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10/07/15 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee October7, 2015 : ReedRoom,Town OfficeBuilding,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Kate Colburn; Alan Levine;Beth Masterman; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier;Andrei Radulescu-Banu; Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:Mollie Garberg Other attendees: Michael Flamang, PE, Senior Civil Engineer, Department of Public Works The meetingwas calledto order at 7:32p.m. Announcements: 1.Mr. Bartenstein reported that the Board of Selectmen finalized the FY2016water/sewer rates at their Monday meeting. The final staff recommendation, which incorporated many of his suggestions, was for a modest rate decrease of 1.9% on a combined basis. The BoS adoptedthat recommendationwithout comment. BackgroundInformation for Two Fall Special Town Meeting(STM)Committee 2. Reports: STM #2, Article 4: Appropriation for Water System Improvements:Mr. Flamang described the project, which involves replacing water mains under Massachusetts Avenue (Mass. Ave.) between Pleasant Street and Marrett Road in 2016. Background information included the following: The Town has been pursuing aprogram to upgrade water/sewer infrastructurefrom the water/sewer enterprise fund, using $900,000 annually for water system improvements and $1.2 million for sewer system improvements. As a result, less than 5% of the water mains remain unlined. There are unlined water mains under Mass. Ave. between the Arlington line and Woburn Street. This does not affect water quality; however, sophisticated testing shows that the iron is crystallizing. This can result in pin holes, thus leakage, and if there is any stress the main can break. The Town anticipates a state-financed 2017projectthatwould involve re-configuring Mass. Ave. and installing lightsbetween Pleasant Street and Marrett Road. It is best to replace the water mains before that work is initiated. The water main project could be completed in one construction season, currently anticipated tobe the spring/summer/fall of 2016. If it is determined that the state-financed project is going forward, the Town will apply temporary pavement after the mains are replaced. In response to funding questions, Mr. Addelson reported that this project request is for approximately $2.2 million, which would bedebt based. It hasn’t been determined whether this will impact water/sewer rates; this depends on the times at which previously-issued debt retires. It also hasn’t been determined whether there will be a request at the annual town meeting in the spring of 2016 for additional projects that use the annual $900,000 and $1.2 million normally expended. 1