Two General Public Members Sought for Community Preservation Committee

Do you have a passion for affordable housing, historic preservation, and parks and open space? The City of Somerville wants your help and is now accepting applications for two public positions on the Community Preservation Committee, which oversees the selection of projects to be recommended for funding by an estimated $2 million in annual Community Preservation Act (CPA) revenues. Residents are encouraged to apply and applications must be submitted by October 26, 2018.

There are two open general public seats – one with a three-year term and one with a two-year term. Both would have the option to be reappointed for a second three-year term. Application details, including a video of the information session on the Community Preservation Committee, are available at www.somervillema.gov/cpa. 

Somerville voters overwhelmingly approved adoption of the CPA in November 2012. Since then, $21.4 million has been allocated for 55 projects across the three areas that CPA can fund: open space and outdoor recreation, affordable housing, and historic preservation. The Community Preservation Committee, required by the CPA, is tasked with evaluating Somerville’s needs in those three specific areas and making recommendations to the Board of Alderman on how CPA funding should be spent. 

The committee consists of nine volunteers, including four members from the general public and a member from each of the following bodies: the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, the Historical Preservation Commission, the Parks and Open Space Department, and the Housing Authority. The City is currently looking to fill two general public positions. To ensure the most qualified applicants are selected, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has formed a review committee of City experts and community members to review applications, conduct interviews, and consider public feedback on candidates. The review committee considers both professional and lived experience and seeks to nominate candidates that have interest in all three CPA areas and contribute to the diversity of background and perspectives of the committee. From the group of applicants, they will nominate candidates for appointment for the Mayor to review. The Mayor will then submit candidate finalists to the Board of Aldermen for approval.

Being an effective committee member will require that you:

• Familiarize yourself with Somerville’s affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space/outdoor recreation policies and needs
• Familiarize yourself with the law (Community Preservation Act, MGL Chapter 44B) that governs the committee
• Attend meetings regularly
• Support CPA outreach and efforts to raise awareness
• Foster good relations with other City departments, boards, and commissions
• Listen to and be responsive to community feedback
• Use fairness and objectivity when making decisions

The review committee is seeking candidates who:

• Are supportive of all three programmatic areas of the CPA: affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space and outdoor recreation AND
• Have demonstrated a commitment to at least one of these areas. For this search, preference will be given to candidates with professional historic preservation and/or American history experience.

In addition, the goal of the review committee is to create a balanced committee that includes members who:

• Come from diverse demographic backgrounds
• Represent all geographic areas of the City
• Have financial expertise
• Have project management experience

How to Apply

Interested residents should complete the application available on the City’s CPA website at: www.somervillema.gov/cpa or outside the SomerStat Office at City Hall, 93 Highland Ave. Completed applications should be sent to employment_opportunities@somervillema.gov by October 26, 2018. All residents are welcome to apply. No nomination is required to submit an application. This is a volunteer position.

Please note that if you choose to apply for the Community Preservation Committee, your name and a portion of your application (a brief summary describing why you are a qualified candidate) will be posted on the City website for public review between October 30 and November 14, 2018. All community members are invited to provide feedback on candidates during this time. 

To find out more about serving as a CPC member, please visit the following websites:

• http://www.somervillema.gov/cpa
• http://www.communitypreservation.org

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Nency Salamoun, JD, at NSalamoun@somervillema.gov,  (617) 625-6600, Ext. 2323 (Voice),(617) 808-4851 (TTY).