meeting and some
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of the questions that the Council posed to the subcommittee, including the effect this could have
on permanent affordable housing. Marino stresses the Mayor's concern for City resident housing
once the state of forbearance ends and tenants have to repay what they owe. Marino suggests that
the Committee work with the Urban Promise agency.
Pearl asks about the logistics in this process and if the CPC will take an active role. Chair
McCrory says that the CPC does not have the ability to manage all of this, and she requests
clarity in how the City will oversee this process. Deschamps says that in some ways it is like a
typical CPC project where CPA funds the project and an entity runs the program. She says the
letter they are drafting is addressing this, and she will speak to the Planning Director to
determine if overseeing this process is something in which she could become involved.
Deschamps adds that there would have to be a reporting mechanism to the City Council that
would include applicants and budget information.
6. Status Report on Open Proiects
Deschamps says that she did not have the time to compile this information for this meeting, and
McCrory notes that because these projects are not yet completed, a report before the next round
is acceptable.
7. Proposal to Update CPA Funding Application
Chair McCrory reviews the Committee's past discussion on the challenges of the application
process. Pearl suggests an online form (similar to Newburyport's process) as it would set limits
on text areas, allow for more prompts, and standardize and fill databases. Chair McCrory notes
the workload this could place on City Staff and the benefits of a paper copy. Pearl also states that
the level of documents was sometimes difficult for the scope of work, and that the application
should provide better specifics on the types of information needed. Marino agrees and says this
can be provided on either a hardcopy or online, but notes that an online form could contain links
for each box with field explanations.
Deschamps agrees to revise the document to add clarity in the directions and notes that she could
complete this in time for the public meeting. Pearl suggests that all Committee members review
the current application and send any suggested changes to Deschamps.
Buchsbaum suggests that they get feedback from this year's round of applicants. Beckwith
suggests providing applicants with a copy of a model application. McCrory says that both the
first GAR application and the Powder House application can be used as models, and Richter also
suggests the Waterfront on Dane Street application.
Hall asks if the coalition can provide any guidance on a model application form, and McCrory
says that before the CPC was formed, a committee reviewed applications from a number of
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cities. She states that the current form is heavily modeled on Gloucester.
Richter says that there will always be applicants who do not know how to write grants, and she
suggests individual guidance. Buchsbaum notes possible conflicts, and Richter adds that projects
should be judged on the project not on an applicant's knowledge of the application process.
Chair McCrory asks members to review the current application as well as other city applications
and then to send suggestions to Deschamps.
8. Other Items - Reported by Deschamps
a. Harborlight filed an out of cycle application which Deschamps forwarded
to the Committee.
Deschamps says that Harborlight would like to confirm CPC support by October, and the
Committee decides to hold a special meeting to discuss this on Wednesday July 22, 2020.
b. The MOU between the CPC and the City Clerk (round 6) is expiring in
July, and they are requesting a 12 month extension.
Buchsbaum says that the Committee could vote on this because it has already been approved.
Buchsbaum motions to extend the MOU between the CPC and the City Clerk to July 5, 2021.
Beckwith seconds. There is a roll call vote with all members voting yes: Chair Marilyn McCrory,
Heather Richter, Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy
Marino, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (8 -0).
c. Solar Now question - language of prioritizing the physical work over the
preservation of documents.
Chair McCrory says that she does not think the applicant needs to prioritize one thing over
another, and Pearl says the applicant did provide the budget and scope and that the project was
approved.
9. Adiourn
Hall motions to adjourn. Buchsbaum seconds. There is a roll call vote with each member voting
yes: Chair Marilyn McCrory, Heather Richter, Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Christy
Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (8 -0).
The meeting is adjourned at 8:00 pm.
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