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11/20/14 Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee November 20, 2014 : Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine; Beth Masterman; Susan McLeish; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Andrei Radulescu-Banu; Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:None Other attendees: Kate Colburn, Lexington Parents Advocacy Group (LPAG); Lisa O’Brien, LPAG The meeting was called to order at 7:34p.m. There were no announcements. School Enrollment and Overcrowding: 1.Mr. Parker reported having attended the Ad hoc School Master Planning Committee (AhSMPC) meeting held earlier in the day. Symmes, Maini, and McKee Associates (SMMA),the consultant for the school master planningproject, expectsto have a report completed in January that will identify alternative long term solutions for addressing the anticipated increases in enrollment. The PowerPoint that was used at the AhSMPC meeting will be distributed to this Committee. It includes a space analysis that identifies geographic constraintsat the six elementary schools in an effort to identify where additions to schools might help solve the overcrowding at the elementary level. Harrington Elementary School has the most available space, followed by Hastings Elementary School (Hastings). Bowman, Bridge and Fiske Elementary Schools have constraints that create some significant challenges. During the AhSMPC meeting, SMMAsolicitedfeedback on variouscomponents of the presentation. Such input will allow them to provideoptions for the AhSMPC to use in developing recommendations for the School Committee.It was agreed at the AhSMPC meeting that it will be important to incorporate flexibility into the plan because enrollment could continue to increase beyond the five years for whichprojections have been created. Mr. Parker reported that the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which is reviewing applications for school building grants, including Lexington’s for replacing Hastings, took no action at its November meeting. Their next meeting is in mid-January, which is now the earliest Lexington will learn whether its application for Hastings will be accepted. If the Town’s application is accepted, there will be a Special Town Meeting in the fall of 2015. Mr. Parker said that he expects the School Committee to request funding at a spring Special Town Meeting or at the Annual Town Meeting (ATM), which could include design funds for a long term solution and/or funds for modular units to be used on a temporary basis. Mr. Levine expressed his concern that it will take longer than people think to implement a long-term plan. He believes a long- term plan shouldn’t be rushed, whichmakes it important to pursue modular units on an immediate basis. There was discussion about the length of time it took other school projects to be implemented. 1