The Community Preservation Committee has come to an agreement on its recommendation regarding about $753,000 on projects and programs in the city.
But there appears to be fault lines in this unanimous verdict. One concern relates to open space and another pertains to parking.
The dispersal of community preservation funds is one of the "good acts" city officials carry out each year. The money is accumulated from a 2 percent surcharge levied on real estate taxes, with the state adding matching funds to the total.
The City Council can funnel the money in the direction of open space, historic preservation, housing and/or recreation.
At a meeting last week, City Councilor Barry Connell expressed concerns that so much money is going to housing, with a narrow benefit, and he urged city officials to keep recreation in mind.
"This isn't the first time I've said this," Connell said. "But when this Community Preservation Act was passed (in 2002), the driving force was recreation."
Indeed, two large items recommended for funding this year are focused on housing.
The YWCA is scheduled to get $50,000 to help fund the addition of five units to its Market Street project. City officials suggested the final cost to build out five units will eventually reach close to $1 million.
In addition, the Newburyport Housing Rehabilitation Program is slated to receive $75,000, which will go toward about 10 housing projects.
Meanwhile, Ward 3 City Councilor Bob Cronin, who represents the Market Street area, has expressed concern that the five additional housing units proposed by the YWCA would increase parking challenges that already exist in the neighborhood.
Tenants would ostensibly have cars, or visitors with cars. Now that parking patterns are changing as a result of the new paid parking plan downtown, Cronin said parking concerns should be studied before more units are encouraged.
• • •
The Department of Public Services, Water Division, is embarking on a project of painting the Rawson Hill water storage tank next to Anna Jaques Hospital.
Water superintendent Paul Colby said the project, which begins this week, will involve reconditioning and painting both the inside and outside of the mammoth tank. The project is expected to be completed by mid-October; the tank will be repainted blue.
Colby said there will be a need to use the side of the road next to the tank as part of the staging area for work trailers. He warned traffic might get congested and noise will be coming from the equipment. ut he said care will be taken to keep noise down and permit traffic to flow smoothly.
The water tank will be drained for the entire time contractors are working. The 750,000-gallon March's Hill water tank will be available during the time the Rawson Hill tank is out of service, and residents' use of water shouldn't be affected, he said.
Anyone with questions or concerns can contact Colby at pcolby@cityofnewburyport.com or 978-465-4466.
• • •
Councilor-at-Large Ari Herzog has announced his fall office hours. He will be available to meet with residents on Fridays, Sept. 9, Oct. 7 and Nov. 4, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the mayor's conference room at City Hall.
No appointment is required. All are welcome to come by and discuss concerns or issues. Anyone who is not available during those can contact him at 978-558-0008 or ariherzog@gmail.com.
• • •
Dyke Hendrickson covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached at 978-462-6666, ext. 3226, or dhendrickson@newburyportnews.com.
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