Belmont Town Meeting, 2013, Day 2

Welcome back to the second night of Belmont's annual Town Meeting.

After taking a breaking for a day due to yesterday's special election, the 300 or so representatives will be tackling the nine projects that are being recommended by the Community Preservation Committee.

This is the first distribution of funds – approximately $872,000 – from the account established when residents voted to approve the town's participation in the state's Community Preservation Act in November 2010.

The account is funded by a 1.5 percent surcharge on both residential and commercial ratepayers. The town has just about $2 million in CPA funds.

Below are the nine projects:

• $10,000 to conduct a building survey and "investigation" of the circa-1853 William Flagg Homer House on Pleasant Street, the home of the Belmont Woman's Club.

• $20,000 to develop a landscape plan for an inter-generational walking path at Clay Pit Pond adjacent to Belmont High School.

• $10,000 to lay better pipes to improve irrigation at Rock Meadow Community Gardens.

• $72,000 to repair and weatherize Belmont Town Hall's "front" doors located on the Concord Avenue-side of the building.

• Up to $100,000 to purchase material for the rehabilitation of Joey's Park adjacent to the Winn Brook Elementary School.

• $147,000 to purchase and install underground wiring as part of the electrical service upgrade of Belmont Village.

• $115,000 for a comprehensive cultural resource survey of the town.

• Up to $298,000 to hire a design firm to create blueprints of the preferred recommendation from a feasibility study report on the future of the Underwood Pool and Underwood Park.

• Up to $100,000 for the preservation and digitization of Belmont's vital records, the first of three installments to complete the work. 

Tonight, Town Meeting will have a chance to either approve, reject or reduce the funds for each project. 

7:05 p.m. And Mike Widmer is calling for order and we will soon be on our way.

7:14 p.m.: Widmer starts the meeting by praising Town Clerk Ellen Cushman and her staff for the hard work for making the Town Meeting to run on time and handle the special US Senate election. 

7:15 p.m.: Charles R. Laverty is honored for his long service to the town as a member of the Board of Assessors.

7:20 p.m.: Article 29, which would have funded a project design for the Underwood Pool, with struck because its redundant; it will be brought up in the CPA. Approved.

7:21 p.m.: The CPA is introduced and Paul Solomon, who championed its creation and runs the committee, is explaining the CPA. "It is completely separate from all other town budgets," he said. Want to know more about the process? Click here.

7:27 p.m.: The CPA raises about $1 million a year. And the money can't be moved into a town account. Each of the nine projects can be approved, rejected or reduced. The Board of Selectmen and Capital Budget recommends favorable action.

7:31 p.m.: Vincent Stanton, pct 3., said the issue of what should we be paying out of the operating budget and what that's unique that the CPA should pay for. Solomon says that these projects haven't been funded because of a lot of constraints on the capital and operating budget. That's not a satisfying answer because regular costs will be funded by the CPA rather than the town budget.

Solomon said the CPC did not ask for projects, it was brought to them. Floyd Carman, town Treasurer and a member of the CPC, said it takes three years to "get our hands around it." He points to playgrounds and the Underwood Pool study that would not be funded by the operating budget. I don't disagree that some projects could be in operational budget but the committee is trying hard to do its best.

Stanton said there really is no stated criteria to determine where projects are funded. Solomon says the CPC didn't ask whether these projects should be in the town budget. Carman said if the project were in the three "buckets" - preservation, public housing and open space - they qualify.

Joe White, pct. 4, asked if any of the projects had come up before the town meeting in the past. Carman said he doesn't really know but that Town Meeting will have the final say.

Monte Allen, pct. 8, said the town meeting has to be very careful because the CPA funds should not be a backstop for low priority projects. 

Jack Weis, pct. 1, said the town spoke clearly when they created the CPA that capital projects should be use the funds. 

Christine Doyle, pct. 1, asks for an example of a rejected proposal and how much money comes in each year. Solomon said about $1 million a year comes in. A rejected project was a proposal for a down payment for the future purchase of the Uplands development. Worthy but not for these funds, said Solomon.

Kevin Cunningham, pct. 4, asks if the committee had made assessments on future operating costs of these project. Not really, said Carman.

Asked if CPA funds are used to help repair the Underwood Pool, can the supporters of a new pool can come to the CPA over four years to pay for it, Carmen said anyone can submit a proposal but it's up to Town Meeting to approve that.

Bill Lynch, pct 2 and Warrant Committee chairman, said it's the first time the Committee to review these project. After an extensive review, the committee will make recommendations on each project. There were some on the committee who abstained because they felt they could not determine the future impact each project on the town's operational budget.

