Greetings!
What happens when you gather over 200 CPA supporters in one room? Electricity! Our 10th anniversary CPA celebration was a huge success yesterday at the State House. We honored ten CPA advocates from across the state, and demonstrated the importance of CPA to dozens of state legislators and staff. You'll love our photo montage of the event in this issue of CPA Update, including our 3-D CPA anniversary cake!
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CPA 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Ten CPA Advocates Honored at the State House
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Well over 200 CPA supporters gathered yesterday at the State House to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of CPA and honor ten Robert Kuehn Community Preservation award winners - individuals who have been significant contributors to the success of CPA during its first decade, and whose work best exemplifies the spirit of Bob Kuehn's legacy.
The Coalition would like to thank everyone who came from across the state to celebrate CPA and lend your applause to our fabulous and inspiring award recipients!
Read on for images of the event, including photos of all award recipients and our fantastic (and delicious!) three-dimensional CPA cake. . .
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CPA TRUST FUND COLLECTIONS UP SLIGHTLY IN FY11
DOR To Announce Trust Fund Distributions in October | |
In FY 2011, the statewide CPA trust fund collected a total of $26.6 million compared to the $26.3 million collected in the previous year. While the increase is small, and still significantly below the historic average of $34 million, we remain hopeful that an improving economy will lift proceeds for the trust fund in the near future.
The Department of Revenue (DOR) will release the Community Preservation Trust Fund disbursement amounts for each CPA municipality in early October. The Coalition will send an email bulletin the same day that the distribution is announced. |
REHABILITATING OPEN SPACE WITH CPA FUNDS | |
When towns use CPA funds to acquire conservation land or conservation restrictions, it's often viewed as the last chapter in a long project. In reality, it should be seen as the first step in a long-term obligation to serve as good stewards of the land. Following a land acquisition with CPA funds, communities can then approve additional CPA projects for rehabilitation of the land and for projects that create plans for habitat improvement.
To learn more about the importance of this work read on. . . |
CPA FEATURED PROJECT Eliakim's Way, West Tisbury | |
West Tisbury, a small community on Martha's Vineyard, has used its CPA funds to develop a number of affordable housing options for residents over the years. But its recent Eliakim's Way project, shown in the banner above and at left, challenges the conventional wisdom on community housing.
The project, a LEED Platinum certified eight-unit affordable housing project, furthers the mission of affordability by reducing or entirely eliminating utility bills for its homeowners. LEED Platinum, the highest LEED certification level, is often associated with high-end buildings. But as all eight Eliakim's Way units are proving through their net-zero or near net-zero energy use, green technologies make these units champions of affordable living.
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