Budget 2009/2010

The BOA had a public hearing on the budget at which I offered prepared comments, repeated below:

Greetings Alderman,

I want to first thank the BOA for the financial support they have given Conservation efforts over the years. You have been there when we needed prompt approvals for modest expenditures related to grant applications. You have given positive 8-24 referrals when review was requested of our Open Space Plan document. You have prepared process of bonding, commenced with negotiation to acquire, and authorized referendum questions that all furthered preservation of open space. However, one can never rest on past achievements – there is more work to be done. It is why I am here at the public hearing on the budget tonight.

I was dismayed by comments made at the BOA meeting of Apr16 that seem to indicate the CC is in favor of not-directly following the Open Space Ordinance. This is not accurate.

The OSTA is sourced from: 1) fees paid in the course of subdivision application, in lieu of land set-aside in accord with subdivision regulations, 2) budget amounts as outlined in the Open Space Ordinance.

As we are all aware, subdivision applications and the land’s appraised value upon which any FILO payment is calculated have both dropped significantly. This funding component is not meant to, and cannot on its own contribute adequately for the OSTA’s intent – the financial preparation for purchase of lands.

Due to sloppy bookkeeping from the Finance Dept and poor administration from the Planning & Zoning Dept, CC has discovered that there has been FILO payment due from subdivision, which was not paid by the developer. The CC is charged with reporting to the BOA annually on the OSTA status and use. CC has requested reports from the Finance Dept, but to date nothing has been received for many months and CC cannot make a formal report.

The last significant expenditure which the OSTA allowed us preparation for was for the purchase of property on Buddington Road from UI, over the objections of a developer who wanted use of the property for development. ($108,001 for 10.86 acres closed on 2007/Jan/16).

The last time a budgeted amount ($250k) was appropriated into the OSTA was also in 2007.

Expenditures since then for items such as 279 Soundview Avenue partial purchase payments, and court ordered supplement payments to achieve court approved value for the Wiacek Farm on Meadow Street, were simply washes of money into the OSTA and out to the sellers, functioning to launder the activity as meeting the “intent” of the ordinance.

The purchase of property at 279 Soundview Avenue has laid witness to the public sector’s lack of prompt ability to act financially compared to the private sector when no ready sources have the backstop of a fund balance – we pay dearly for the outcome we all sought in the first place. Preservation and Conservation of certain lands.

At a BOA meeting on 2006/Sep/14 I stated “the importance of having an OSTA for when we apply for grants is to illustrate that there is an ongoing commitment from the community and you as the fiscal authority pledge toward open space an annual amount that can grow and be utilized from an account. Things like a referendum – that’s the public furthering their comments that that is the right direction to head. Having an OSTA is important for us when we apply for grants, and as you know we have been pretty successful with that.” Since then we have not been awarded any “grants” toward land acquisition.

Let me be clear: The CC, Mayor and BOA have been very successful in conserving the quality of life in our community via purchase of land to be retained as public open space, and the purchase of development rights on agricultural lands to preserve the heritage and character of our community. These have however been somewhat like easy pickings of low hanging fruit. Property owners who approached the City to preserve the land rather than seek out development of their property, substantial grants from the DEP, USDA, and even gifting of land or monetary gifts both result in the sales prices reduced below market value – all effecting reduction in the City’s share of the cost.

Let me offer another quote from the same 2006/Sep/14 meeting mentioned earlier. “I have no problem with the ordinance starting in 2007-08, in fact the motion that I had offered is a resolution that would just keep everything in place. And knowing that we’re going to spend every bit of $200,000 this year, and that we would just make the appropriation next year. What’s the issue? What’s the big deal? I don’t think it’s so hard to live with.” Mayor Lauretti (p.48).

Flip the diary forward 2 ½ years to the present budget and funding the OSTA. What’s the big deal? I don’t think it’s so hard to live with.

I ask that you think strongly and independently regarding the funding of the OSTA as part of your budget process, and consider making it in accord with the City Ordinance that 6 of the 8 current Alderman approved 2006/Sep/14.