Brewster Association of Part-Time Residents

***** PRESIDENT'S BULLETIN BOARD *****

President's Letter of December 2009

President's Letter of October 2008

President's December 5, 2009 Letter to Members

Dear BAPR Members:

Your association remains in good shape as we enter 2010. Our membership list shows 810 families. Our finances are solid, with approximately $14,000 in our bank account. We have an excellent Board of Directors, and a very qualified Executive Committee (listed below). Our Administrator, Brenda Locke, continues to monitor Brewster and Cape Cod news, keeping our members informed.

In an effort to positively impact our community, we have been making an annual financial contribution to activities or functions in Brewster which are beyond the budget of the Town's departments.

In 2009 BAPR contributed the following to Brewster:

$1000 to the emergency heating fund
$3000 to help restore the 1834 Brewster Meeting House (First Parish Church)
$1000 to reupholster antique furniture at the Crosby Mansion

In 2008 we contributed 3 Electronic Defibrillators, which were placed in public buildings by the Fire Department.

The major piece of news from Brewster relates to the Eddy School. You have all received copies of the latest news stories. The quick summary is that the intricate plan to move the Town offices to the Eddy School and the Lighthouse Charter School to the Town Hall seems to be unraveling. The plan is to use part of the Eddy school for classrooms in order to continue to qualify for State aid. Prior assurances from the State seem to be disappearing as the State's budget crunch worsens.

The other major issue of concern to many of our BAPR members is the Rental Tax (on condominium rentals). Although initiated by Brewster Selectman Ed Lewis, it is temporarily dormant as proponents are trying to get State legislation to approve it. BAPR's position is that Brewster should not be alone in imposing this tax. If it passes at the State level we think it should be statewide, or at least Cape-wide. If not, it puts Brewster property owners, both full-time and part-time residents, at a competitive disadvantage.

Insurance remains a problem across the Cape, but seems to be more available than a few years ago, albeit at outrageous prices. We continue to support and donate to Paula Aschettino and her organization who have been fighting for fairness, mainly for Fair Plan equity.

Your new assessment is available on the internet and in person at the Assessor's Office in the Town Hall. You should do comparisons to make sure you are fairly evaluated against similar properties. If you find that your assessment is too high, you need to pay your bill and then file for an abatement. You must do this within 30 days of receipt of your bill.

We are most pleased that you are a BAPR member. It is only through you membership, and your participation, that we continue to maintain the financial and human resources to represent and protect the part-time residents' interests. Most of you know that BAPR, in 2002, reversed Brewster's "differential tax rate", i.e., a scheme to shift the tax burden off full time residents and onto the part-time residents. Fortunately our neighbors in Brewster agreed with us. Part-time residents in the Town of Barnstable were not as astute, and now part-time homeowners in Hyannis, Osterville, and the balance of the Town of Barnstable are paying a tax rate that is 50% higher than the full time resident.

Please make sure that all of your part-time resident friends know how important their BAPR membership is to all of us. Our Board of Directors is always looking a few good men/women to become active in a great group of people (us).

The following is a list of our Officers and Directors:

Edward Goldman President

Stephen Berkowitz Vice President

Greg Jones Treasurer, Database Manager

Mary Ann Lozano Secretary

Michael Stevens Webmaster

Brenda Locke Administrator

James Carabetta

Louise Choulian

David Ferguson

Tom Ferris

Imogene Harsip

Lou Lozano

Howard McCullough

Jack Piela

Anne Wise

Phil Wise

On behalf of your Board we wish all of you a healthy, happy 2010.

Brewster Association of Part-time Residents

Edward J. Goldman
President

President's Oct 29, 2008 Letter to Members

Dear Members:

I thought I would take a few minutes to give you an update on your organization and the progress it has made over this past year.

The quick summary is that your association is in good shape. We currently have 807 member families, up from 741 last year. Our finances are solid. We are fortunate to have an excellent vice president, Werner Schuele, an equally excellent treasurer, Greg Jones, and an even more excellent administrator, Brenda Locke.

We held our Annual Information Forum on August 9^th, and were pleased to have as guest speakers Town Administrator Charles Sumner, Selectman Ed Lewis, and Fire Chief Roy Jones.

