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07/11/2017 AC Minutes; Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) July 11, 2017 Place and Time: Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m. Members Present: John Bartenstein, Chair; Alan Levine, Vice-Chair & Secretary; Ellen Basch; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Andrei Radulescu-Banu; Sanjay Padaki; Lily Manhua Yan; Jian Helen Yang; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non-voting, ex officio) Member(s) Absent: None Other Attendees: Deborah Brown, Town Meeting Moderator; Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting Members Association (TMMA) The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. 1. Announcements Mr. Bartenstein reported the following: The Board of Selectmen (BoS) acted on recommendations of the Tax Deferral and Exemption Study Committee (TDESC) to adopt more generous criteria than those previously in place for eligibility in, and benefits under, program. The goal is to spark new interest in the currently underutilized program. This action is consistent with the recommendations of this Committee in its report to the 2017 Annual Town Meeting, Additional interviews for a new Department of Public Facilities (DPF) Director are being held because the initial round did not result in a successful candidate. Ms. Kosnoff added that Shawn Newell, Assistant DPF Director, is now serving as Acting Interim Director. There will be another capital projects budget summit at 7:00 p.m. on August 2 at the DPW. The focus will be on questions for a fall debt exclusion package. To prepare for the next summit, tChairs+1 meeting on July 13 at 8:30 a.m. Mr. Levine plans to attend with Mr. Bartenstein. The BoS decided at their June goal setting session to explore a number of options for mitigating the tax impact if anticipated debt exclusion referenda for school and municipal projects are passed, including the residential tax exemption and reduction of the Community Preservation Act surcharge. To this end, Joe Pato has organized a working group to update an analysis of the residential exemption done in 2010. Mr. Bartenstein and Mr. Radulescu-Banu will participate. Mr. Michelson reported that he and Mr. Neumeier met on June 15 with staff from the Department of Public Works (DPW) regarding the FY2017 snow removal costs. (More discussion later.) cluded a City of Chelsea solicitation for in-house full-time town counsel, offering $68,816 to $85,942 annually, plus benefits. He noted that 51% of lawyers in Massachusetts do not work as lawyers; there are not enough jobs. 2. Year End Budget Transfers for FY2017 Ms. Kosnoff presented a handout summarizing budget transfers that had been approved by the BoS, with a request that the AC take a position on them. She reviewed them, as follows: 1