Community Preservation Committee to hold informational meeting
SOUTHWICK — It often happens at Town Meeting and is often seen on various social media platforms that focus on town issues. Residents want to know: 'Why do we need a splash pad when we can't fix our roads?'
For Community Preservation Committee Coordinator Sabrina Pooler the answer is simple.
'The funding for the splash pad comes from revenues generated by the town's participation in the state's Community Preservation Act. The projects are not directly funded by taxpayers,' she said.
She did, however, recognize that it can be confusing.
'It's a surcharge that you'll see on your tax bill,' she said.
In 2002, Town Meeting voted to participate in the program that had only been signed into law two years before, and it was one of the first.
This is how the CPA program's surcharge works.
For a property valued at $300,000, $100,000 is exempted. Multiply $200,000 by the current tax rate of $15.57 per every $1,000, and a property owner's tax annual tax bill would be $3,114. That $3,114 is multiplied by the 3% surcharge, which adds $92.82 annually, or $7.73 monthly to the tax bill.
But that is only what local taxpayers contribute to the Community Preservation Act fund.
The state matches the surplus funds generated by deed recording fees at various percentages.
'After residents adopted the surcharge, there were only a few towns and cities that were taking advantage of the program,' Pooler said.
'For a few years the state was matching 100% of the surcharges collected,' she said, adding that up until a few years ago the town was still getting an 80% match.
As the program has been adopted by more municipalities that in turn lowered the state match, she said.
Pooler said the state's match this year for the town was at nearly 39%, which amounted to $192,843 based on $487,819 collected in local surcharge fees.
When the town adopted the surcharge, it also set it at the maximum allowed: 3%.
That allows the town to qualify for three separate payments during the fiscal year.
As an example of the difference, in Agawam, it had surcharge collections of $629,673, a quarter more than Southwick's, but the state only matched 18% of collections for a total of $113,000. That's because Agawam's surcharge is 1% of a resident's tax bill.
While Town Meeting-approved projects have drained some of the CPA accounts, there is still $2.3 million in its general unrestricted fund, $76.000 in its Open Space account, $724,800 in its Affordable Housing account, and $307,200 in its Historic Preservation account.
Projects must fit the criteria for protecting open space, the rehabilitation or new construction of affordable housing, and historic preservation.
With those funds available, Pooler said the Community Preservation Committee is inviting residents to an informational meeting to have the program explained in greater detail.
It will be held on Wednesday, June 18 at 6 p.m., at Town Hall.
'We really want to educate our residents about this program. And most of the time no one attends this once-a-year this meeting,' she said.
She's also hoping that there might be some nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in town that would like to pursue a project that is accessible to all town residents.
As an example, she said an organization like the Rotary Club of Southwick might want to build an amphitheater for its summer concert series.
To do that, it would need to come up with estimates for every detail of the project from the cost of the property to buying an acoustic shell or bandshell.
'Technically, they're supposed to shovel ready,' Pooler said.
But the only way to know if an organization like the Rotary Club or a PTO can propose a project is to submit an application with the details, or if possible, attending the meeting on June 18.
Because it might take as long as a year for a project to be approved by the CPC and then Town Meeting.
'We had a Boy Scout come in a want to apply, but he needed the funds nearly right away. It just doesn't work that way,' she said.
Since the program started in 2002, $18 million has been allocated for 43 projects, from preserving town documents to repairing the slate roof at the police station.
