First Churches Recommendation Cover LetterE i F-5 � WNW
11
April 3, 2008
Mayor Clare Higgins
City of Northampton
210 Main Street, City Hall
Northampton, MA 01060
City of Northampton
Community lreservation Committee
210 Main Street, City Yfaff
Northampton, - qlA 01060
Re: Community Preservation Committee Recommendation to fund the First Churches
Preservation Campaign
Dear Honorable Mayor Higgins,
On February 1, 2008, the deadline for the first round of Community Preservation Act
(CPA) funding requests in the City of Northampton, the Community Preservation
Committee (CPC) began reviewing the ten project proposals submitted for CPA funding.
During the first two weeks of February, the Community Preservation Committee and the
Community Preservation Planner reviewed each of the ten proposals for technical
correctness. After the initial review, the CPC members met on February 20, 2008 to
discuss and compile a list of questions and additional information necessary for further
project proposal review. At this meeting the CPC set up two separate site visits for each
of the proposed projects.
On March 1 and March 12 the CPC met with each of the ten applicants to discuss, in
detail, their project proposals. Also, on March 12 the CPC held a formal public
discussion on the project proposals. The purpose of the public discussion was to let
members of the CPC hear the views of the public on any of the applications prior to their
final review.
On March 19 the CPC held its summary evaluative discussions of the applications and,
during this six hour meeting, the CPC voted on all ten funding requests.
At the March 19, 2008 meeting, the Community Preservation Committee voted 7 -0 to
recommend $250,000 to the First Churches Preservation Campaign for the preservation
of the historic meetinghouse roof.
The following are conditions /contingencies that the Community Preservation Committee
is requiring as part of its recommendation for the First Churches Preservation project:
A Historic Preservation Restriction, drafted in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter
184 and approved by the Massachusetts Historical Commission shall be recorded
for the First Churches Meeting House prior to receiving Community Preservation
Act funds.
The Community Preservation Committee shall be notified when the Historic
Preservation Restriction has been recorded, and at the time of project completion;
if not complete within one year of funding, a progress report shall be submitted to
the Community Preservation Committee.
Procedures for monitoring and reporting shall be worked out among the
Committee, Mayor and the grantee.
We hope that you will find this overview useful during this critical stage in the funding
process. The Community Preservation Committee has worked diligently to ensure that
both the Committee and the process have been comprehensive, transparent and inclusive;
we welcome your input and expertise on this project recommendation.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jack Hornor
Chair, City of Northampton Community Preservation Committee