The Northampton Community Preservation Committee voted Oct. 8 to pay $4,350 for its annual dues to the Community Preservation Coalition and asked staff to send a letter requesting the coalition re-examine its dues formula.

Committee members debated the value of paying dues and whether the coalition's tiered fee schedule is equitable; Martha and others recalled prior discussions about the relative burden on smaller communities. Chris Tate moved to approve full payment of $4,350; Chris Hellman seconded. The motion passed in a unanimous roll-call vote.

Committee members agreed to ask Sarah (CPC staff) to send a formal request to the Community Preservation Coalition and to the coalition's steering committee asking them to consider a more equitable dues distribution formula. Sarah said she would locate the steering committee contact information and send the committee's concerns to the coalition and steering committee on the committee's behalf.

Sarah said Northampton had previously provided a partial payment in 2018 and noted the coalition treats membership as an all-or-nothing dues model; some members argued the coalition provides useful statewide resources and advocacy, while others said the local small-grants work directly benefits the community. Committee members agreed to both pay the dues this year and press the coalition for a response to the equity concerns.