Mashpee Selectmen Lay Out Plans For Funding Waste Water System
MASHPEE — The Mashpee Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday to put three articles on the May town meeting warrant that will address how to fund the design of a new water treatment facility and sewer collection system.
“The goal is to begin definitive progress towards cleaning up our polluted estuaries, starting with Popponesset Bay,” Board of Selectmen Chairman Andrew Gottlieb said.
One article would seek authorization to borrow funds through a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion override to complete the design of both projects.
The total cost for design of the new wastewater treatment plant is $1.29 million. Mashpee received $450,000 from the Cape Cod Commission to put toward the project.
The selectmen voted to ask for authorization to borrow up to $2.4 million through the article, and the town will only be responsible for paying back the amount it ultimately borrows for the projects. This approach will allow the town more flexibility in covering the projects’ costs.
The town manager’s finance team recommended the plan Monday.
“You do have a funding option for those debt payments,” said Dawn Thayer, the town’s accountant and finance director. “You’re only paying for what you use. You’re not paying for the whole $2.4 million.”
The article will require a two-thirds majority vote at town meeting. If approved, a question will be put on the ballot at the spring town election asking voters to approve the override.
A second article seeks to create a Municipal Water Infrastructure Investment Fund, money from which would pay for “maintenance, improvements and investments to municipal drinking, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure assets.” The article also calls for imposing an annual 2% property tax surcharge that would finance the new fund.
The new fund is expected to generate an estimated annual revenue of $990,000, according to information provided to selectmen Monday. Taxpayers who already receive exemptions for real estate taxes, such as certain seniors and veterans, will be exempt from the surcharge.
If the article is approved at town meeting, a ballot question would then need to be approved at the town election to create the fund and adopt the surcharge.
The new surcharge would be partially offset with the passage of a third article, which seeks to reduce the annual Community Preservation Act surcharge from 3% to 2%. Approval of the article would put a third question on the town election ballot asking voters to adopt the revised CPA surcharge.
Currently, a 3% surcharge is assessed property owners to fund projects in the area of historic preservation, open space, recreation and affordable housing.
“Ultimately, the net effect is you’re paying a 1% increment addition, but you’re getting 2% that’s going to wastewater,” Gottlieb said.
The selectmen see passage of the articles as a fair plan for residents that will also get the town’s wastewater plans off the ground.
“It’s taking a little bit of burden off the taxpayer,” Selectman Carol Sherman said.
“The goal is to begin definitive progress towards cleaning up our polluted estuaries, starting with Popponesset Bay,” Board of Selectmen Chairman Andrew Gottlieb said.
One article would seek authorization to borrow funds through a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion override to complete the design of both projects.
The total cost for design of the new wastewater treatment plant is $1.29 million. Mashpee received $450,000 from the Cape Cod Commission to put toward the project.
The selectmen voted to ask for authorization to borrow up to $2.4 million through the article, and the town will only be responsible for paying back the amount it ultimately borrows for the projects. This approach will allow the town more flexibility in covering the projects’ costs.
The town manager’s finance team recommended the plan Monday.
“You do have a funding option for those debt payments,” said Dawn Thayer, the town’s accountant and finance director. “You’re only paying for what you use. You’re not paying for the whole $2.4 million.”
The article will require a two-thirds majority vote at town meeting. If approved, a question will be put on the ballot at the spring town election asking voters to approve the override.
A second article seeks to create a Municipal Water Infrastructure Investment Fund, money from which would pay for “maintenance, improvements and investments to municipal drinking, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure assets.” The article also calls for imposing an annual 2% property tax surcharge that would finance the new fund.
The new fund is expected to generate an estimated annual revenue of $990,000, according to information provided to selectmen Monday. Taxpayers who already receive exemptions for real estate taxes, such as certain seniors and veterans, will be exempt from the surcharge.
If the article is approved at town meeting, a ballot question would then need to be approved at the town election to create the fund and adopt the surcharge.
The new surcharge would be partially offset with the passage of a third article, which seeks to reduce the annual Community Preservation Act surcharge from 3% to 2%. Approval of the article would put a third question on the town election ballot asking voters to adopt the revised CPA surcharge.
Currently, a 3% surcharge is assessed property owners to fund projects in the area of historic preservation, open space, recreation and affordable housing.
“Ultimately, the net effect is you’re paying a 1% increment addition, but you’re getting 2% that’s going to wastewater,” Gottlieb said.
The selectmen see passage of the articles as a fair plan for residents that will also get the town’s wastewater plans off the ground.
“It’s taking a little bit of burden off the taxpayer,” Selectman Carol Sherman said.