The Falmouth Land Trust is accepting donations towards the $830,000 cost to purchase the so-called Underwood Springs Forest off Route 1. Chance Viles / The Forecaster
FALMOUTH — Councilors said as part of “preparing for the worst fiscally” due to economic concerns over the coronavirus, they are holding off on a $200,000 donation to the Falmouth Land Trust.
A sign on the property looks for donations and support. Chance Viles / The Forecaster
The council granted preliminary approval last month for the donation to purchase preservation land off Route 1 and Johnson Road. However, in light of a new round of budget cuts, the panel has decided to postpone the move for two to three months to evaluate how the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus may impact town finances.
“We are preparing for the worst fiscally,” Councilor Jay Trickett said at a council meeting last week. “By this fall, we will likely know a lot more, whether or not we are moving forward a new normal, but things are up in the air and there are going to be fiscal impacts. I don’t think we can send a message to our staff that our budget is going to send, then make a $200,000 discretionary purchase.”
“The current budget on both sides includes significant reductions,” Council Chairwoman Amy Kuhn said during an April 13 meeting via Zoom, where the town announced cuts will be made by instituting a hiring freeze, decreasing funds for a number of projects and deferring major expenditures.
The 52-acre conservation property, which the Falmouth Land Trust plans to call Underwood Springs Forest, has an asking price of around $830,000, with over half of that already raised by the land trust.
“The private fundraising has continued. We’ve had tremendous support from the community to acquire this land and have received over 100 private donations and pledges toward it,” Land Trust Director Jennifer Grimm told The Forecaster. “Our private fundraising goal was $405,000 and we have $71,000 still to raise to reach (that).
Grimm said the community has been “extraordinarily generous and eager to see this property become open space,” and “even during this tough time we’ve received donations.”
But Kuhn said, “I can’t see taking cash out to make this acquisition at this time. Given the state of things, maybe that property will be there in the fall, maybe that property won’t be grabbed right from under us. I appreciate that when it’s gone, it’s gone, but it’s not an unreasonable risk.”
Donald Hincks, the out-of-state landowner, gave the trust until the end of May to raise money for the purchase, but the nonprofit was granted two more months, to the end of July.
“The trust understands the circumstances the town finds itself in, and is sensitive to the budget needs around the town. We will continue to fund raise and negotiate with the seller and stay in contact with the town about this process,” trust president Michael Vance said.
“Our community will appreciate our attention to these in the future. We bought a bunch of properties in the past, people are enjoying many of them, and we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that this is an ephemeral opportunity we should still pay attention to,” Councilor Caleb Hemphill said.
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