Newton’s Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) met with the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) on Monday to discuss the appropriation of $2 million to the control of the Planning & Development Department for a grant to the First Baptist Church and its planned restoration of its bell tower.
The Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding of up to $2 million will be distributed to the church over three years, with the full $2 million appropriated from the CPA budget this year, explained Susan Lunin, Vice Chair of the Conservation Commission.
“It will be distributed to the church over three years, but it would be called to be appropriated this year,” Lunin said. “So, it would come out of our budget this year, but wouldn’t be distributed to the church.”
The CPA funding recommended for appropriation by the CPC is composed of funds in part from Newton’s Historic Funds Balance, Historic Budgeted Reserves, and FY25 Unrestricted Fund Balance, according to Lunin.
“The bell tower’s state of disrepair has led to the closing of the main building and sanctuary of the First Baptist Church, which is a venue for several musical organizations, school graduations and community events throughout the year,” Lunin said.
The CPA is a program that allows communities to create a local Community Preservation Fund, which provides funding to the preservation of historic buildings, structures, documents, and artifacts in Massachusetts.
The considerations for site eligibility for CPA funding are based on the historic significance of the structure, its importance to the community, and the merits of its restoration process and plan, according to the city of Newton’s website.
According to Lunin, the First Baptist Church is listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places and meets the eligibility criteria for CPA historic resource funding.
“This building is of great historical significance … the bell tower is particularly significant in its dedication to Samuel Francis Smith, who was the minister of the church from 1842 to 1854 and the author of ‘My Country, ’Tis of Thee,’” Lunin said.
For prior restoration projects in Newton, it was determined religious projects must be reviewed in the same manner as any other historic restoration project, according to Ward 7 Councilor R. Lisle Baker.
“After considering multiple options on how to fund the project, the committee chose to fund the entire amount but reimburse the church at match percentage on the remaining project expenses, 49.4 percent,” Lunin said.
The committee made this decision to ensure the church was contributing to this project alongside the CPA contribution, but allow the necessary work to begin without delay, Lunin said.
To fulfill their portion of the necessary contributions, the church has already secured funding from the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) emergency grant funding, explained Rev. Jana Yeaton, Senior Minister at the First Baptist Church.
“We have received $100,000, and we have been invited to apply for an additional $100,000,” Yeaton said. “So half of it is in place, and half of it is on the way.”
In addition to the MHC funding and the source funding from the Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund and the National Fund For Sacred Places, the church is starting a capital campaign this fall to raise additional funds from the congregation and community, explained Yeaton.
“We have engaged a capital campaign consultant and done a feasibility study, and we believe the goal we have, based on interviews with members of the congregation … will easily be met by the church,” Yeaton said.
The council voted unanimously to approve the CPA funding necessary for the renovations.
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