Community Preservation Committee

April 12, 2016, Page 1 of 17 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES April 12, 2016 A meeting of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was held on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 6:00 pm at 120 Washington Street, Salem, MA. Present were Chair Kevin Cornacchio, Vice Chair Leslie Tuttle, Ed Moriarty, Joanne McCrea, Bart Hoskins, Tim Shea, Matthew Veno and John Boris. Also present was Jane Guy of the City of Salem Department of Planning & Community Development. Public Comment Justin Vernon, 11 Buffum Street, representing the PTA for the Bentley School playground, stated that he was present as the head of the school and as a Salem resident. He provided a photo of a 2nd grader playing with a chip bag and noted that there is no playground structure in the scene and no playground structure at the complex. He asked that the CPC fully support the application because it will be great a resource for Bentley School and the community at large. He stated that it will act as an extension of Memorial Park and would be a community draw. It will provide a state of the art playground structure and an outdoor classroom. He noted that it has garnered much support, including support from Councillors Famico and McCarthy, and that it was a good use of CPA funds. Mr. Shea asked for an explanation of the relationship with Early Childhood Center (ECC), where he sees a nice play structure. Mr. Vernon stated that it is for early childhood and kindergarten; once past first grade the structure is too small. He noted that it is also an older playground with parts in disrepair. They function as separate entity, although ECC would also benefit from the new structure. Ilene Quinn, 6 Desmond Terrace, stated that she is the President of the Bentley PTA. She stated that it is a very personal endeavor to her. She explained reasons why a play structure will help children in their development. She stated that helping 275 kids each school day gets her endorsement. She stated that the ECC playground was funded by ECC, and is only through kindergarten. Bill Pelletier, 30 Clifton Avenue, Secretary for the Little League, stated that he supports funding for the bathrooms at Forest River Park and Mack Park. The Little League will contribute $2500 for each. Jean Marie Procious, 7 Highland St., Executive Director of the Salem Athenaeum stated that it was built in 1906 and all programs are open to Salem residents. She stated that windows are crucial as they have original collections that require steady humidity. They need to be rebuilt with storms added. They have worked with Window Woman of New England to get estimates. She looked at every window in the building, including skylights and she feels it is a solid number, with some contingency. Mr. Shea asked what hours are advertised that they are open to the public.  April 12, 2016, Page 2 of 17 Ms. Procious stated that it is on the very bottom of every page on their website. Ms. Tuttle stated that she is on the Park and Recreation Commission and that she finds it frustrating that we don’t have the working capital for parks and have to go to CPA. Mr. Cornacchio closed the public comment portion of the meeting. Approval of Minutes VOTE: Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the minutes of February 9, 2016. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried. Mr. Hoskins abstained from voting. Review of Determination of Eligibility Applications Received Ms. Guy provided a copy of the Determination of Eligibility application received from the City of Salem for Broad Street Cemetery to hire a landscape architect to begin the process to preserve and improve the Broad Street Cemetery, including a conditions assessment, recommendations, cost estimates, plans and bid documents.. VOTE: Mr. Shea made a motion to find the proposed project eligible, to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Rehabilitation/Restoration. Lt seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried. Vote to Recommend FY17 Budget (reserves and administration) Ms. Guy requested a vote to recommend the FY17 budget to the City Council. As in prior years, the draft budget is for 10% in each of the three categories, 5 % in Administration and the balance in the budgeted reserve. Surcharges received over the estimated budget, interest and unspent administration from FY16 will be available in November, as will the extra State match received over the initial estimate from FY16. The FY17 estimate for the State match is 19%. ESTIMATED ANNUAL FUND REVENUES FY16 Estimated CPA Surcharge $500,000.00 State Match $95,000.00 TOTAL $595,000.00 RECOMMENDED BUDGET Administrative Expenses $29,750.00 Housing Projects Reserve $59,500.00 Historic Projects Reserve $59,500.00 Open Space & Recreation Projects Reserve $59,500.00 FY17 Budgeted Reserve $386,750.00 TOTAL $595,000.00 VOTE: Mr. Boris made a motion to submit the budget as proposed to the City Council. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  April 12, 2016, Page 3 of 17 Review of FY17 Funding Applications Received Review applications for completeness and criteria met, rank order each High, Medium or Low. Ms. Guy stated that there is $825,021.52 available to recommend and that there are $1,433,408.14 in applications. The request for $350.75 increase for Driver and Patten Parks is withdrawn. Ms. Guy read the Disclosure of Appearance of Conflict of Interest from Leslie Tuttle regarding her membership with the Salem Athenaeum, the Woman’s Friend Society and the House of the Seven Gables. The CPC reviewed each application for primary and secondary criteria.  