Mr. Sumner told us that

the tax rate will increase approximately 4% in 2009
the Commonwealth will increase payments to Brewster to $600,000 this year
the town bond rating has increased to AA++
Brewster will hire a Town Planner
the Fire and Rescue facility was evaluated and the recommendation (as of 24 Oct 08) is to build a new facility on the present site (approx. $12 million)
private roads will continue to be plowed but specific rules will be imposed for 2009-2010
waste water planning is becoming a major issue (pay attention to this subject), although town-wide sewer installation is not imminent (yet)

Chief Jones explained the needs of the Fire Department, including the new station.

We had 40 of our 807 member families in attendance at the Forum and Annual meeting. This is the other side of success. We wish we could have more of you participate in the meetings and in the Association’s activities. We are much like a reserve army - when there is no enemy it is hard to get excited. But when the enemy appears, we need to be totally ready. Our enemy is the annual vote of the Selectmen which deals with the tax rate. We are fortunate that our present Selectmen agree with us that a differential tax rate is not fair, and they have supported us since 2003 and kept the tax rate equal. We could be faced with a different group of Selectmen, or a desperate group faced with declining State and Federal contributions to the Town. That is the reason we need to keep a high profile, and we need to be viewed as valuable, contributing neighbors and friends; not as the strangers from across the bridge who cannot vote.

Last year, in an effort to maintain a highly visible position in the town, we contributed $4500 to the Town to buy 3 AED’s (defibrillators) for the Fire Department. This month we contributed $1000 to the Town’s Fuel Assistance Fund, and $1000 to the Crosby Mansion to re-upholster antique furniture. Recognition to BAPR will be provided for both donations. Depending on our financial condition as we approach year end, we may provide additional funds for the Fuel Assistance Program.

Our members have volunteered at Town events. We are clearly contributors to the Town, and BAPR works hard to create a strong presence and to maintain a positive image.

Beside the “big picture” vigilance against unfair taxation, we provide a link into Town and Cape-wide activities. Brenda prepares and sends an e-mail report of any news events in the Town that she feels are important. We sponsor an annual Information Forum open to anyone in Brewster at which the Town officials update the audience on Town affairs. Last year we sponsored a session on the insurance crisis affecting so many of us on the Cape.

We hope that you agree with the activities of your organization. Our objective is to be the voice, as well as the eyes and ears of the part-time residents of Brewster. The future brings a need for a strong and visible BAPR.

The BAPR Officers, Directors and Staff wish you the best for the rest of 2008, and a great 2009.

Ed Goldman, President

2008 ANNUAL MEETING AND INFORMATION FORUM

Our Annual Meeting was held on August 9 at the Brewster Ladies Library. Approximately 40 BAPR members were present. Ed Goldman, President, gave his "State of the Association" report and Ed Lewis (Selectman), Charles Sumner (Town Administrator) and Roy Jones (Fire Chief) contributed news items of interest. Of particular interest was the announcement that the tax rate will increase 4% on our next tax bill. Minutes of the Meeting providing details of the presentation are reported under the "Reports Section" of this website.

CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ?

Those of you who have recently changed your email provider or email address are asked to advise us of your new address as soon as possible. We want to make sure our periodic mailings and news items are being received. Please advise Brenda Locke, Administrator, of the details at administrator@bapr.org.

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BAPR is a nonprofit corporation representing part-time residents of Brewster, Massachusetts.

Our mission is to:

• Inform our members of Town and Cape issues of importance.
• Give members a voice in Brewster affairs.
• Improve communication and cooperation between members and the Town of Brewster.
• Use member resources and skills to the maximum benefit of the Town

We support our members:

We have opposed discriminatory taxes and improved our members' awareness of Town activities and issues pertinent to non-resident taxpayers.

We support our Town:

We have worked to assist needy residents obtain financial support to meet their tax expenses. We are also the sponsors of the Brewster Information Forum organized in 2004 to bring together full-time and part-time residents with the Town officials.

In Fall 2006, we donated $1700 to the Town to purchase a spectator bench and two picnic tables for the new baseball field at the Stony Brook School. Last year BAPR donated $4500 for the purchase of three Automatic Emergency Defilibrators (AED's) - to be located at the Library, Town Hall and Senior Center. In addition, we gave $250 to the Brewster Ladies' Library and $250 to the Brewster Pond Stewards. In October 2008, we contributed $1000 to the Town's Fuel Assistance Fund and $1000 to the Crosby Mansion for furniture restoration. We also donated $3000 to the restoration effort for a beautiful historic building, the Brewster Meeting House (First Parish Church).

We will continue to be your voice to the Brewster government •