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AC–STM2016-1&2016-2 PPROPRIATIONOMMITTEE Relaxing the requirements for future amendments to the District Agreement to a ¾ majority vote of the District School Committee as well as approval by ¾ of the Town Meetings of member communities, except that any changes to the processes for amending the agreement, incurring debt, apportioning capital costs, and member withdrawal will require unanimous approval by the District School Committee and the town meetings of member communities. Analysis The new voting procedures and capital allocation plan are not expected to have a major effect on Lexing- ton’s future assessments. As one of the larger enrolled communities, the Town would enhance its level of representation with no appreciable change in its share of the costs. This amended Agreement allows seven communities, those with the most negative outlook regarding plans to update the school, to leave the District if they desire. The withdrawal of any or all of the seven member towns from the District could have a cost to Lexington, as the remaining District members will have to absorb a larger share of the operating and capital costs, assuming there is no corresponding in- crease in out-of-district enrollment. But these seven towns, with the exception of Sudbury, send a relative- ly small number of students and their loss will have a minimal financial effect on the remaining members. A much greater financial cost to District members would result if the MSBA project is not approved. Without MSBA funding the new building construction could not proceed, forcing the District to under- take a $100+ million renovation project that will do less to improve the school facilities and cost each member community much more. Allowing communities opposed to the MRHS capital plan to exit im- proves the overall prospects for state funding, which ultimately reduces capital costs for the remaining District members. The Committee recommends approval of this request (9-0). Article 2016-1.3: Appropriate for Hastings School Feasibility Study Funds RequestedFunding SourceCommittee Recommendation $1,500,000 GF debt Approve (9-0) On January 27, 2016, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”) Board voted to approve the Town’s application to the MSBA program for Hastings School. The MSBA follows a process divided 1 into eight “modules”, as follows: 1.Eligibility Period 2.Project Team 3.Feasibility Study 4.Schematic Design 5.Project Scope and Budget and Project Funding Agreements 6.Design Development, Construction Documentation & Bidding 7.Construction Administration 8.Project Closeout The Town has now entered the first module of the MSBA process, the Eligibility Period, which requires the Town to approve a Local Authorization of Funding to pay for both a feasibility study and the subse- quent schematic design. This article requests an appropriation of $1,500,000 for this purpose. 1 See for a more detailed http://www.massschoolbuildings.org/building/modules_overview description of the MSBA program. 4