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Springfield grants $3.5M for 19 preservation projects, rejects 1 housing request
SPRINGFIELD — The city will help replace leaking roofs on five historic buildings, fix the Buckingham Fountain that has been dry for years and make Marshall Roy playground handicap accessible, but will not assist an affordable housing project with units earmarked for people with mental illness. The City Council approved spending $3.5 million in Community Preservation Act funding to be divided among 19 projects to help preserve historic churches, build affordable housing, and boost open space and recreation. This year, the act raised more than $2.5 million from a surcharge of 1.5% that has been added to taxpayers' bills since voters adopted the law in 2016. In addition, the state is expected to match the contributions with nearly $400,000, and there were additional funds from interest and money allocated but not used from last year from projects that were not done or came in under budget, said Robert McCarroll, chairman of the Community Preservation Committee. 'It was a very difficult year for the committee,' McCarroll said, about the body that vets the projects and recommends them to the City Council. 'Although we had $3.5 million to recommend to you, we had 35 projects — the most we have ever had — asking for more than $8 million.' About half the grants recommended were less than the amount requested, but those organizations can return next year for additional funds, McCarroll said. The City Council passed 19 of the recommendations without a concern but narrowly rejected a proposal to continue to support the efforts to convert the historic Kavanaugh building on State Street into 35 affordable housing units, some of which will be leased to clients of the Department of Mental Health. 'The location is just about on the front lawn of (the High School of) Commerce, and I don't think it is an appropriate location,' said City Councilor Sean Curran, who has opposed the project in the past. In addition, he argued that the city granted developer Donald Mitchell, owner of Renaissance Development LLC, $2.8 million in federal pandemic money, and the Community Preservation Committee awarded him $210,000 for the project in past years. 'I think that is a significant contribution to this project and to come back tonight for an additional $300,000 of additional taxpayer's dollars, I think is a bridge too far,' Curran said. City Councilor Malo Brown agreed, saying he does not want to put more money into a project that has stalled and added that the building has been sitting vacant with no activity for some time. Mitchell said there were some design flaws in the $10 million project that caused him to part ways with the original architect. The company now has a new designer on board and hopes to begin construction in the fall. To speed up the time when people can move in, his company has now decided to do the work in two phases, so 25 apartments will be built and occupied first, and the remaining 10 will be completed later. In responding to Curran's concerns, Mitchell said he did talk to officials at the High School of Commerce when proposing the project, and the educators did not object to it. Other councilors said they did support the project, especially since Springfield faces a shortage of affordable housing and lacks apartments for people with mental health illnesses. 'I think it addresses many needs (for) the city of Springfield, and I'm not in favor of having another empty building on State Street,' City Councilor Kateri Walsh said. 'It will help a lot of people.' There were no objections to the remaining projects. City Councilor Jose Delgado called the proposals a good mix of improvements that will affect 10 different neighborhoods. He said he was happy that several other projects will help the city address the affordable housing crisis. Among the grants is one for $250,000 that will be given to Habitat for Humanity to help build a home for a low- or moderate-income first-time homebuyer on Hancock Street. The committee also continued its annual contributions to a program that helps first-time homeowners with down payment assistance and another that helps residents improve historic homes. 'We had many applications this year for (a) leaky roof and, of course, the worst thing for a historic building is water penetration,' McCarroll said. The committee recommended assisting the new owners of the historic Paramount Theater and Massasoit House with their $1.2 million project to replace the roof with a $300,000 grant. It also awarded the Ecumenical Church on Eastern Avenue $151,000 and Daniel's New Bethel Church $94,000 each for roof replacement. The historic Ames House on Maple Street, owned by Commonwealth Academy, also will receive a grant to replace the roof. 'This is one of the still-damaged historic homes on Maple Street from the 2011 tornado. We are recommending $155,000 … to rebuild the roof to the appearance it had prior to the tornado.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Here's Why Investors Should Give FedEx Stock a Miss Now
