[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting
of the Town of Williamstown 5-21-2002, Art. 19. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
There is hereby established a Community Preservation
Committee, consisting of eight voting members pursuant to the provisions
of MGL, c. 44B, § 5. The composition of the Committee, the
appointing authority and the term of office for the Committee members
shall be as follows:
[Amended 5-19-2009 ATM, Art. 25]
(1)
One member of the Conservation Commission as designated
by the Commission;
(2)
One member of the Historical Commission as designated
by the Commission;
(3)
One member of the Planning Board as designated by
the Board;
(4)
One member of the Parks Commissioners as designated
by the Commissioners;
(5)
One member of the Housing Authority as designated
by the Authority;
(6)
One member of the Finance Committee as designated
by the Committee;
(7)
The Town Manager, or the Town Manager's designee;
and
(8)
One resident of the Town as designated by the Select
Board.
[Amended 5-17-2022 ATM, Art. 32]
B.
Each member of the Committee shall serve for a term
of three years or until the person no longer serves in the position
or on the board or committee as set forth above, whichever is earlier.
C.
Should any of the officers and commissions, boards,
or committees who have appointing authority under this chapter be
no longer in existence for whatever reason, the Town Manager shall
appoint a suitable person to serve in their place.
D.
Any member of the Committee may be removed for cause
by their respective appointing authority after hearing.
A.
The Community Preservation Committee shall study the
needs, possibilities and resources of the Town regarding community
preservation. The Committee shall consult with existing municipal
boards, including the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission,
the Planning Board, the Department of Public Works, and the Housing
Authority, or persons acting in those capacities or performing like
duties, in conducting such studies. As part of its study, the Committee
shall hold one annual public informational hearing, or more at its
discretion, on the needs, possibilities and resources of the Town
regarding community preservation possibilities and resources, notice
of which shall be posted publicly and published for each of two weeks
preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town.
B.
The Community Preservation Committee shall make recommendations
to the Town Meeting for the acquisition, creation and preservation
of open space, for the acquisition and preservation of historic resources,
for the acquisition, creation and preservation of land for recreational
use, for the creation, preservation and support of community housing
and for rehabilitation or restoration of such open space, historic
resources, land for recreational use and community housing that is
acquired or created as provided in this section. With respect to community
housing, the Community Preservation Committee shall recommend, wherever
possible, the reuse of existing buildings or construction of new buildings
on previously developed sites.
C.
The Community Preservation Committee may include in
its recommendation to the Town Meeting a recommendation to set aside
for later spending funds for specific purposes that are consistent
with community preservation but for which sufficient revenues are
not then available in the Community Preservation Fund to accomplish
that specific purpose or to set aside for later spending funds for
general purposes that are consistent with community preservation.
D.
In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation Committee
must recommend either that the legislative body spend, or set aside
for later spending, not less than 10% of the annual revenues in the
Community Preservation Fund for:
The Community Preservation Committee shall comply
with the provisions of the Open Meeting Law, MGL, c. 39, § 23B.
The Committee shall not meet or conduct business without the presence
of a majority of the members of the Community Preservation Committee.
The Community Preservation Committee shall approve its actions by
majority vote. Recommendations to the Town Meeting shall include the
Committee's anticipated costs.
This chapter may be amended from time to time
by a majority vote of the Town Meeting, consistent with the provisions
of MGL, c. 44B.
In case any section, paragraph or part of this
chapter be for any reason declared invalid or unconstitutional by
any court, every other section, paragraph or part shall continue in
full force and effect.
Provided that this chapter is accepted at the
2002 Annual Town Meeting, this chapter shall take effect upon approval
by the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, and after all requirements
of MGL, c. 40, § 32 have been met. Each appointing authority
shall have 30 days after approval by the Attorney General to make
their initial appointments.