Community Preservation Committee

Contact information: Meetings: Monthly, at Town Hall Board of Selectmen’s Office generally on the second Thursday at 7 pm. Phone: 508 678 4946 (Warren Messier, chair) Email: wmmessier180@charter.net (Warren Messier, chair) Committee members Warren Messier, Chair (Finance Committee) Chet Adams, Co-Chair (At-Large) Elizabeth Collins (Housing Authority) David Emilita (Planning Board) Norma K. Judson (Historical Commission) Richard Lambert (Conservation Commission) Timothy Gillespie (Recreation Commission) Lino Rego (At-Large) Betty Slade (At-Large) Useful documents Note: Documents and forms are in "PDF" format, which means you need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to read them. Although many computers already have this installed, if you don't have a copy you can download it here. Application forms and guidelines for submission can be downloaded here. Please mail or deliver the completed application to the Community Preservation Committee, Town Hall, 816 Main Road, Westport, Ma. 02790.

About the Community Preservation Committee and the Community Preservation Act

The Community Preservation Act (CPA, MGL 44B) was signed on September 14, 2000. The Westport 2001 Annual Town Meeting adopted the Community Preservation Act and voters approved it at the 2002 town elections. The CPA allows a town to adopt a property tax surcharge. Westport approved a 2% surcharge on real estate taxes which began on July 1, 2002. The state has matched these funds 100% over the past five years for a total of $1,555,443.

A minimum of 10% of the annual revenues of the fund must be used for each of the three core community concerns: historic preservation, open space and affordable housing. The remaining 70% can be allocated for any combination of the allowed uses, or for land for recreational use. This gives each community the opportunity to determine its priorities, plan for its future, and have the funds to make those plans happen.

vCPC consists of nine members appointed by the Board of Selectmen representing the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, the Planning Board, Recreation Commission, the Housing Authority and the Finance Committee and three at-large members.

For more detailed information, please see the report of the Community Preservation Committee in the Westport Annual Town Reports. Information on CPA may be found at: http://www.communitypreservation.org/index.cfm. Information on other participating communities see http://www.communitypreservation.org/CPAVotes.cfm.

Members of Community Preservation Committee

• Warren Messier, Chair (Finance Committee)
• Chet Adams, Co-Chair (At-Large)
• Elizabeth Collins (Housing Authority)
• David Emilita (Planning Board)
• Norma K. Judson (Historical Commission)
• Richard Lambert (Conservation Commission)
• Timothy Gillespie (Recreation Commission)
• Lino Rego (At-Large)
• Betty Slade (At-Large)

Meetings:

Monthly, at Town Hall Board of Selectmen’s Office generally on the second Thursday at 7 pm.

Applications

Application forms and guidelines for submission can be downloaded here. Please mail or deliver the completed application to the Community Preservation Committee, Town Hall, 816 Main Road, Westport, Ma. 02790.

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Community Preservation Committee Projects committed as of November 15, 2007

Open Space

• Len Santos Farm/WYAA $500,000
• Forge Pond $240,000
• Wood Farm $260,000
• Gonet Farm $200,000
• Estuaries Project (OS/HP) $120,000 (2 yrs)
• Waterway Restoration (OS/HP) $ 95,000 (3 yrs)
• Dunham Brook Conservation Area $250,000 (Pending Town Meeting approval)

Historic Preservation

• Town Hall Restoration $145,000 (3 yrs)
• Wolf Pit School $ 57,590
• Town Farm $ 28,750
• Friends Meeting House $ 22,500
• Bell School $ 19,775
• Town Records $ 10,000
• Town Historic Signs $ 9,156 (2yrs)
• Westport Point Church $ 9,000
• Town Farm Research $ 8,050
• Historic Cemetery Restoration $ 6,023
• Hicks/Handy Records $ 3,075
• Town Historic Maps $ 2,500
• Town Historic Makers $ 1,308
• Town Corner Signs $ 1,200

Community Housing

• Perry property $750,000 (2 yrs)
• Community Housing $ 55,000
• Westport Housing Authority $ 25,000 (funds transferred)
• Planning Board/Housing Plan $ 5,000

State Match Total receipts from state representing 100% state match of 2 % surcharge on local real estate tax bills:

• $285,139 (October, 2003),
• $296,150 (October, 2004),
• $310,535 (October, 2005),
• $324, 421 (October, 2006),
• $339,198 (October, 2007)

$1,555,443 Total monies received from the state to date through CPA