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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE NOVEMBER 2013 STM Warrant Article Analysis and Recommendations This Special Town Meeting will consider requests to make adjustments to the FY2013 operating budget, to appropriate funds into specified stabilization funds, and to fund two capital improvement projects. While the budget adjustments are not urgent, such adjustments are typically offered whenever a fall spe- cial town meeting is scheduled. They will keep the budget up to date with events that have occurred since the previous annual town meeting. The two capital improvement projects have been progressing through the design and engineering phase, and they are now ready to proceed to construction. Both projects would be significantly delayed if there is no action on them until the 2014 Annual Town Meeting, and they de- serve attention now rather than waiting. At the March 2013 Annual Town Meeting, the Town appropriated funds, under Article 14(f), to address overcrowding at Lexington High School via the installation of modular classrooms. Those funds covered the production of construction documents and cost estimates as part of the design and engineering phase. The design and estimation work having been completed, the present Article 4 will request full funding for the project, which would be implemented in two phases. The goal is to complete Phase 1 before the start of the 2014 -2015 school year. At the March 2013 Special Town Meeting, the Town appropriated funds to buy the property at what is now known as 39 Marrett Road. That purchase is expected to formally close on December 3, 2013. The present Article 5 will request funds to renovate the main building at 39 Marrett Road so that it can be used as a community center, and also provide office space for certain town staff. A key goal is to move the Senior Center and the Human Services Department into the building. More renovations and possible addi- tions to the building will be considered in the future. Below, we give our analysis and recommendations on each of the warrant articles to be voted on at this Special Town Meeting. Article 2• Amend FY2014 Funds Funding Committee Requested Source Recommendation Operating, Enterprise Fund and Community Preservation $54,500 $86,554 GF GF (cash) Budgets ($10,427) Water EF Approve (9 -0) ($24,966) Sewer EF This article requests supplementary appropriations and adjustments to the amounts appropriated under Articles 4, 5 and 8 at the 2013 Annual Town Meeting warrant. The requests affect the municipal, school and enterprise funds budgets as described below. Municipal The Town Clerk's office has requested a supplemental appropriation of $54,500 to line 8500 of the FY2014 budget approved under Article 4 at the 2013 Annual Town Meeting. The appropriation would cover the costs of the special primary and general elections called to fill the U.S. House of Representa- tives seat vacated by Senator Edward Markey. Salaries of the poll workers and support staff make up $29,300 of this request and the remaining $25,200 is for contracted services that supported the use of vot- ing machines. The Town will apply for State reimbursement but the amount and timing of any such re- covery is unknown. The Finance Department is requesting an adjustment to line 8400 of the FY2014 budget. This adjustment would shift funds originally designated for salaries to the expense part of the budget. The budget appro- priated at the Annual Town Meeting contemplated funding a new position in the Assessor's office. A pre-