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Home My WebLink About2024-06-11 ad Hoc - Community Preservation Act Study Committee MinutesRECEIVED TOWN CLERK e Town of Reading tl Meeting Minutes 2721 J1111 21 AM 9: 23 Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Ad Hoc Community Preservation Act Study Committee Date: 2024-06-11 Time: 7:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Select Board Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Chair Joe Carnahan, Vice Chair Sarah Brukilacchlo, Carlo Bacci (remote 8:40 pm) Margaret Donnelly -Moran, Eric Geffen, Sandy Matathia, Martha Moore, Advisory Member Katie Gallant (remote) Members - Not Present: Others Present: Community Development Director Andrew MacNlchol Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde Topics of Discussion: Chair Joe Carnahan called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm. Roll Call Attendance: Sandy Matathia, Margaret Donnelly -Moran, Sarah Brukilacchio, Eric Gaffen, Martha Moore, Kathryn Gallant (remote), Joe Carnahan Discuss status of outreach to Community Preservation Coalition Sandy Matathia stated that he spoke with Chase Mack, the Community Preservation Coalition Communications Director, and learned that the Coalition functions have trended towards surveying communities that already adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA), and supporting administration of the CPA. Mr. Matathia stated that Mr. Mack noted that he is familiar with Reading's efforts to date and identified different scenarios by which the Town could pursue CPA adoption over the next couple of years. State elections, as opposed to local elections, are more promising. Over the past twenty years, there has been an 80% pass rate in state elections, versus a 50% pass rate in local elections. The best shot would have been with the Presidential election this fall, but R is too late, and it will be two years before there is another state election. If the town would prefer to pass it sooner, it is worth a shot. One different scenario is when there is a tax raise for other things competing for extra money, such as overrides and debt exclusions. Mr. Mack will be available to attend the July 9r' meeting remotely. Sarah Brukilacchio reviewed her discussions with Chase Mack, and she learned that fees are minimal. Real estate prices have increased 50% between 2019 and 2024. Because the rates that were set in 2019 took several years to pass in the legislature, rates will likely not increase for a few years. Donations can also be made directly to the Town's CPA fund. She also asked R the $100,000 exemption is fixed, and learned that it cannot be changed to another amount like $200,000. Martha Moore noted that the websfte indicates that the $100,000 exemption is automatic each year, but individual residents will need to reapply each year for senior tax exemptions, and low- and moderate -income exemptions. Mr. Matathia noted that the former Assistant Director of the Coalition, Kathy Roth, left her paid position, but is still on their steering committee. She has a lot of institutional knowledge and still works with Mr. Mack informally. Margaret Donnelly -Moran noted that in working with another community, she saw CPA funding used to fund the design of a housing project, for which a $15 million grant was received to build it. CPA funds can open up more match funding and grant opportunities. Page 1 1 4c"� ar ytaa �� Town of Reading �` r; ��y' Meeting Minutes Review resources provided by Community Preservation Coalition Martha Moore learned that there were models of Towns that succeeded in passing CPA. Natick was most similar to Reading, as it was recent, and successfully passed on the second try. The Committee could refer to Natick to help steer the plan for Reading. She also learned which towns voted for 3% and which towns voted for 1 %. She learned that vacation communities, such as on Cape Cod, passed by 80% at a 3% surcharge, and other communi ies with year-round residents passed by smaller margins, and with lower surcharges of 1% to 1.5%. Identify questions that the Ad Hoc CPA Study Committee should consider and how the Committee can find answers to them The Committee engaged in a lengthy discussion and compiled a list of questions to address. Questions the Committee can research itself include: • What were the results of past override and debt exclusion votes in Reading. • What are some of the benefits for adopting CPA for Conservation, Recreation, Housing, and Historical Preservation? • How do we convince the community? What is the when and why? • What are recent projects presented to Town Meeting that could have benefitted from CPA? • What are projects that could benefit Town departments using CPA funds? • How many members of the Select Board are in favor of CPA? • How would the Select Board like to hear from the CPA Study Committee? • What is the estimated tax impact on the average house in Reading? • How much money would be raised over the next few years? • Which exemptions should be considered? • What should be the recommended rate for Reading? Questions for Chase Mack of the Community Preservation Coalition include: • Is this the righttimeto tryto adoptCPA, or wait a couple of years when the Town is not trying to fund other projects such as the Killam School and the Senior Center at the same time? • When should the Town consider CPA at Town Meeting and/or byvote? • Why are pass rates different between local and state elections, and what are the reasons for failed attempts? • What arathe impacts of concurrent tax rate votes on CPAvotes? • There are two ways to get CPA on the ballot: Town Meeting, or by petition of 5% of voters. Have any communities ever gone the petition route, and does it work? • How can we calculate how much funding has been missed by not adopting CPA in 2022? What would the cost of further delay be, and what else could the Town miss out on? • What are the arguments against CPA that we should be prepared for? • What is the impact of having other tax related votes at the same time? • How much could Reading have benefitted from matching funds if it had passed in 2002? • What would be the relationship between this Committee and whoever is running the ballot campaign? Page 1 2 Isar e Town of Reading a �= Meeting Minutes • What does this mean for multi -family properties, both condo ownership, and rental properties? • How are the state matching funds percentage calculated? • How does the CPC recommend communicating the calculation? • What is the cost to administer the CPA? Cado Baca joined the meeting remotely at 8:40 pm The Committee further discussed which members could answer which questions ahead of the neat meeting. Each member was tasked with compiling the list of possible projects, and past Town Meeting projects pertaining to their respective board or committee. Margaret Donnelly -Moran volunteered to research information about past override and debt exclusion votes. Joe Carnahan volunteered to research calculating the projected funds that would be missed over the next three, five, and ten years, and how much money would Reading raise per year over time. Sandy Matathia volunteered to research rules related to campaign finance. Martha Moore will poll the Select Board members on their support for CPA. Carlo Baca will address the questions of when and how the Select Board would like to hear from the CPA Study Committee. Discuss future agendas and meetina schedule At the meeting on July 91°, Chase Mack from the Community Preservation Coalition will attend and answer questions posed by the Committee. Liaison Reports and standing agenda items, including what the recommended rate should be and when the vote should be, will be added to future agendas. For the next meeting, there will be a discussion on the 2G02 results of the CPA vote in Reading. Committee members will list projects that would fall under their respective boards and committees, and their estimated amounts. Members will send their lists to staff for distribution ahead of the next meeting. At a future meeting, the Committee would like to hear from someone from Natick's Study Committee or campaign, and someone from Winchesters pending campaign. Discuss and approve meetino minutes from May 29, 2024 On a motion by Martha Moore, seconded by Eric Gallen, the ad hoc Community Preservation Act Study Committee voted 6-0-1, to approve the meeting minutes of May 29, 2024, with Margaret Donnelly -Moran abstaining, as she was not present at that meeting. Roll call vote: Cade Bocci —Yes, Sandy Matathia—Yes, Margaret Donnelly -Moran — Abstain, Sarah Brukilacchio — Yes, Eric Gaffen — Yes, Martha Moore — Yes, Joe Carnahan — Yes. On a motion by Eric Gagen, seconded by Martha Moore, the ad hoc Community Preservation Act Study Committee voted unanimously 7-0-0 to adjourn at 9:31 pm. Roll call vote: Cade Bocci —Yes, Sandy Matathia — Yes, Margaret Donnelly -Moran —Yes, Sarah Bmkilacchio— Yes, Eric Gaffen — Yes, Martha Moore — Yes, Joe Carnahan — Yes. Page 1 3