The adoption of the Community Preservation Act has paved the way for the realization of numerous projects that improve Hull’s quality of life that officials say the town would otherwise not be able to afford.
CPA funding comes from a 1.5% property-tax surcharge approved by town meeting in 2016 and may only be used for open space, community housing, historic preservation, and recreation projects. The state provides a partial match from a pool that is divided among communities that have adopted the CPA.
Since the funds from the surcharge started accumulating in 2018, revenue on the town side through Fiscal 2021 was $1.8 million, with a state contribution of roughly $365,000, Community Preservation Committee Chair Tammy Best told The Hull Times.
“CPA funds are particularly important for a small town like Hull,” she said. “Without a big influx of tax money, this is really one of the only ways we are able to do some of the projects that the town has been unable to fund in the past.”
The Community Preservation Committee, which considers applications for projects, is recommending eight CPA grants for 2022, amounting to $565,357. These proposals will be presented to the Select Board and Advisory Board prior to the upcoming annual town meeting, where voters will have the final say.
The recommendations include $78,000 for Hull Lifesaving Museum improvements; $160,000 for construction documents for phase two of the Village Fire Station preservation project; $73,750 for planning and redesign of Jones Park, located in the Kenberma area; $4,000 for North Nantasket Beach signage; $30,000 toward design and planning for the proposed Straits Pond Walking Path; $57,000 for Village Playground improvements; $62,607 toward the Green Hill / Gunrock Playground project; and $100,000 to the community housing reserve.
Even as these proposed projects are in the vetting stage, Best encouraged Hull citizens to start thinking ahead to the next round of funding.
“We’d like people to start thinking now about projects we might consider in 2023, to garner support early on,” she said, noting that proposals involving town-owned property require Town Manager and Select Board approval before they can even be considered.
During the 2019 Annual Town Meeting, voters approved the purchase of an emergency generator for the McTighe Manor public housing at 6 Atlantic House Court and allocated funds toward the preservation and rehabilitation of the Fort Revere Water Tower, Paragon Carousel improvements, Hull Lifesaving Museum and boathouse work, and Kenberma Playground improvements, among other projects.
“The Kenberma Playground is about 90% done,” Best said. “The pickleball courts are very popular.”
In 2020, CPA funding included appropriations for the rehabilitation of historic town records, repairs to the Paragon Carousel doors, an historic preservation and rehabilitation plan for the Village Fire Station to determine what would be needed to reopen the building to its former use, and funds for the design and rehabilitation of the Green Hill/Gunrock Playground.
2021 ATM-approved CPA-recommended projects included additional funding for the Paragon Carousel to repair, repaint, and re-install the wood railings, funds to pay for beach Mobi mats to increase accessibility for people with mobility issues and strollers, for Hampton Circle Playground improvements, including making the park accessible for people of all ages, for repairs to the Anne M. Scully Senior Center, wayfinding signage, Fort Revere storyboards and signage that will be installed soon, and to rehabilitate the side entrance to Town Hall.
“We’re trying to save the pillars and architectural detail,” Best said.
Town Manager Philip Lemnios shared with The Hull Times what he feels is the importance of CPA funding.
“The CPA has helped to bring a variety of capital projects to fruition that very well may have taken many more years to complete,” he said. “Funds have been used to rejuvenate parks, provide for engineering studies for Fort Revere and the Village Fire Station, among other projects.
“Through the steady leadership of Chair Best with a well-balanced Committee, the CPA is fulfilling its promise to focus on capital projects that have a lasting impact on quality of life,” he said.
Lemnios referred to the CPA as an “important tool in our capital process that allows projects to move forward at a substantial cost discount to Hull taxpayers because of the state funding associated with the program,” which he called “a success.”
