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CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE REPORT TO FEBRUARY 8, 2016, STMs 2016 -1 & 2016 -2 Warrant - Article Explanations and Recommendations Cites of the "Town Warrant" refer to "TOWN WARRANT, Town of Lexington, Special Town Meeting 2016 -1 " and "TOWN WARRANT, Town of Lexington, Special Town Meeting 2016 -2 ", both for Meetings on February 8, 2016. STM 2016 -1 STM 2016 -1, Article 2: AMENDMENTS TO THE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREEMENT OF THE MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Fund Authorization Requested Funding Source Committee Recommends N/A N/A Approval (5 -0) "To see if the Town will vote, consistent with Section VII of the existing "Agreement With Respect to the Establishment of a Technical and Vocational Regional School District" for the Minuteman Regional Vocational School District, to accept the amendments to said Agreement which have been submitted as a restated "Regional Agreement" bearing the date of December 21, 2015 to the Board of Selectmen of each member town; or act in any other manner in relation thereto." "DESCRIPTION: The new draft Regional Agreement, approved by the Minuteman School Committee, streamlines the process for withdrawal by member towns, eliminates the five - student minimum charged to member towns for capital costs, and requires out -of- district communities to help pay for their share of capital costs of a new building. The 2014 Lexington Town Meeting approved a similar version of this Regional Agreement. That version, however, was approved by only 10 of the 16 towns in the Minuteman District. Unanimous approval is required. It is believed that a consensus has been reached by all of the Minuteman communities and each Board of Selectmen has agreed to call for a Special Town Meeting to take place by March 1, 2016 to consider this revised Agreement." [Town Warrant for 2016 -1] The above Description summarizes what the new, additional, amendments would achieve. The Minuteman School has extensive material on all of the currently proposed amendments posted on -line at <htt): / /www.minuteman.or /Pa e/196>, and information for Special Town Meetings at < http: // minuteman .schoolwires.net /Page /589> including, as item #3, a robust list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). As stated in FAQ Question #21: Can my town reject the "escape clause" by which those towns leaving the District may avoid paying their share of the capital expense for a new school? Rejection of all or part of the proposed agreement by any of the 16 member towns will kill the Regional Agreement. Defeat of the Regional Agreement may increase the likelihood that roughly $45 million committed by the state to the Minuteman High School construction project will be lost to the District. If the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) project fails, District taxpayers will be required to pay approximately $100 million for repairs, without any help from the MSBA. 1