FedEx FDX is grappling with challenges arising from increased operating expenses, which are adversely impacting the company's performance, making it an unattractive choice for investors' portfolios. Let's delve deeper. Southward Earnings Estimate Revision: The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has moved 2.4% south in the past 60 days. For the next year, the consensus mark for earnings has been revised 1.04% downward in the same time frame. The unfavorable estimate revisions indicate brokers' lack of confidence in the stock. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Dim Price Performance: The company's price trend reveals that its shares have dropped 21% year to date compared to the Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry's 20.5% rise. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Weak Zacks Rank: FedEx currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Headwinds: FedEx continues to face significant pressure on its bottom line due to elevated operating costs. In the third quarter of 2025, operating expenses rose 2% year-over-year, driven by a staggering 57% increase in business optimization costs and a 2% rise in labor expenses. While the company frames these outlays as investments in long-term efficiency, the lack of immediate payoff raises concerns about the effectiveness of its cost-cutting strategy. Geopolitical uncertainty, tariff woes and higher inflation continue to hurt consumer sentiment and growth expectations. FedEx Freight segment operating results decreased during the quarter due to lower fuel surcharges, reduced weight per shipment and fewer shipments, partially offset by higher base yield. Investors interested in the Transportation sector may consider Copa Holdings CPA and Ryanair RYAAY. CPA currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. CPA has an expected earnings growth rate of 14.3% for the current year. The company has an impressive earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 5.5%. Shares of CPA have risen 22.8% year to date. RYAAY currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). RYAAY has an expected earnings growth rate of 30.5% for the current year. The company has a mixed earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed twice, delivering an average beat of 46.6%. Shares of RYAAY have rallied 32.1% year to date. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYAAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report FedEx Corporation (FDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Copa Holdings, S.A. (CPA) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Yahoo
The best Tennessee high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are the top 25
Lipscomb Academy's Brody Hilliard (19) hits a two-RBI double against CPA during the fourth inning at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, April 22, 2025. There's been no shortage of talent to step onto the fields, tracks, and courts throughout Tennessee high school history. The Volunteer State has produced legendary sports figures from Wilma Rudolph to Pat Summitt, Reggie White to Ed 'Too Tall' Jones to Steve Spurrier, and countless others. Advertisement For many of the schools that produced such legendary talent, several continue the rich traditions. Others have joined the mix. Which Tennessee high schools are currently the best for athletes According to one study, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25… 25. Ravenwood High School (Brentwood) Total number of sports: 13 24. Davidson Academy (Nashville) Total number of sports: 15 23. Farragut High School (Knoxville) Total number of sports: 17 22. Christian Academy of Knoxville (Knoxville) Total number of sports: 19 21. Greeneville High School (Greeneville) Total number of sports: 20 20. Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis) Total number of sports: 14 19. Lipscomb Academy (Nashville) Total number of sports: 14 18. Brentwood Academy (Brentwood) Total number of sports: 14 17. Whitehaven (Memphis) Total number of sports: 18 16. The Ensworth School (Nashville) Total number of sports: 17 15. Harpeth Hall (Nashville) Total number of sports: 14 14. Maryville High School (Maryville) Total number of sports: 17 Maryville's Ellie Stanley competes in the Women's 100 Yard Butterfly finals during the 2025 TISCA High School Swimming & Diving State Championship at the University of Tennessee's Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. 13. Trinity Christian Academy (Jackson) Total number of sports: 13 12. Father Ryan (Nashville) Total number of sports: 31 11. Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville) Total number of sports: 26 10. Baylor School (Chattanooga) Total number of sports: 22 9. Alcoa High School Total number of sports: 18 8. Memphis University School (Memphis) Total number of sports: 14 7. Hutchinson School (Memphis) Total number of sports: 12 6. Christian Brothers High School (Memphis) Total number of sports: 14 5. Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville) Total number of sports: 36 4. Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville) Total number of sports: 17 3. Briarcrest Christian (Eads) Total number of sports: 27 2. Girls Preparatory School (Chattanooga) Total number of sports: 16 1. McCallie School (Chattanooga) Total number of sports: 18 McCallie's Keylan Syam (26) runs the ball during the TSSAA Division II-AAA high school football championship against Baylor on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Data via Niche survey statistics This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: The 25 best high schools for athletes in Tennessee
