by John Osborn ·
Friday, January 30, 2026
Harvard’s Community Preservation Committee voted last week to recommend the expenditure of $676,750 to support five town projects, ranging from a conservation restriction to new flooring for the town library, with decisions on two additional projects deferred to a Jan. 28 meeting.
The votes for all five projects were unanimous, but they must first be approved by Town Meeting in May before the money can be released. If Town Meeting votes in favor of the committee’s recommendations, the necessary dollars will be appropriated from Harvard’s Community Preservation Fund, which the committee manages. The fund’s coffers are replenished annually with money raised by a 3% surcharge on the tax bills of property owners, boosted by money from the state. At last week’s meeting, CPC treasurer Jane Biering estimated that more than $1.5 million would be available to fund community preservation projects at the start of fiscal 2027, which begins July 1.
The Conservation Commission’s application for $400,000 to purchase a conservation restriction on 34.7 acres at Three Penny Farm on Old Littleton Road was the committee’s largest financial commitment of the evening. The property abuts Shaker Spring House conservation land. The conservation restriction would be jointly funded with the Sudbury Valley Trustees, who are contributing $150,000 toward the project. The Harvard Conservation Trust is expected to help with expenses associated with the purchase.
Jim Burns, chair of the Conservation Commission, explained at the commission’s Dec. 16 presentation to the CPC that the property would link Shaker Spring House land and the Black Pond conservation area on the eastern side of Old Littleton Road, a benefit for wildlife, although a privately owned parcel remains between them. “From a linkage viewpoint, it would be a pretty significant piece of property,” said Burns. He noted that the relatively flat upper portion of the Three Penny parcel could potentially provide ADA-accessible conservation land for the town and a new path to the spring house.
The cost of the conservation restriction is based on an appraisal completed in 2025 that valued the development rights at approximately $500,000. Liz Allard, the town’s conservation agent, noted that the final cost may vary slightly as the property owner is still determining the exact boundaries to be protected, but the total is expected to remain close to the $400,000 request.
The committee recommended spending up to $242,000 for the Harvard Public Library trustees to replace the flooring in Volunteers Hall, the second floor of the historic Old Bromfield School building. CPC members voted to pay for 90% of the actual costs up to that maximum. The library trustees have committed to covering 10% of the project cost, as well as any expenses beyond the $242,000 cap.
Committee Chair Stu Sklar said the higher-than-typical cost reflected the building’s historic status. Longtime resident and civil engineer Pete Jackson will oversee the restoration.
The Harvard Historical Society received the committee’s approval for $24,500 to pay for a multiyear digitization of its archives. The project will focus initially on transcribing and digitizing 211 letters from the Whitney family collection. HHS President Steve Abrams told the committee the project would make historical documents more accessible to researchers and the public through the society’s website.
Abrams said the society is exploring the use of AI technology to assist with handwriting transcription, which could allow more of the budget to be directed toward digitizing additional collection materials. The society has also arranged for a free consultant from the state’s Digital Commonwealth program to assist with the project.
The committee recommended $8,000 for an ADA-compliant water fountain at the town beach, to be installed near the wheelchair-accessible bathroom in the parking area. The fountain will include a bottle filler and will have two levels to accommodate different heights. Park and Recreation Director Anne McWaters explained that Department of Public Works assistance with site preparation could reduce the final cost.
The Harvard Community Garden received a recommendation of $2,250 for a solar-powered water pump and storage system. The garden had requested $4,500 but agreed to split costs equally with the town. The system will pump water from a spring into a 700-gallon storage tank, reducing the physical burden on the garden’s 22 plot holders who currently hand pump water into contractor buckets. Mary Keefe, speaking for the garden, explained the project aims to reduce stress on the spring while making the garden more accessible to older members.
The committee postponed voting on two applications until a Jan. 28 Zoom meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Park and Recreation Commission’s request for tennis court reconstruction at the Bromfield School—initially priced at $228,000 with $70,000 from the Capital Planning Investment Committee and $158,000 from CPC—was deferred after conflicting estimates raised concerns. While one vendor quoted $228,000 for the complete reconstruction, a second quote came in at $450,000 for the same work. McWaters told the committee she wants to verify the lower bid’s legitimacy and check references before proceeding.
The Municipal Affordable Housing Trust’s funding request was also postponed pending discussion about the appropriate funding level. The committee debated whether to approve the minimum 10% allocation of approximately $102,000 required by the Community Preservation Act or a larger amount up to $400,000. Biering suggested that combining the requests into a single $250,000 allocation might be more acceptable to Town Meeting.
Committee member Paige Johnston, who also serves on the housing trust, was to discuss options with the trust before Wednesday’s meeting. The trust currently has approximately $1 million available but cannot use those funds directly to purchase land under state regulations.
The owners of 1 Still River Road, which houses the Harvard General Store, withdrew their application for funding to replace exterior fire escape stairs with an interior fireproof stairwell. Matt Marolda and Betsy Starr, who purchased the building in late 2025, indicated they need more time to determine the full scope of work and coordinate with their commercial tenant.
Their original request had proposed removing the exterior wood and metal fire escape and constructing an interior stairwell that would improve both building safety and aesthetics, while allowing increased occupancy on the second floor for community events. The committee had expressed strong interest in a public-private partnership with the building owners but wanted to establish clear use restrictions that would protect the building’s future before approving any funding. Sklar said the applicants are likely to return next year with a revised proposal.
Even after Tuesday’s recommendations, the committee maintains a healthy surplus. Treasurer Biering reported that CPC received $211,000 in state matching funds this year, slightly below last year’s $214,000 but well above the conservative $100,000 estimate. Combined with local surcharge revenue that came in approximately $12,000 higher than projected, the committee would retain approximately $225,000 in uncommitted funds even if Town Meeting approves all current applications.
The committee also approved its required annual expenses: $42,788 for the Town Hall bond repayment and $20,000 for administrative costs, though Sklar noted actual administrative spending typically runs around $4,000 annually. The larger authorization provides flexibility to hire legal counsel if needed for complex projects like conservation restrictions or affordable housing partnerships.
All CPC recommendations require approval at the Annual Town Meeting scheduled for Saturday, May 2, at noon. Each project will be voted on separately by Town Meeting attendees.
Approved funds become available July 1, 2026. Sklar reminded applicants that no project work can begin—and no invoices can be dated—before July 1. “This is just not our rules. State rules,” he explained, noting that spending funds prematurely could jeopardize an entire grant.
The committee will finalize its remaining funding decisions at the Jan. 28 Zoom meeting before submitting all articles to the town for inclusion in the May Town Meeting warrant. Committee members expressed confidence that the conservation and recreation projects would pass easily at Town Meeting, though they debated messaging strategies for the affordable housing allocation to ensure voters understand how CPC funding works.
The Community Preservation Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for March 11, at 7:30 p.m., upstairs in Town Hall.