The overall amendment is approved and now we are onto the individual projects. "That only took us 40 minutes," said Carman. 

First up is $10,000 to conduct a building survey and "investigation" of the circa-1853 William Flagg Homer House on Pleasant Street.

Don Mercier said this is a private property and is this a start to fund "all the private homes" of this age in town? Recommends a "no" vote. Solomon said yes it is private but a "jewel" of the town. Mercier said what about other homes. Carman says the Belmont Women Home is a non-profit. 

The vote is in and the motion is adopted.

Next up is the $20,000 walking path plan around Clay Pit Pond. The Warrant Committee's vote, 3-1 with 9 abstentions, got a loud chuckle. 

But one objection this is not a one-and-done deal and with additional expenses to complete the job with relaying pipes and regrading. "We need to vote on this with our eyes wide open."

Mary Trudeau, the town's Conservation Agent, said the path needs to be done as a "phased" project - several large tasks need to be done. It will done in manageable bits so it will not be done overnight but a long-term development. 

Former selectman Stephen Rolsales, pct 8, asks if the cost comes in over the funding asked, where will the extra money to pay for it come from. Carman said basically that's tough, the money will be coming back to the CPA if they can't use it. 

Well, if it's just a plan, if the voters vote down the money for the full project, isn't the money wasted? asked Rolsales. Carman then speaks a town true-ism: Belmont doesn't do any planning, everything is done "by the seat of our pants, never doing any planning," to a smattering of applause. The CPA is one way to do this. Andy Rojas, selectmen, said the CPA is not becoming the "mother of a project," it will be a funding source.

By the way, who owns or controls the land? It's own by the town but controled by the School Committee. 

Jenny Fallon, pct 1, believes the town shares jurisdiction of the pond. She says this project is just the reason the CPA was created as it brings groups together. 

Ana Helena Cruz, pct 5 and new Town Meeting member, believes that a final overall cost would be would be very informative. Trudeau said that coming up with the final cost will be done only after all groups are heard to determine what type of path will be built. 

It's 8:35 p.m., and we still have to get through the second of nine proposal. 

Joe White, pct 4, said the more he hears about it, the more frightened he is of it as it sounds like paying for a project you have no plan for. Trudeau said she wants to create a plan for a path system that benefits all groups. I don't want to tell Belmont what sort of path you want. White thinks this project is backwards. 

Robert Kennedy, pct 3, said Clay Pit Pond is the first impression and probably have an impact on property values "because of the vision it gives of the town" so the path is a benefit. 

8:43 p.m.: The motion is adopted.

Now, it's the $10,000 for irrigation at Rock Meadow community garden. It will make watering at the site better. 

Joe White. pct 4, why not drill a well? Mary Trudeau, the town's Conservation Agent, said that was not cost effective. The current annual cost for water at the Meadow gardens is between $3,000 to $5,000. White still asks, can we drill a well. Steve Pinkerton, a victory gardener, said a well might not bring up the amount of water, it will need electricity for a pump and then the cost is about the same. 

Celtics lead the Knicks in New York 66-60 in game five of the first round of the playoffs. Bruins are crushing the Maple Leafs, 4-1, in the first game of their playoff series.

The clashing of the community gardeners and the meadow supporters is a little like the battle between free-grazers and cattle barons in Wyoming in 1890. There's a great movie about this, Open Range, staring Robert Duval who will be filming a movie in Belmont in July. 

Don Mercier, pct 8, believes that the town should not be subsidizing a "hobby."

The motion is adopted.

What up now, $72,000 for the doors at Town Hall. Selectmen, capital budget and a solid majority from the Warrant Committee support this expenditure. At 9:05 p.m., Solomon stumbles over that he heads the CPA. "It's taken so long I've forgotten what I am chairman of," he said to laughter. 

Monte Allen, pct 8, a big fan of the CPA, but not for the doors. The Homer House, the Clay Pit Pond and all the community can take pleasure in. The $72,000 is more than seven times for the Homer house, three times approved for the Pond. I don't think we should do it, said Allen. I think this is way out of proportion what the people could benefit, he said.

Mike Smith, pct 6, and co-chair of the Historic District Commission said the doors are from 1882 and are required to be taken out and temporary doors put in and each door takes 15 weeks so about a year total. These doors are historic and very special care and that's the nature of the beast. Kevin Cunningham, pct. 5, asked if the doors will be operational after they are done. Kevin Looney said they are secondary doors and will remain so. Anne Marie Mahoney, head of the Capital Budget Committee, said the CPA and Capital Budget worked together on this project, freeing up town money for other areas.

