Town Meeting Article 40 covers proposed Community Preservation Act (CPA) projects, including planting 250 trees for the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution. The project, which is led by the Concord250 Permanent Memorials Subcommittee, will result in 250 living monuments planted across town, including on school campuses — a gesture of hope and optimism at a time when both are in short supply. This monument is a gift we leave to future generations, one that has tangible benefits to human wellbeing and the environment we live in, and one that meets a key town sustainability goal.
In addition to $125,000 in CPA funds, $125,000 is proposed to come from the town’s American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and the remainder of the project cost, which won’t be known until the project is put out to bid, will be covered by private fundraising. More information on the project is available at concordma.gov/3610/Concord250-Trees-Project.
As I and other members of the Subcommittee have talked to groups and individuals around town about this project, it has been met with universal enthusiasm. The Select Board, too, has recommended affirmative action on all CPA items. Unfortunately, the Finance Committee opposes the project. They argue that trees don’t constitute monuments, and that tree planting is already included in the town budget. It is true that the town budget includes a modest amount for tree planting, but CPW lacks capacity to plant trees at this scale, and the School Department does not have a budget for tree planting or maintenance.
I urge voters to support Article 40 as written in the warrant and oppose any amendments at Town Meeting that attempt to extract the 250 Trees project from the article.
Christa Collins
Highland Street
Concord250 Permanent Memorials Subcommittee