2021 Annual Town Meeting

Community Preservation Committee ~ A Public Hearing on the FY22 Budget

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The Covid-19 pandemic has suspended and modified a lot of growth and change locally – including community preservation projects.

The Community Preservation Committee last week voted to approve $1,777,680 in expenditures for projects and services in fiscal year 2022. The recommendations will be presented to the Select Board, which will decide about inclusion on the town meeting warrant.

Less than 8 percent of that total, however, is for new projects. More than half of the money goes to repayment of bonded projects, and the remainder is for work postponed at the abbreviated 2020 annual town meeting.

2021 Annual Town Meeting

Virtual Public Hearing to Consider the Community Preservation Committee’s FY22 Proposals

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Ten modest projects and services for the next fiscal year are on the agenda of the Community Preservation Committee’s virtual public hearing at 7:30 pm on Thursday evening. 

The Zoom link for the meeting is  https://www.bedfordma.gov/community-preservation-committee/agenda/cpc-agenda-15.

Community preservation funds are collected as a surcharge of 3 percent of the real estate tax. A percentage of local collections is matched by state funds. Spending is limited to three categories: affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space-recreation.

2021 Annual Town Meeting

Community Preservation Committee Chair Fields Innovative Affordable Housing Proposals

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Christina Wilgren is a drum major for affordable housing opportunities in the town.

A member of the town Housing Partnership since 2004, she is a tireless advocate for expanding the inventory of government-managed units.

Wilgren presented and explained five innovative ideas for expanded affordable housing at last Wednesday’s meeting of the Community Preservation Committee. And although none of them was added to the fiscal 2022 preservation plan, fellow committee members were open-minded about longer-term prospects.

Affordable housing is one of the statutory pillars of community preservation expenses (open space, recreation, and historic preservation are the others.)

Proposals for assistance through community preservation funding were: