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2014-01-09Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee January 9,2014 : Ellen StoneRoom,Cary Memorial Building,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Robert Cohen; Mollie Garberg;Alan Levine;Susan McLeish; Eric Michelson;Jonina Schonfeld; Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:Richard Neumeier Others Present:Dawn McKenna, Tourism Committee Chair The meetingwas calledto order at 7:39p.m. Announcementsand Liaison Reports: 1.The following reports were made: Mr. Parker: Both the Town Office Building and Clarke Middle School experienced frozen pipes during the recent coldweather. Damage was minimal. Mr. Parker: The Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee (CCAC) is reaching consensus on Phase 1 plans for the Community Center which will allowthe architects tobegin the design documents. The CCAC met with the Board of Selectmen (BoS) before Christmas and the outcome included exploring plans to further enlarge the first floor multi-purpose room. This involves moving shear walls, and the resulting cost implications are being evaluated. There may be an additional Phase 1 funding request at the March 24 Special Town Meeting. The BoS indicated thatthey envision a delay of five to ten years forPhase 2 of the Community Center because of other priorities in the Town. Ms. McLeish: The BoS voted to support the School Department’s application to the Massachusetts School Building Authority(MSBA)for rebuilding theHastingsElementary School.The project justification isbased onovercrowding. Per MSBA rules, the modular classrooms are not included in the analysis so the numbers indicate more crowdingthan is the actual experience.The application is being filed in mid-Januaryfor $40.0 million. It is unclear what steps will be taken if the MSBA does not approvethe application.It was noted that the Town’s application for the Estabrook Elementary School replacement justified the project for safety reasons, and therefore was given the highest priority. Occupancy of the new Estabrook School is scheduled for mid-February. Ms. Garberg: The school superintendent's contractwith the Lexington School Departmentcontains a clause that states it will automatically renew for a one-year term beginning July 1 unless either party requests a negotiation 18 months prior. Dr. Ash requested a negotiation to extend the length of his service to three years and the School Committeeapproved that requeston a 3-2 vote.Ms. Garberg will investigate and report further at the next meeting. 1