Acton Town Meeting endorses nearly $1.9 million in Community Preservation Act allocations

Jim Coleman, chair of the Community Preservation Committee, presented the CPC’s recommended distribution of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, explaining Acton’s 1.5% surcharge and the four statutorily allowed purposes: community housing, open space, recreation and historic preservation. Coleman said the committee received nearly $2,800,000 in requests against roughly $1,900,000 available, and recommended nearly all available funds along with about $41,000 from prior-year historic resources funds and roughly $279,000 for debt service tied to recent open-space purchases.

Coleman reviewed individual recommendations including: $52,000 for Arboretum accessibility trail resurfacing; funding for Faulkner Homestead driveway relocation; restoration work on the Acton Town Hall clock tower; partial funding for Theater 3 repairs; West Acton Library entry improvements; support for Habitat for Humanity’s 416 Great Road affordable housing conversion; $200,000 for McManus Manor unanticipated expenses; full-year funding for the Regional Housing Services Office (which manages 968 deed-restricted properties in the consortium); and open-space set-aside and debt-service items tied to recent purchases.

The moderator explained the hold-out procedure for items and, after no holds were raised, opened the clicker vote. The moderator reported the article passed by a majority.