Royalston Open Space Committee
Minutes
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Meeting Date: October 11, 2007
Members Present: Aaron
Ellison, Jack Morse, Patti Carrier, Christine Beckert Long
Chair:
Aaron Ellison
Clerk: Christine Beckert Long
The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. at town hall.
Minutes:
The committee unanimously approved the minutes of August 9, 2007.
(Due to a lack of quorum, the committee did not meet in September.)
The committee agreed by consensus to revive the goal of promoting the acceptance
of the Community Preservation Act. To this end, the committee agreed on the
following:
o The committee will aim
to introduce the CPA at the 2008 annual town meeting and
to include it on the ballot of the state primary election or the 2008 national
election,
whichever is appropriate.
o The committee will aim for a public, transparent process.
o Aaron will meet with
the Selectboard within the coming month,
seeking their support for the initiative and determining whether they recommend
an information session scheduled for all town boards or whether to combine
that
meeting with a general public meeting. (Note: When the date is chosen, the
committee will send specific invitations to all relevant town officials and
committees.)
o The committee will prepare
a chart showing the effects of the CPA at the one,
two and three percent surtax level and at the first public meeting, try to
take the
pulse of the community on which level to recommend. The committee will recommend
exemptions for the first $100,000 of property value and for property owned
and occupied by a person who qualifies for low-income housing or for low-
or
moderate-income senior housing.
o The committee will use
print media to promote the CPA.
Aaron will write an article for the November town newsletter reintroducing
the
committee and introducing the idea of the CPA.
Chris will write an article describing the CPA for the December town newsletter.
Aaron will write an article for the January town newsletter inviting residents
to the public
meetings; this article should spark curiosity and emphasize that people should
come to
have questions answered. By February, Elizabeth Farnsworth will develop a
brochure
explaining the CPA and highlighting possible CPA projects.
When the time comes, Aaron will write press releases for area newspapers.
o The committee will hold
its first public meeting on January 10, 2008, giving an overview
of the CPA and eliciting general comment. The committee will hold another
public meeting
on January 24, 2008, eliciting project ideas and seeking volunteers to help.
The committee
will caucus at the close of that meeting in order to finalize its "poster
projects."
The committee will launch the brochure on February 13, 2008.
o Chris will contact the
state CPA Coalition to obtain an updated information sheet for
Royalston and to find out if a CPA representative can attend the November
8 and
January 10 meetings.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.