Officials reach compromise on new CPA applications

Town Counsel Paul DeRensis, the co-chairs of the Canton Community Preservation Committee (CCPC), and the Canton Select Board have agreed to a compromise regarding the acceptance of new project applications for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding.

The CCPC had previously voted to “pause” the acceptance of applications while it worked to bring its new administrator up to speed while also catching up on previously approved projects and finalizing the town’s Community Preservation Plan. After meeting Tuesday night, however, the sides agreed that pre-applications would be accepted but they would wait until the 2024 annual town meeting to vote on any new funding awards.

CCPC co-chairs Shaun Chu and John McSweeney will present the compromise plan to the full committee at its November 7 meeting.

DeRensis said the CCPC — which oversees the town’s administration of CPA funds for projects focused on recreation, open space, historic resources and community housing — should continue to accept new applications. The Select Board backed DeRensis’s opinion and asked the CCPC to reconsider its decision. Chu and McSweeney were originally scheduled to meet with the Select Board at Tuesday’s meeting, but the compromise was reached beforehand and announced at the meeting by Town Administrator Charles Doody.

As part of the agreement, anyone who submits a pre-application will be notified as to whether the project is eligible for funding.

Select Board member Tom Theodore said the issue highlighted the need for improved communication between the boards and better communication to the public.

In other news from the October 25 meeting:

* With 20 firefighters in attendance and his father, Ernie Robery, and other family members by his side, Wendell Robery was sworn in as Canton’s new fire chief.

* The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the town of Canton for its annual …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Oct 28 2022. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.