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03/12/15 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee(AC) March12,2015 : Town Office Building,Parker Room, 7:30 p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Alan Levine; Susan McLeish;Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Andrei Radulescu-Banu Members Absent:Mollie Garberg;Beth Masterman Other attendees: Joe Pato, Chair, Board of Selectmen (BoS); Carl Valente, Town Manager The meeting was called to order at 7:38p.m. Announcements: 1.Mr. Parker reported that Jessie Steigerwald isthe new Chair of the School Committee. Mr. Michelson reported that the enrollment at Minuteman Regional Technical High School will bereduced. The School’s member towns have decided to proceed with building a new school toaccommodate 628 students, although there are currently close to 800 students attending the school. This reflects plansto more closely align school size with the anticipatednumber of students from the member towns because the State-established tuitions which non-member towns payfor their students to attend the school do not include a contribution for capital expenses. The State has approved the use of a new supplemental fee payable by the non-member towns, but these towns have claimed they wouldcreate their own education programs before they would choose to assist Minuteman in funding their capital needs.The Massachusetts School Building Authority has approved the new school for State funding assistance. Liaison Reports: 2.Mr. Parker reported that the BoSrecently voted on numerous articles; their rd next meeting is on March 23. He also reported that at a Town Moderator’s meeting, articles for a Consent Agenda were identified, and it was announced thatthe subjects of Articles 12 and 13: Pleasant Street Sidewalk (citizen article) and Prospect Hill Road Sidewalk (citizen article) will be addressed under Article 11 (e): Appropriate for Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment; Sidewalk Improvements, Additions, Designs and Easements.Based on discussion, Mr. Parker will forward to the Moderatora list ofspecific articles and timeswhere this Committee intends to address Town Meeting. Capital-Related Articles for the 2015 Annual Town Meeting (ATM)and Associated 3. Special Town Meetings (STM): Thevotes taken by the BoS and Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC)were identified for a number of articles without further comment. Articles thattriggered additional discussion included the following: STM#2, Article 4: Appropriate for Cary Memorial Building Sidewalk Enhancement: The Historic Districts Commission would like graniteto be used in front of the building’s entrance stairs. Graniteis more expensive than the alternative concrete with brick border, but the Commission on Disability is concerned about granite being slipperywhen wet. The two groups will be working together to resolve the issue, but consensusmay not be achieved before the Article is brought to Town Meeting floor. Ms. McLeish questioned the need to spend an 1