Sturbridge BOS votes unanimously to support CPA

The following article (portion thereof) is courtesy of the Telegram & Gazette.

STURBRIDGE —  The Board of Selectmen last night expressed opposition to a citizens petition asking voters to revoke the Community Preservation Act and unanimously recommended the town maintain the CPA.

Selectman Mary Dowling said maintaining the CPA in town is in “the best interest of the community and its residents, both in terms of economic considerations and quality of life.”


“From an economic standpoint, I don’t want to paralyze the town from either a small project or voting on a larger project down the road,” Ms. Dowling said. “We don’t know what’s going to come up.”

Petitioners said they are motivated “to stop further debt buildup and to stop spending on new projects that deter funds away from our (the town’s) current debt.” According to the petition, the CPA portion of the town’s overall $49 million debt is $4.3 million. The CPA was adopted in Sturbridge 11 years ago. Sturbridge receives 42.5 percent in CPA matching funds, as well as a 3 percent surcharge.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Thomas R. Creamer, who said he’s “going to champion against any spending, period,” said the board took a very “conservative” approach toward spending at the budget meeting Saturday and selectmen are not going to support any “unnecessary spending” in the community.

“There is a spending problem, if you want to refer to it that way, in Sturbridge but it’s certainly not something that is inherent or specific to the CPA because the CPA has no money of its own to spend nor does any committee or board in this community,” Mr. Creamer said. “I think it would be a big mistake to get rid of a program that has been of significant value to the community.”

The remainder of this article can be read HERE