Boston Street Crossing Ms. Tuttle stated that she has dealt with Harborlight through Beverly Bootstraps. Mr. Boris stated that they are very experienced and have housing all over the North Shore. Mr. Cornacchio stated that he felt it is a high priority. Ms. Moriarty agreed, noting that it is a modest amount of money requested, which will create much needed affordable housing. He stated that he felt it is consistent with the CPC’s mandates. Ms. Tuttle agreed that it hits many of the criteria, including being on an entrance corridor. Ms. McCrea stated that it serves a population historically in need. Mr. Veno stated that he liked that they will be working with Lifebridge. Mr. Hoskins stated that he was glad that they addressed a plan for ongoing maintenance. Mr. Boris made a motion to rank this project a high priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Proctor’s Ledge Mr. Shea stated that he felt it is a high priority due to the press it has received nationwide and beyond. He stated that numerous tourists ask about Gallows Hill and how to get there. He noted that it will be overwhelmed with people in October. He added that he felt it was critical and it will memorialize the site. Mr. Cornacchio and Mr. Moriarty stated that they were in agreement.  April 12, 2016, Page 4 of 17 Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project high priority. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Fort Lee Restoration Mr. Shea stated that he felt this is low priority in terms of what was submitted. He stated that, down the road, it may be something to consider. He noted that the amount of work necessary to restore will be extensive. He would rather see the Winter Island Fort completed first before starting another in similar nature. Ms. Guy stated that this Fort was brought up at the public hearing by Councillor McCarthy with respect to people hanging out of there and other police issues. Ms. Tuttle stated that she agreed with Mr. Shea. She stated that they are so close to each other and questioned how the CPC spreads its money around and should it be spent all in one area. Mr. Shea stated that for impact, there are a significant number of people that use Winter Island, compared to those walking around those hills. He felt the money was better spent elsewhere. Mr. Hoskins noted that $150,000 is for a parking area and that the whole project is huge. He agree there was not as much impact. He noted that there is a danger of Phase 1 having to be re-done two or three times. He suggested going with medium and asking what is the next logical step. He was concerned if it is assigned low, it may not get anywhere. Ms. Tuttle stated that it was great the we have all these historic resources, but felt that Proctors Ledge pushes everything down a little. Mr. Cornacchio stated that he liked the idea of spreading money around city and not in one area. Mr. Veno agreed, particularly when it is for big chunks of funds. Mr. Cornacchio stated that he was okay with it being low priority. Ms. McCrea stated that she was also concerned about not spending enough money on something they have started. She would rather see a large project completed. Mr. Boris made a motion to rank this project low priority. Mr. Shea seconded the motion. Mr. Cornacchio, Ms. Tuttle, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Shea, Mr. Veno and MR. Boris voted in favor. Mr. Moriarty voted in opposition. Ms. McCrea abstained from voting. The motion so carried.  Broad Street Cemetery  April 12, 2016, Page 5 of 17 Mr. Shea stated that he did not consider this particularly high versus the needs of all the other things on this list. He stated that he would suggest medium priority so that it stays in consideration. Ms. Tuttle agreed it was in the medium range. She noted that having plans in place is a good thing. Mr. Cornacchio agreed with medium. Ms. McCrea agreed, noting concern of maintenance that hasn’t been done in the city. She stated that it doesn’t seem like anything is in critical state. Mr. Cornacchio stated that he felt other resources are more utilized. Ms. Tuttle noted that dog walkers use the cemetery. Mr. Veno stated that he did not disagree with anything said, but added that the appeal to him is that it is a relatively low dollar amount and it would get a project rolling. He stated that while he agreed with the notion of finishing of a major project that CPA has started, it seems that they would want to have a pipeline of projects. He stated that it would allow the first step in a project and tee up another task for in the future. He stated that he is fine with medium. He said, however, that this would be the kind of thing he would want to look and see if there is room to elevate it. Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project medium priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Salem Willows Pavilions Preservation Mr. Shea stated that he felt this would be the least amount of money spent per person. Mr. Veno stated that it is a location being more active by the year, as witnessed by the Jazz and Soul Festival. He stated that it is a very front facing public asset that reflects on community. Mr. Shea stated that he felt it is a high priority. Mr. Hoskins made a motion to rank this project high priority. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Fort Pickering Restoration Phase II Mr. Moriarty stated that if you visit there now, you can see how formidable it was. He stated that he is enthusiastic about the project, but noted it is very expensive. He stated that it will increase likability and rentability. He stated that he felt it is a high priority. Mr. Boris stated that the CPC has already made an investment in it. He agreed it was a high priority.  April 12, 2016, Page 6 of 17 Mr. Boris made a motion to rank this project high priority. Mr. Moriarty seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Salem Public Library Window Frames and Sills Mr. Hoskins stated that the CPC has been left in some suspense regarding the structure of the building and the I-beam condition. He stated that he would like to get an update on cause of the issues and noted that he still feels it is heavily used and important. Mr. Shea stated that the library was assisted twice before; therefore, he felt it is a medium priority. Mr. Veno stated that he tended to agree. Ms. Tuttle stated that the application indicates that they got $60,000 from Massachusetts Historical Commission, but that it is not shown in the budget. Mr. Cornacchio stated that we could rank it tonight and ask them to come in. Ms. Guy noted that they did not have to rank it tonight. Ms. Tuttle stated that she was happy to rank it tonight. Mr. Hoskins stated that he wanted to know more about big picture. Mr. Moriarty stated that he is very nervous about windows and roofs. He stated that he felt it meets all criteria for a rating of high, if you consider the building, its use, history and funds provided in past. He noted that there is nothing different in this request; same library, same structure, and same history, which are all splendid. It has a maximum of public use. He noted that it doesn’t mean it has to be funded, but he did not see how it can be rated differently from before, to be consistent. He stated that he loves the building. Mr. Veno stated that it is a spectacular building. Mr. Shea stated that the rationale for medium has more to do with that they have already been given a couple allocations and that there are some very needy projects left to talk about. He stated that it has nothing to do with prior decision that the CPC has made and agreed with most of what Mr. Moriarty has said, but that he did not feel it is a continuing project. Ms. McCrea stated that she was concerned that the city cannot use Window Woman to do window restoration. Ms. Guy stated that she may not have the minimum insurance requirements.  April 12, 2016, Page 7 of 17 Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project medium priority. Mr. Veno seconded the motion. Mr. Veno, Mr. Shea, Mr. Boris and Mr. Cornacchio voted in favor. Ms. Tuttle, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Moriarty and Ms. McCrea voted in opposition. The motion did not carry. Ms. McCrea made a motion to rank this project high. There was no second. Ms. Guy stated projects can be carried over to next year, even if they are high, if you don’t want to fund it this year due to other big ticket items. Mr. Veno stated that the purpose of ranking high, medium or low is to prioritize the list, so when it comes down to making allocations, we have something to go by. If we rank everything high, what we have accomplished is saying everything is important. Ms. McCrea questioned what is more important in the city than the library, in terms of people that us it. Ms. Tuttle stated that it meets all of the criteria. Mr. Shea noted that a ranking of medium does not take it out of consideration. Mr. Veno stated that he was sensitive to Mr. Shea’s point about continuing additional investments on properties where we have made significant investments already. He stated that that is the only reason why he would vote to put it in medium versus high, because we have other priorities, noting that it is as important as any, but he was sensitive about putting in continuing money over time. Mr. Hoskins questioned where this fits into the whole picture of library needs. He stated that one of the things that it is hard for us is partial funding projects. He noted that incremental funding could help arrest damage and chip away at the cost. Mr. Boris made a motion to continue the discussion to the next meeting and to invite library representatives to attend. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Salem Common Fence Restoration Mr. Moriarty stated that he felt it should be rated low, noting that the historic value has been established, but that it is controversial in manner of community perception. He stated that he did not feel it promotes use of the Common. He noted that the cost is almost like a black hole. Mr. Veno agreed, noting it is not a reflection of the importance of the fence. He stated that he felt it should be looked at through Capital Improvement Program. He stated that it is the same amount as being asked for Mack Park bathrooms, which he feels is a higher important.  