NEWBURYPORT — Eleven nonprofit organizations and city projects could be on the receiving end of $750,000, thanks to the recommendations of the Community Preservation Committee.
The committee's selections will now go to the City Council for final approval.
The CPC, which had $762,000 available to disburse, received requests for about $1.4 million.
Three of the requests were bond obligations that had to be funded. They included an open space bond payment of $132,819, a City Hall bond payment of $201,188 and an account to cover $12,000 in administrative expenses.
That left the nine-member committee about $420,000 to direct to more than a dozen hopeful organizations.
The panel, charged with funding applications focused on affordable housing, open space, historic resource and recreation, is recommending money for the following projects:
Joppa interpretive panels, $11,000 ($11,632 requested)
City trees on Green Street and nursery project, $20,000 ($47,000 requested)
Clipper City Rail Trail and Harborwalk Phase II, $100,000 ($187,000 requested)
Open space fund, $50,000 ($100,000 requested)
Powder House restoration project, $8,000 (total amount requested funded)
Belleville Congregational Church restoration project, $30,000 ($120,500 requested)
Custom House 2012 building preservation project, $60,000 ($95,585 requested)
Housing Trust/housing rehabilitation program, $125,000 ($150,000 requested)
Projects that did not receive the committee's recommendation for funds included rail trail interpretive panels ($9,500 requested), Little River Nature Trail kiosks ($8,000 requested), Newburyport High School entrance enhancement ($10,000 requested), World War Memorial Stadium rehabilitation project ($100,000 requested), courtyard open space enhancement project ($50,000 requested) and Inn Street fountain renovation ($158,250 requested).
"The committee did a good job in evaluating the requests and making decisions," committee chairman Michael Dissette said. "Members reached a consensus on what were the strongest applications and the most compelling needs."
Each year, the Community Preservation Committee reviews applications and makes its choices for the dispersal of financial support.
The funds are available because residents voted to adopt the statewide Community Preservation Act in 2002. This measure created a 2 percent surcharge on real estate taxes from property owners.
The state provides complementary funds each October, which brought in $146,000 of the $762,000 available this year.
Since its adoption, the city has appropriated almost $5.9 million to more than 60 projects across all four funding categories, according to municipal officials.
An appropriation bill currently being considered by state legislators would double the amount of CPA funds the state would send communities. Based on current numbers, the statewide figure would climb from about $25 million to about $50 million.
If passed, as expected, the measure would benefit many communities in Essex County. But Dissette said that bill would not provide funds until October 2014.
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