Community Preservation Trust Fund Disbursement News!

Last year, the Community Preservation Coalition and Community Preservation Act advocates across the state celebrated the passage of legislation that permanently increased the revenue for the CPA Trust Fund.

This legislation included a combination of state budget surplus funds and an increase in the recording fees at the Registry of Deeds which provide revenue to the statewide CPA Trust Fund.  The benefits of that increase are being realized!

Today the Massachusetts Department of Revenue released the Community Preservation Trust Fund distribution for each CPA municipality, and all CPA communities received a 28.6% match on round one of the trust fund distribution this year.

This year West Boylston’s 28.6% match amounts to $71,759 from the state.  Last year we were at 19.1%, $40,900 and in 2018 we were at 17.2%, $34,576.

The Community Preservation Committee has a project submission round where anyone may submit a project relating to open space protection, affordable housing, and historic preservation. After project submission sheets are submitted, the Committee evaluates all submissions. The applicants of each project are invited to present their project to the Committee and answer any questions. After deliberation of the submissions, the Committee selects projects to be submitted and presented to Town Meeting. Town Meeting makes the final decision as to how to distribute monies from the Community Preservation Fund.

Nancy E. Lucier, Town Administrator