The Community Preservation Committee is narrowing its focus for the upcoming funding cycle, moving forward with two key rehabilitation projects following the unexpected withdrawal of the Adams Center application. Chair Brian Payne clarified that the committee is now prioritizing the Stephen Drew Heritage House and a total overhaul of the athletic courts at Gray’s Beach, with formal votes on the funding requests scheduled for the March 5 meeting.

Addressing concerns about public accessibility for the Stephen Drew Heritage House, Payne outlined a new collaboration with the Major John Bradford House to host annual winter open houses. The site, which Payne noted was home to boat building as early as 1713, will also feature prominently in Kingston’s 300th-anniversary celebrations this October. Payne said The more you dig into it, the more interesting the story is. We could not nail down if it is 1760 or 1780, but we will continue to work on it. One committee member suggested tapping the Town Historian for further research to solidify the structure's timeline before the autumn festivities.

The committee also cleared a procedural hurdle regarding the tennis and basketball courts at Gray’s Beach. While the Community Preservation Act originally limited funds to properties purchased with CPA money, a 2012 legislative change opened the door for rehabilitating older town assets. A 27-year veteran department head testified that the courts have far exceeded their intended 20-to-25-year useful life. We've done a lot of maintenance over the years: resurfacing, fixing minor cracks, nets, and fences, the staff member explained. There comes a point where the cracks are just too big. We are at that point now.

Future upkeep of the courts would be sustained by the town’s operating budget and supplemented by revolving account fees from pickleball and tennis programs. A committee member thanked the chair for providing a Community Preservation Coalition guidance chart that clarified the eligibility of such projects, noting I didn't know that you could use funds now that weren't initially used for CPC projects. That was very helpful. While the committee held off on formal motions, Payne signaled a desire to eventually coordinate with other boards to slow traffic near the historic sites on Maple Street, aiming to create a mini historic district as part of the town’s broader infrastructure safety efforts.