2018-09-13-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

09/13/2018 AC Minutes In response to comments/questions by Committee members, Ms. Battite and Mr. Pinsonneault reported the following: • Hours of use will be addressed in the IMA, but the general concept is for Minuteman Tech to have use of the fields during core times, such as after school; Lexington would have priority after Minuteman Tech; then other entities could use the facilities. • The Recreation Department has documentation supporting the needs for this space; data indicate that the lack of fields has curtailed activity for almost 15 years. Also, Lexington High School is unable to accommodate intramural sports. Lexington currently has 17 tennis courts, and people are turned away because of heavy usage. There is increasing interest in pickleball; tennis courts can be used for this sport. • If Lexington were designing athletic fields to meet its demands, it would be similar to the plan prepared by Minuteman Tech. • It is expected that the IMA will be completed before spring Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen (BoS) will need to approve the IMA and Town meeting will need to appropriate funding for any improvements. • Minuteman Tech prefers having the full build option, but they do not have the funding for it. Lexington is the only town that has expressed interest in a joint use agreement; distance has been a deterrent for other communities. The IMA could include language that would allow other communities to join in the future. • The full build plan includes synthetic turf and lights. The latter would extend the hours when Lexington residents could use the facilities and reduce the need for lighting at neighborhood fields. • Minuteman Tech is not building a pool as part of this project. • The IMA will address the division of responsibilities for everything from initial construction costs and maintenance, including capital upgrades, to potential changes that may surface over the next 50 years, such as changes in demand. Lexington does not support a dual-responsibility-arrangement for providing the maintenance. From Lexington's perspective, hiring a service contractor is the most likely acceptable arrangement. • If Lexington builds new athletic facilities associated with rebuilding Lexington High School, they would not address the demands from the general community for additional field space. • Town staff plan to meet with the project's architect and engineers to review and ensure a comfort level with the costs. Ms. Kosnoff said that using Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for this project will be explored but noted that such funding cannot be used for artificial turf She also noted that Minuteman Tech has Massachusetts School Building Authority(MSBA) funding assistance for its school project, of which the fields are one component, and they have multiple member communities; these factors restrict Minuteman Tech's flexibility. Additional comments by this Committee included, but were not limited to the following: • It is questionable whether Lexington needs access to another track. 2