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03/22/2018 AC Minutes <br /> and Maintenance (DCAMM) certified contractors. The latter means that it is impractical to <br /> use Minuteman Tech students, who have helped minimize costs of past projects. <br /> Sometimes, the number of bids received on a project is small. The lack of competition drives <br /> up the project cost. For example, the recent Munroe building roof renovation project <br /> received only one bid. <br /> There was discussion about the advantages of having developers include affordable housing <br /> units in their building projects. Mr. Valente noted that there are policy issues when <br /> negotiating with a developer. <br /> A motion was made and seconded to re-vote on this Committee's support for Article 160). <br /> The motion failed. VOTE: 3-4-1 <br /> Mr. Bartenstein reviewed plans for finalizing the report before this Committee's meeting on <br /> March 26 at 6:30 p.m.,just prior to the start of the ATM. Mr. Michelson will be available that <br /> evening so that his votes can be incorporated. <br /> 4. Report on Town of Lexington Legal Expenses: Mr. Bartenstein reminded this Committee <br /> that,based on Mr. Neumeier's periodic reports that the Town could reduce its legal expenses by <br /> hiring in-house counsel, this Committee had: <br /> • Included a comment in this Committee's 2017 report to the ATM supporting a review of <br /> alternatives for procuring legal services. <br /> • Submitted to the BoS for its June 2017 goal setting session a recommendation to conduct a <br /> study of possible cost-saving measures for legal services, a recommendation that was not <br /> adopted. <br /> • Asked Mr. Neumeier to prepare a report documenting his research and logic for supporting <br /> the use of in-house counsel. <br /> While forwarding his report to this Committee prior to this meeting, Mr. Neumeier asked that <br /> this subject be part of tonight's agenda. Mr. Neumeier reported that he had met with <br /> Mr. Valente and Ms. Barry last March. During the discussion, Mr. Valente commented that <br /> there was no available office space in the Town Office Building. Mr. Neumeier noted that he <br /> considered this to be a positive situation because it would protect the in-house lawyer from <br /> random access by Town employees and residents. <br /> Mr. Neumeier noted that he may bring a motion to this Committee to support a reduction to <br /> Line Item 8120, in the operating budget, which is for legal services, noting that not all legal <br /> expenses are included in this line item. Mr. Bartenstein suggested that there wasn't time for this <br /> Committee to take up this issue before this Committee's report goes to be printed next week, <br /> and it would be best to discuss this issue after ATM is complete. Ms. Yang suggested that a <br /> more thorough review of the operating budget after the ATM might help identify a variety of <br /> cost saving measures. It was also suggested that Mr. Neumeier could add a comment in this <br /> year's report to the ATM similar to the one included in 2017. <br /> The meeting adjourned at 10:27 p.m. <br /> Respectfully submitted, <br /> Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary <br /> 5 <br />