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07/11/2017 AC Minutes; <br />available. Under the Municipal Modernization Act, effective November 16, 2016, such <br />transfers are no longer limited to 3% of the line item from which transfer is made. Town <br />staff requested one line-item adjustment under this provision, in the amount of $390, to <br />cover cost-of-living health insurance adjustments for surviving spouses of retirees who were <br />members of the non-contributory retirement system. <br />A motion was made and seconded to approve the line-item adjustment, as requested. The motion <br />passed. VOTE: 9-0 <br /> Revolving Fund Increase: Town staff requested a Revolving Fund increase <br />Center FY2017 staffing needs; more staff time was needed than was included in the budget. <br />The additional staff cost is covered, at least in part, by increases in revenue beyond <br />projections. Ms. is managed by the Economic <br />Development Office. Mr. Michelson volunteered to review their operations. <br />A motion was made and seconded to approve the Revolving Fund increase, as requested. The <br />motion passed. VOTE: 9-0 <br />3. Updates on Hastings Elementary School (Hastings) Project and Pelham Road Master <br />Planning and Design <br />Mr. Bartenstein reported that the projected cost for the Hastings replacement project has increased <br />by several million dollars, in part because the estimate for geo-thermal wells has increased from <br />$600,000 to approximately $2.0 million. He also noted that DiNisco Design Partnership is <br />supposed to be preparing a master plan for the Pelham Road and Lexington Community Center sites <br />that would coordinate siting of the with that of a future cafeteria and <br />gym in the event that funding for Lexington Community Center facilities is deferred. <br />4. Town Meeting Review with Town Moderator <br />Deborah Brown, the Town Moderator, met with the Committee for a retrospective of the spring <br />2017 town meeting. Compliments were exchanged. AC members stressed the importance of <br />having adequate time to review articles that have financial implications. Ms. Brown noted the <br />importance of committees identifying spokesperson in advance of Town Meeting discussions. <br />There was a review of Open Meeting Law requirements and their implications for email <br />communications. It was suggested that AC members be circumspect about using the TMMA list- <br />serve or other public forums, as well as emails among the Committee, for taking a position on an <br />issue, although it is acceptable to share or clarify facts. Email discussion or debate on the TMMA <br />list-serve , even if not immediately pending before <br />the Committee, should be avoided because of Open Meeting Law restrictions. As citizens and Town <br />Meeting Members, Committee members have a First Amendment right to participate in discussions <br />can fall into a grey area, and might in some circumstances put the Committee in a bad light, careful <br />judgment and discretion should be exercised. <br />5. Proposal to Engage In-House Legal Counsel as a Cost Saving Measure <br />Mr. Neumeier reviewed his efforts to determine what the Town and schools are spending on legal <br />counsel, noting that costs may be included in different departments or projects and sometimes <br />include projections. Mr. Neumeier recognizes that there are some specialized legal services, such as <br />3 <br /> <br />