Remarks for Hearing 12-11-08

1.  Is this the forum for Bike path discussion?  Shouldn’t this be going on during the summer at the Chappaquiddick Community Center?

2.  Let’s talk about the proposal to the Community preservation Committee and whether it is a good idea to recommend this expenditure to the Town Meeting.

3.  I suggest that it isn’t for the following three reasons:

     1.  This project may not legally qualify for CPA funds as it involves a project that is not within the CPA guidelines.  It is neither acquisition of OPEN SPACE, creation of Community Housing nor preservation of the town historical assets.  As for recreation, The recent Supreme Court ruling states: Further while the appropriation of CPA funds for the "rehabilitation"(9) or "restoration"(10) of land for recreational use is permitted under G. L. c. 44B, § 5 (b) (2), it is permitted only for recreational land that was originally acquired or created with CPA funds.  

    2.  The proposal was rushed into being without any public input.  In fact, on Oct. 21st, an announcement dated Oct. 18th was emailed to me, as I’m on the list requesting updates.  That announcement was that this proposal was  filed on Oct 17th.  Is this so urgent that you can’t even tell Roger about it before you do it?  What’s with that?
I’m going to ask some questions that I believe will show that this application is premature and a waste of the Town’s CPA Funds.  

   3.  At this particular time in history, right at Christmas time when most people across America are wondering how deep this depression is going to take them.  When no one can properly even evaluate their financial standing and many are unsure of  the near financial future it is the wrong time to spending Tax funds on a study/survey that doesn’t need to be done.  The CPA funds should be made available to island families now, this year through such programs as the Dukes County Housing assistance program so Island families won’t have to double up or leave the island.