Alexandra van Geel, Pct 7 member, said she has found that trade schools (North Bennett Street School, for instance) and other preservationists groups can do it for far less price. Smith said the project will go out to bid and the best proposal will be selected. 

The project is approved with a few "nays."

"Now in the third hour," said Carman. We are at Joey's Park and it is approved with no questions and unanimously. "Now we're cooking!" said Widmer to overwhelming approval. 

We are now onto the second half of the projects and the Town Meeting has a project to improve electric service to Belmont Village for $147,000. Penelope Schafter, pct 7, said she reluctantly opposing the project because this should be done by the state and any CPA money needs to be for building affordable funding. Donna Hamilton, head of public housing, said the state is behind in projects to Belmont for $2 million. Donna Brescia, head of the town's Housing Authority, said it is a critical need to keep 30 families in housing. Carman said the CPC voted on the project because it is a fire hazard and he doesn't want to see Belmont "in the Boston Herald" because of neglect. 

Don Mercier is giving the Housing Authority the third degree on how the wires could cause a fire. Fire Chief David Frizzell said the wires are old and unsafe and need to be replaced.

Alexandra van Geel, pct 7, asks why isn't this Belmont Municipal Light Department duties. Frizzell said underground wires from the closest manhole to the house is the "homeowner." 

Joe White, pct 8, said all these projects, not just the this one, are basically maintenance so isn't this illegal under the CPA? George Hall, the town counsel, said the money can be used to "support" housing so it's OK. 

Marty Cohen, pct. 3, said the cost-benefit analysis would show that the town will be head by doing this project. 

The project is approved. 

"The pool," says Widmer with a deep voice, with the expectation of a lengthy debate to come. It's 9:48 p.m. now. I'm betting this project debate goes to 10:30 p.m. I'll be taking under and overs. 

The project would spend $298,000 – down from $385,000 in an earlier calculations – to create a plan and design for the Underwood Pool. Mark Paolillo, Selectmen chairman, gives the history of replacing the pool with a playing field to support the new library project.

If you want to know more about this tale, type in "Underwood Pool" and "playing field" in the Patch search feature: it would just take too much time to explain it at 9:54 p.m.

So here's the TV Guide version: "The playing field and pool options, priced at $6.1 million, just doesn't work so a new Underwood will be a pool with lanes costing $4.2 million."

Do I hear the First Church's bells ringing 10 o'clock?

The first vote will be the amendment to reduce the total amount of the project to $298,000. 

The Warrant Committee and Capital Budget committees are in favor. Only one question and it passes! I don't know this Town Meeting. Three minutes on the pool and 45 minutes on the community gardens. Geez. 

Now the $115,000 for a comprehensive cultural resource survey of the town. Sue Bass, pct 3, said she heard that people are suggesting that this is a lot of money. She says that the last survey was completed 30 years ago and it should have been done every year. One use of the survey could have been to save the Waverley Square church and it will give detailed information on historic homes and buildings in town. "This is a major and important job and save buildings in town in the future ... I hope," she said. 

Kevin Cunningham said he thought this project would be about "drama groups" but its really about properties. Yes, said Solomon. Cunningham said if this has anything to do with zoning. Sami Baghdady, chair of the Planning Board, said it will not effect the town's zoning code but it does give the Historic Commission the right to have a say on exterior renovations. Mike Smith said its a survey which will be used as information to support possible future preservation actions by the town that will need to be approved by future Town Meetings.

The project is adopted.

The final project! $100,000 for the preservation and digitization of Belmont's vital records, the first of three installments to complete the work. This is about preserving all the records in town; births, deaths and other information. If you're a history buff, this is right up your alley. Jack Weis, pct 1, said while the other projects are one-and-done, this is a multiyear project so that everyone realize that the CPA will be funding future costs. Solomon says this is funding for this project and if the Town Clerk comes back next year with a request, it will be taken up then. Kevin Cunningham, pct 4, said this payment is for the establishment of a plan. Yes, says Town Clerk Ellen Cushman, and it needs to be done properly because the records are fragile.

Martin Cohen, pct 3, said this project will help genealogists for years to come.  

The project is approved unanimously.

The Town Meeting is adjourned at 10:25 p.m. until next week, May 7. See you then!

See my review of the first week of Town Meeting on Friday's Belmont Patch.