April 12, 2016, Page 8 of 17 Mr. Moriarty made a motion to rank this project low priority. Mr. Boris seconded the motion. Mr. Veno, Ms. Tuttle, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Moriarty, Mr. Boris and Mr. Cornacchio voted in favor. Mr. Shea and Ms. McCrea voted in opposition. The motion so carried.  Mack park Historic Stone Walls Mr. Shea stated that he has driven around three times and only saw a small section with stones falling out. Two entranceways were recently worked on. He stated that he has no idea why they are asking for so much money. Mr. Moriarty stated that he though it a tad disingenuous to say that the wall has the same historic character as the rest of the estate. There is no specific indication to the family. He stated that the walls relate to the WPA, and he felt it is a slippery slope to say that the walls adjacent to a nice house on a hill have historic value. He stated that he was bothered by the extension of the estate to the walls, which were built in a different century by WPA to put people to work. Mr. Hoskins stated that stone wall work is expensive. He added that these look like retaining walls. He stated that to really fix them, they will have to dig back behind. He stated that he would not go higher than medium; but was amenable to low. Mr. Shea stated that the pictures don’t show how good the rest of the wall is. Ms. Tuttle stated, when looking at criteria, that it should be based on significance. She stated that Mack Park comes in low compared to the rest of the things in the city. Mr. Veno stated that plenty of rock walls in the city need repair. Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project low priority. Mr. Moriarty seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Woman’s Friend Society: Preserving Emmerton House Mr. Shea stated that he was supportive of assisting. He stated however, that some items on the list are basic maintenance, such as the desk. He stated that the biggest issue has to do with the soffits and gutters causing inability to use two rooms inside to women in need. He stated that its mission in housing has been fabulous over the years. It has a somewhat transient population, handling 30+ persons annually. He stated that the need is critical. It is for women in dire straits who need a place to stay in short term while they get back on their feet. The mission is significant in terms of secondary criteria. Mr. Hoskins stated that there is a real urgency with rubber roof. In terms of the request, it is arresting a lot of critical needs and preserving and protecting from further damage. Mr. Shea stated the fact that they are unable to rent out two rooms to women in need due to the roof means it is critical. He stated that deck painting should not be on there. They also have some issues with the stone steps.  April 12, 2016, Page 9 of 17 Mr. Boris stated that the figures are subject to adjustment. Mr. Hoskins made a motion to rank this project priority high. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Salem Athenaeum: Sealing the Envelope: Window Restoration Mr. Moriarty stated that he has some concerns and that the CPC should be very careful. He noted that the Salem Athenaeum is eligible to apply and have the same standing, but the CPC has limited funds and a tremendous need to address city structures. He is concerned about recommending CPA funding to private entities absent a substantial mission that they are open to the public. He stated that, if it is not seen readily on the website, there is some indication that it is a private entity that has scheduled events. He stated that it has enviable architecture and history, but questioned if it is the type of organization for which the CPC should be spending substantial funds, when they have a fee to be a member, have been in business a long time and have access to other funding. Mr. Shea stating there is a sign outside saying public invited. Mr. Moriarty stated that there is a difference in saying public invited and there being an actually use of the facility for ongoing public purposes. Ms. Shea stated that he agreed with most of what said. Ms. McCrea stated that she agreed for the most part, but strongly disagreed with the argument made at the City Council last year that a non-profit, that is preserving something for the public, should be deemed private. She noted that the Athenaeum may not serve as much as public library, but it was the first lending library in the country and people paid to keep it going. Mr. Hoskins stated that his litmus test is that for some buildings, if a non-profit threw up their hands, would the city let them crumble and felt the answer is no to some. He stated that we should be saying thank goodness they do what they do to keep historic properties. He stated that the CPC does have to prioritize and sometimes the best we can do is to keep things from getting worse. He stated that he was open to incremental or partial funding. Mr. Shea stated that he still cannot overcome that there are 100 shareholders. He stated that he felt it is extremely exclusive. Ms. Tuttle stated that she is a member and pays $85 a year. Mr. Shea stated that he feels it is too exclusive to support and that there are more worthy projects. Ms. Tuttle stated that she rank the application low priority, but felt the Athenaeum is being portrayed incorrectly. She stated that it is not exclusive and anyone can join. She  April 12, 2016, Page 10 of 17 added that there is a long list of historic resource before the CPC and when looking at the Salem Public Library versus the Salem Athenaeum, one is high priority and one is low priority. Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project low priority. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  House of the Seven Gables: Retire Becket House Preservation & Restoration Ms. Tuttle stated that she liked that they got another grant. She noted that they asked for 86,000 last year and now are only asking $43,000. They are taking money from a variety of sources to try to put this together. She stated that she would keep it at medium. Mr. Moriarty agreed. Ms. McCrea noted that it is the oldest house on the campus. Mr. Shea stated that his concern is its use as a museum shop. Ms. McCrea stated that what they sell goes toward maintenance of the property. She stated that she did not feel that is was a bad thing. Mr. Hoskins stated that this is in the category of structures that city can’t let fall apart. He stated that he would not go lower than medium due to the importance of the building and its visibility. Mr. Shea stated that it is a 17th century building that they are using for a gift shop. Mr. Shea made a motion for the rank of this project to stay at medium. Mr. Boris seconded the motion. Mr. Veno, Ms. Tuttle, Mr. Hoskins, Ms. McCrea, Mr. Shea, Mr. Boris and Mr. Cornacchio voted in favor. Mr. Moriarty voted in opposition. The motion so carried.  Collins Cove Playground Renovation Ms. Tuttle questioned how playgrounds were traditional funded, why are we getting requests for new playgrounds and shouldn’t they be in the city’s budget. Ms. Guy stated that playgrounds could have been funded through a grant, such as CDBG. For MaryJane Lee, we used a combination of a PARC grant and CDBG. Mr. Veno stated that it is worth asking which should be on CPA, on the City Capital Improvement Plan or through grants. He stated that he feels like we are flying blind. He stated that he was not saying CPA should not be used, but questioned how to draw that distinction.  April 12, 2016, Page 11 of 17 Ms. Tuttle stated that was concerned about not having CPA funds available for something really important and that CPA should be for things for which the City can’t normally pay and felt that playgrounds should be paid for by the city. Mr. Hoskins stated that he felt the CPC is the court of last resort for playgrounds, which seemed nutty to him. Mr. Moriarty stated that the CPC’s only authority is the projects before us. He stated that CPA cannot be used for deferred maintenance and repair. He stated that it was not our argument on what the city should or shouldn’t do with their budget and should not influence our determination on a case by case basis. He stated that CPA legislation has indicated that for parks and recreation the city can present what it would like done and we can recommend to fund it or not. He stated that if we feel every park and recreation application is deferred maintenance, then we should fund none. Ms. McCrea was in agreement. Ms. Guy stated that you could make the same argument for city owned historic resources. She noted that we just have so many resources, the budget can’t fund it all. Therefore, the City submits projects that are felt to be best suited for CPA. Ms. Tuttle stated that our criteria indicates that it is for projects outside those typically funded through city’s general budget. She stated that it seemed to her like playgrounds were typically funded through the city’s budget, but that she is hearing they are mostly funded through grants.. Mr. Boris stated that the city’s budget has funded repairs to restrooms. He noted that this is a new source of funding. Mr. Shea stated that the city needs to take care of the playgrounds. He stated that he sees very little of the existing play structure that is in bad shape. Mr. Hoskins stated that it has high visibility and gets a lot of use. He noted that the high cost is the multi-purpose court. Ms. Guy stated that the court could be removed to bring the cost down to $66,580. She noted that this is one of city’s higher priorities. Mr. Hoskins stated that it might be good to hear from Jason Silva. He suggest ranking the application medium. He stated that he would like to hear more about the city’s priorities. Mr. Hoskins made a motion to rank this project medium priority. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Forest River Park Bathrooms  April 12, 2016, Page 12 of 17 Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project high priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Ryan Brennan Memorial Skate Park Renovation Mr. Shea stated that he spoke to the young man from Salem involved in the original project, who confirmed that it is in need of replacement. He stated that it is dangerous and currently not in use. He stated that he felt it was a low cost to serve this population, and felt it was a high priority. Mr. Moriarty was in agreement. Ms. Tuttle stated that it is for a study and it begins the design phase. Mr. Shea stated that they are precast; you just buy them. Mr. Cornacchio stated that he preferred to put money into repair. Mr. Shea stated that the mother of Ryan Brennan’s concern is that her family has had to replace the memorial plaque twice. He felt there should be a condition that the plaque is protected. Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project high priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Forest River Pool Conditions Assessment Mr. Moriarty stated that he would like to rank this high priority. He stated that it is an important community asset and may be some people’s only access for some water fun. He noted that it has significant demands on safety and energy, that the City has invested substantial money for it and it is a real headache in terms of engineering. Mr. Shea made a motion to rank this project high priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Mack Park Bathrooms Mr. Veno made a motion to rank this project high priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.  Forest River Conservation Area Improvements Ms. Tuttle stated that this is a wonderful area and it is nice that it is being made accessible. Mr. Moriarty noted that it is in a different part of city and it hits a lot of our high points. Mr. Veno noted that it is using some CIP money.  April 12, 2016, Page 13 of 17 Mr. Boris made a motion to rank this project high priority. Ms. McCrea seconded the motion. Mr. Shea stated that he was not sure of actual impact on the population and how many people use it. The motion was voted on. Mr. Veno, Ms. Tuttle, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Moriarty, Ms. McCrea, Mr. Boris and Mr. Cornacchio voted in favor. Mr. Shea voted in opposition. The motion so carried.  Bentley Academy Charter School Playground Mr. Shea questioned what regulation says that the school can’t use the park. Mr. Veno stated that it might be a Department of Education requirement. Ms. Tuttle stated that last year CPA funded bates for half and encouraged them to find other funds. Mr. Cornacchio stated that he felt it is high priority, but would ask them to raise funds to mirror what was done at Bates. Mr. Veno stated that he could support that. Mr. Shea suggested there be a condition that it is open to public after school hours. Mr. Cornacchio agreed that there should be no fence. Mr. Moriarty agreed Ms. Tuttle made a motion to rank this project high priority. Mr. Veno seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried. Development of Funding Recommendations The CPC determined that the funding recommendations will be continued to a special meeting to be scheduled on April 26, 2016 Other Business Correspondence Ms. Guy stated that she received a letter requesting a representative to attend a meeting of the m City Council Committee on Public Health, Safety and the Environment on April 21st at 6:30pm.regarding the need for a city-wide tree census and ongoing maintenance and long-term replacement plan for trees on any city-owned property. Ms. Guy stated asked Stuart Saginor about both and read his response. She suggested that she prepare a letter for whomever goes to  April 12, 2016, Page 14 of 17 the meeting, or in lieu of someone going to the meeting and asked the CPC to delegate the Chair to review the draft. Project Update Ms. Guy distributed a project update which included: Completed Projects:  Choate Statue  Salem Community Gardens Improvement  15 Ward St. Pocket Park  52-60 Congress/105-111 Dow Streets Housing Acquisition – The CPA funded acquisition is complete. Note: NSCDC continues to delead units as there are turnovers. For the rehabilitation work, the closing is scheduled for late April/early May (including the filing of the Affordable Housing Restriction), with work to be complete in 2017.  Salem Public Library Roof Replacement  Forest River Conservation Area Trail Assessment  Winter Island: Fort Pickering Phased Rehabilitation Phase 1 (just waiting for results of laser scan) Salem Common Fence Restoration – Phase 2 (FY14 CPA funded) is complete. For Phase 3 (FY15 CPA funded) CBI Consulting is working to provide an updated site plan, recommendations, a project budget and bid documentation to restore as many fence sections as funds will allow along Washington Square East and the entrance at Washington Square South along the playground. This project phase (Phase 3) is expected to go out to bid early summer. Winter Island Scenic Trail – The Contractor has been hired and the project started in April. Goal is to complete the project by the end of June, 2016. Old Town Hall Window Restoration – The Old Town Hall window restoration project is in its final stages and should be complete by the end of April, or early into May. The contractor is replacing certain wooden sills that have rotted, doing some in-place restoration of half- round windows on the first floor of the building, and painting all of the windows and sills. Driver & Patten Pocket Park Rehabilitation – The initial bids came in over budget. The scope was shrunk and it was re-bid over the winter. It came in slightly high, so a bench and trash barrel were eliminated. Workers should be on site and mobilized in the next few weeks. Harbor and Lafayette Homes – NSCDC is waiting on funding decisions and is managing the property as is. Architectural plans are fully designed and they are ready to move forward when the project gets funded. Both buildings are occupied. Salem Council Chambers Historic Artwork Conservation/Restoration – Oliver Brothers picked up the 3 pieces of artwork on 10/13/15 and they are 95% complete. The remaining work is the restoration of the frames. The work should be complete by mid-May.  