May 10, 2002

Port Residents agree on main points at forum

By Kate Spinner

Daily News Staff

NEWBURYPORT --- Control development, retain open space, keep funding education, provide affordable housing, and maybe rework the tax structure. These were a few of the messages that residents sent last night to city councilors, the mayor and several department heads.

Newburyport's first annual public forum last night drew about 100 resident to the City Hall auditorium to discuss the status of the city and their hopes for the future.

Residents spilt up into six groups determined by their ward boundaries and spoke with their councilors about the city and its needs.

Though the topic was intended to center around the budget, conversation drifted from strictly budget related items, such as dismay over cuts in educational programs and rising property taxes, to the need to curb over development and maintain city infrastructure.

First residents were asked to identify the positive aspects of the city. Across ward boundaries, people were happy about the school system, cultural activities and quality of life, and community volunteerism and civic activity. They were also pleased about the library and the librarians, the skate park, the new High School Building, school teachers and small class sizes, the existence of the master plan, the boardwalk renovations, improvements to city parks and the plans to improve High Street and plans to build the rail-trail.

The most commonly raised concerns involved the continued maintenance of the community's assets and the implementation of goals set forth in the city's master plan.

When speaking about the high school, several resident said they appreciate the great building, but they are wondering if the cost of the building is affecting the city's ability to retain teachers and important educational programs.

"We need to ensure that we are not short-changing our students or the curriculum," said one resident. Residents in nearly every ward were upset about the school's budgetary decision to nix stringed instrument courses during the day and freshman after-school sports this coming fiscal year, which begins on July 1.

City councilors have no recourse in bringing that money back into the budget, unless they suggest a budget transfer from another account later in the year.

When residents in all six wards mentioned the master plan last night, they spoke primarily about curbing development, preserving open space, and providing affordable housing.

Many said they would like to see the city move forward in establishing new zoning codes to place stricter controls on new building. Some even mentioned the idea of imposing fees on new development, to help offset potential burdens on infrastructure and schools. Others talked about balancing industrial development and residential development.

Coinciding with growth, several residents voiced concerns about traffic congestion and safety on city streets. Many mentioned, especially Wards 1 and 6, that the city is not easily navigable by foot or bicycle, and that the handicapped accessibility is limited.

The affordability of the city was another hot topic last night. As residential properties continue to rise in value, residents pondered over whether their children would be able to afford a home in Newburyport. Other wondered whether they, themselves would be able to afford the city as senior citizens.

To some, the need for affordable housing coincides with the need to control development. Some suggested that a building moratorium should not affect the construction of affordable housing, in order to allow the city an opportunity to create an environment where ten percent of the housing stock in the city is considered affordable.

Some said property taxes were increasing too quickly and that the city was spending too much money. Though few suggested cuts, some residents said the upcoming fiscal year may not be the best time to create two new city positions. Mayor Alan Lavender proposes spending $41,500 yearly on a part-time human resources officer and $36,000 on an assistant to the police marshal that would begin working in September.

In Ward 2, residents spoke against spending money or curbside leaf pick-up. One woman asked, "What matters most? ... Who would support leaf pick-up and abolish strings in schools?"

Others explored creative ways through which the city could bring in more money. One man suggested a small local sales tax, while some said the city should be more aggressive about finding grants and participating in state programs such as the Community Preservation Act.

Several residents especially those in Ward 4, said the tax structure should be revisited. Many talked about taxing industrial and commercial properties at a higher rate than residential properties, because the value of residential property is increasing faster than commercial and industrial properties. After the city's property revaluation last year, the tax burden on residents shifted from 80 percent in fiscal year 2001 to 84 percent in 2003.

A few residents also suggested that the city could defer property taxes for the elderly, and for those on fixed incomes, until their houses sell.

A myriad of other issues and concerns, from too many skunks in Ward 2 to too many stray dogs on Plum Island were also voiced last night.

There were also issues that would have inspired long debate had the format of the meeting been different. Differing opinions on the need for industrial development were raised in Ward 6 and in Ward 1, some residents opposed the city's plans to build a parking garage. Ward 2 residents said they thought the Police Department still had some problems with its image, and one ventured to say she feared the police more than the threat of crime.

Residents in Wards 1 and 3 also requested that the city revisit alternatives to the Plum Island water and sewer project and Ward 5 residents mentioned the need for other city residents to become more involved in the dump capping issue.

Although a wide range of issues were discussed last night, there were several items that residents agreed upon. Many are concerned about education, rising taxes and property values, lack of affordable housing, diminishing open space, and uncontrolled development.

Ward 3 Councilor Karen Kelley, who orchestrated last night's meeting, said she has some work to do to address the community's concerns. Before they begin searching the budget this coming Tuesday for items that can be cut, each councilor will receive a copy of the comments that were recorded, via flip charts, from each ward. "This certainly gives us more to do than just look at the budget," Kelley said.