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9/18/14Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee September 18,2014 : Selectmen’s Meeting Room,Town OfficeBuilding,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Mollie Garberg;Alan Levine;Beth Masterman;Eric Michelson;Andrei Radulescu-Banu; Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:Susan McLeish; Richard Neumeier Other attendees: none The meetingwas calledto order at 7:35p.m. Minutes: 1.A motion was made and seconded to approve the Committee’s September 4, 2014 minutes forboth the open and executive sessions. The motion passed. VOTE: 6-0 Liaison Reports: 2. Visitor’s Center:Mr. Addelson reported that, next Monday,staff will be presenting the Board of Selectmen (BoS) with a proposal for the Town to assume responsibility foroperatingthe Visitors’ Centerstarting as soon as possible.There are two parts of the proposedprocess that require action on the partsof the BoS and this Committee: The BoS will be asked to recommend a reserve fund transfer of $35,000 to $40,000 to go into the Economic Development Department’s budget. AssumingBoS support,approval for the transfer will be asked ofthis Committee. These funds will be used to start the Town’s operation of the facility, i.e., to pay forimmediate expenditures, primarily staffing and the purchase of gift shop inventory. Gift shop revenue will be used to cover operating costs going forward. The BoS will be asked to approve the creation of a revolving fund for the Visitor’s Center. Assuming BoSapproval, this Committee will also be asked for such approval. Revenues from the gift shop will be paid into the revolving fund, and the fundwill have a spending limit of $100,000.Gift shop sales reached $200,000in 2005,thendeclined to $137,000 in 2013. These steps are needed to keep the gift shop open until the end of fiscal year (FY) 2015.Going forward, fundingforthe Visitor’s Center, as needed, and/or continuation of the revolving fund will be brought tothe Annual Town Meeting for re-approval each year. Mr. Addelson explained that the goal is to preserve the integrity of the Visitor’s Center and the important roleit plays in the Town.The extenuating circumstances associated with this issue warrant the Town taking these actions at this time. In response to questions, he said that it has not been determined whether any funds being requested from the Reserve Fundwill be reimbursed or whether the Town will seek another operator for the Visitor’s Center in the near future. It was 1