April 12, 2016, Page 15 of 17 Greenlawn Cemetery: Dickson Memorial Chapel Restoration – Within two weeks selection will be completed for the architectural team who will provide a conditional assessment, plans and specifications for bidding in late summer/early fall. The City has applied for a Massachusetts Preservation Project funds grant to match CPA funds and requested Capital Improvement Project funds. Charter St. Burial Ground Preservation/Improvement – Stone conservators and landscape architect have been hired and the project scope is underway. A topographic survey has been completed. The stone conservators are working on a conditions assessment, and the landscape architect is working on site improvement recommendations and draft plans to prepare for the SRA, DRB, and Cemetery Commission. The stone conservators will be working on site conserving the tombs and headstones starting in June. House of the 7 Gables: Hawthorne Birthplace Roofing Project – The agreement has been executed. The Preservation Restriction has been executed by the Gables and is with MHC for execution, after which it will be recorded. Hamilton Hall Window Restoration – Agreement has been executed. The Preservation Restriction is being developed. McGlew Park Redesign – A Licensed Site Professional (LSP) and a landscape architect have been hired. The City has been in contact with the two brothers of Corporal McGlew, after whom McGlew Park is named. The landscape architect is drafting design options for the park based on a feedback we received from a visioning meeting and data collected from an online survey, in addition to taking the LSP’s recommendations into consideration. The draft park designs will be presented at a public meeting scheduled on April 26. Mary Jane Lee Park improvements – The City was awarded the PARC grant. Design is ongoing and will be completed by July 1, 2016. Construction will be completed by July 1, 2017/ Camp Naumkeag Rehabilitation Master Plan – The consultant contract was signed on 4/5/16. Bates Elementary School Playground – The PTA purchased and received 3 pieces of equipment in December. They are planning to place the purchase order for the remaining by 4/14/16. They will then organize the site work and a community build. Salem Public Library, Brownstone & Brickwork (as of 2/10/16)– Bids were due 2/25/16, with work to begin in late March. Completion slated for late June. Budget Update Ms. Guy distributed copies of the monthly budget report and CPA funding spreadsheet. Next Meeting Date  April 12, 2016, Page 16 of 17 Ms. Guy stated that the next regular meeting date is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 10, 2016. Mr. Shea stated that there was an article in the paper about homes proposed for the Hillside of Bertram field. He stated that he was in favor of putting a small amount of money away each year to have funds available for land purchases. Ms. Guy stated that the CPC can bond. Mr. Shea stated that even at $25,000 annually, in the long range it would be beneficial. He stated that if there is a critical situation, they could dip into it. Mr. Veno stated that there is a piece of open space that will remain after the subdivision is created, which could be acquired. He stated that he was not sure if it would be priority for CPA and if there would be public access. He was in agreement with Mr. Shea regarding setting regarding setting aside funds. Ms. Tuttle agreed it would be prudent. Mr. Shea asked if it were possible to find out if a reserve fund for land purchases can be created and if a requirement for a 2/3 vote to expend could be instituted. Mr. Hoskins stated that he would be more supportive of having a rainy day fund than a land acquisition fund. He suggested asking Stuart Saginor. Mr. Moriarty stated that current thoughts in land use planning is that a smart city would make developers provide open space with new developments. He stated that there is a trend to encourage denser development provided that there is adjacent open space for the general public. He stated that there is a trend to use private dollars to guarantee open space. He stated that while he does not disagree with that, he would like to see a requirement of open space in conjunction with building permits, zoning applications, etc. , so that the need for CPA funds for open space may not be necessary. Mr. Veno stated that he would be glad to take that back to Planning Board. He stated that he sees that as a complimentary strategy - if we save funds each year and also create a trust fund type of mechanism for developers. He stated that it is all subject to legal investigation. Mr. Cornacchio stated that Footprint just did this with a community benefit agreement. Mr. Veno stated that he would be happy to work with the City Solicitor, Finance Director and Ms. Guy regarding the creation of a rainy day reserve. There being no further business, Ms. Tuttle made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor, and the motion so carried. Respectfully submitted, Jane A. Guy  April 12, 2016, Page 17 of 17 Administrator