2011-ATM-CEC-rpt (supplement & errata)

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CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE SUPPLEMENT&ERRATA REPORT TO 2011 ATM Programs Conservation and Open Space The Town's use of the about 8-acre Busa Farm off Lowell Street, acquired in 2009 using the CPF, is under study by the Board of Selectmen-appointed Busa Land Use Proposal Committee (BLUPC). The BLUPC will provide to that Board its recommendation as to how that land might be allotted for the potential uses allowed by the CPA. Advocates have urged uses including community farming, community housing, and recreation fields. As of this report, the BLUPC's plans to deliver its final report to the Board of Selectmen by next Monday,the 14th. Since the Town acquired the properly, it has remained in farming under an agreement with the original owner. The 2nd of the three debt-service payments for that purchase is before this Town Meeting. (See Article 8(j)) An about 4.2-acre portion of the Cotton Farm off Marrett Road, acquired by the Town last year using the CPF, has three related actions before this Town Meeting. One is the 2nd of the three payments for that purchase. (See Article 8(k)) Another is to formally accept an already-announced grant from the State to help defray the cost of the purchase. (See Article 33) And the third is to accept a gift of about 14.5 acres off Harwell Avenue which gift accompanied, but was not a part of, the purchase of the portion of the Cotton Farm. The property being gifted, which has wetlands along its frontage on that Avenue, is adjacent to the Town's Landfill and also abuts existing conservation land. (See Article 44) Although not related to a Capital action, under Article 43 the Meeting is also being asked to accept the gift, for Conservation purposes, of a 33,480 square-foot parcel on Myrna Road (now or formerly of Robert B. Chase. The land, largely unbuildable, is part of an estate settlement. It contains part of the drainage from Willard's Woods into the Vinebrook Watershed and abuts wetlands in Burlington. In the CPC's administrative budget, $50,000 is included to enable the Conservation Commission to do preliminary research such as land surveys and appraisals as part of the process of bringing future land- acquisition opportunities to the table. (See Article 8(1)) Senior/Community Center Funding to study some basic upgrades to the Senior Center in the Muzzey High Condominium Building were provided by last-year's ATM under Article 8(o) $45,100 from the CPF. The study was awarded to Bargmann, Hendrie & Archetype on November 19,2010. DPF expects some significant progress reports about this June. The final report is expected to be delivered by this Fall and to include a phased approach to the recommended work. The heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC), lighting. handicapped- access availability, space use, and possible relocation of a present staircase are being studied and would enhance the present building's utility as the Director of Human Services reports that usage continues to increase. (The Assistant Director of Senior Services, in the Town's Human Services Department is also housed there.) The DPF is responsible for that study, but no funds are being requested at this time for what would be the next stage: design development of the work proposed to be done. It is anticipated that such a request would be presented to the CPC before the end of this December. Although there is interest in having a larger space that would incorporate a multi-generationally-focused community center, such a vision of the future should not impede critical renovations at the present location. (Such a vision was to come before this Town Meeting under Article 15, but the request was incomplete and premature especially as the proposed location was to be The "White House" (1557 Massachusetts Avenue; previously the Barnes property), but neither that location, nor any other, has been proposed by the Board of Selectmen for such a center.) The "White House" (1557 Massachusetts Avenue; previously the Barnes property) remains in its current poor condition and as yet DPF has not spent the $18,000 for a limited structural report appropriated from the CPF at last-year's ATM under Article 8(p). 18