2013-01-17CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION
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The meeting begins at 6:00 p.m.
Ad -Hoc Community Preservation Ordinance Committee
January 17, 2013
City Hall Conference Room B, Third Floor
Wendy Pearl, Matt St. Hilaire, Lincoln Williams,
Marilyn McCrory, Shawn Mahoney, Peter von Zweck,
Robert Buchsbaum, Cathryn Keefe O'Hare, Heather
Richter
Mayor Bill Scanlon, City Council President Paul
Guanci, City Planner Tina Cassidy, Environmental
Planner Amy Maxner
Tina Cassidy
Mayor Scanlon thanks everyone for coming to the meeting and for volunteering their time to the
committee. Members introduce themselves.
Scanlon notes that the committee is an "ad -hoc" committee, formed for the specific purpose of
creating the city ordinance that will define and shape the membership and work of the permanent
Community Preservation Committee (CPC) that will be subsequently formed.
President Guanci expresses his appreciation to the members for serving the committee and offers
a few remarks on the committee's work as well as the overall positive benefits of having funding
available for affordable housing, open space and historic preservation.
Scanlon asks Cassidy to explain the second agenda item. Cassidy and Maxner distribute copies
of several documents that Pete Johnson recommended be provided:
• The enabling State statute for the Community Preservation Act (M.G.L. Chapter 44B);
• The Community Preservation Coalition's Best Practices and Lessons Learned: Creating
an Effective Community Preservation Committee Ordinance
• The Community Preservation Coalition's model Community Preservation Committee
By -Law Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44B (updated September 2012);
• List of useful web links; and
• Model Community Preservation Committee ordinances from the communities of
Gloucester, Peabody, Wenham, Newburyport, and Manchester -by- the -Sea
Also included in the distributed materials is a summary of the Open Meeting Law requirements
that would apply to the Committee.
Cassidy explains that City Solicitor Roy Gelineau was invited to the meeting this evening but was
unable to attend. He has committed to either attending the next meeting of the committee
personally or sending a representative from his office to act as a resource to the Committee during
its existence. Similarly, Finance Director John Dunn has stated his interest in attending the next
meeting. He received feedback from colleagues in other CPA communities who've
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recommended some specific wording for Beverly's Ordinance. He is prepared to attend the next
meeting to discuss that point.
Scanlon advises the members not to be alarmed by the Open Meeting Law information. Planning
staff is aware of the requirements (such as posting and notice requirements) so there should be
little for individual members to worry about in that regard.
When asked what he might like to see CPA funds spent on, Scanlon mentions the Carriage House
at Lynch Park that the City intends to renovate for use as an event venue and the GAR Hall on
Dane Street. Cassidy mentions that grant funds are always needed for affordable housing
initiatives and many "historic" related projects such as the powder house on Prospect Hill and an
inventory of city cemeteries.
General discussion takes place about the committee's task: To draft an ordinance for City
Council consideration/adoption which details the specifics of the committee such as its
membership, length of terms, number of annual meetings, etc. Buchsbaum distributes a copy of a
Department of Revenue chart that summarizes the purposes for which CPA funds can be spent
and suggests that members read through the materials distributed this evening between now and
the next meeting.
Members decide to meet again on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. with the intent to
begin drafting the actual ordinance. Cassidy repeats that both the City Solicitor's office and
Finance Department will attend the next meeting, as will planning staff.
Members agree that a chairperson should be elected to guide the committee. Pearl and McCrory
ask for clarification on what assistance the Planning Department can provide. Cassidy and
Maxner say the department can and will provide all the usual staff support (i.e. reserve meeting
rooms, draft /post /disseminate meeting notices and agendas, provide meeting follow up at the
committee's direction, etc.).
Williams suggests Pearl would be a good chairperson and she says she would accept that role
St. Hilaire: motion to nominate Wendy Pearl as chair, seconded by McCrory. All members
in favor, motion carries 9 -0.
Members again agree to review the documents distributed tonight and to begin drafting the
ordinance at the next meeting.
There being no other business, the meeting is adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
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