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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE-2019 ATM will be considered under Article 20(g). Funding for this request would come from the General Fund unre- served fund balance, and (per the motion) any expenditure would be contingent on an affirmative recom- mendation of the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee (CSC) and acceptance of said recommendation by the Board of Selectmen. Cremation rates in the U.S. are currently at an all-time high, and more people are choosing to be cremated rather than buried due to lower costs and reduced environmental burden.According to the National Funeral Directors Association, cremation rates in the US have risen from 3.6% in 1960 to 48.6% in 2015 and are projected to reach nearly 80% by 2035. Additionally, the demographics in Lexington have shifted, with growing number of residents whose religious traditions—including Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism—require them to cremate the remains of the dead.Many of these residents have expressed a desire to perform their last rites in Lexington, from both a legacy and proximity perspective. A local crematory would provide a service to these cultural groups, as well other residents who opt for cremation. Based on the above facts,the CSC was appointed by the Board of Selectmen in fall 2018 to study the issue and provide a recommendation. The CSC will present an interim report during this Town Meeting, with a final report expected in mid-2019. Previously, the CSC recommended revising the design for the new Westview Cemetery building to make it "addition-ready," and this recommendation was accepted by the Board of Selectmen. The revised design would be able to accommodate a future crematory with up to 2 retorts and a viewing area for up to 25 persons. These design modifications will be made utilizing the existing design funds that were appropriated for the Westview Cemetery building. The Committee feels that appropriating funds for site design all the way through bid documents is very premature, given that the CSC has not completed its study of the regional demand and competitive market for cremation services, and has not made any formal recommendation on the scale of the proposed facility. In addition,the practice of the Town is to fund construction and bid documents only after reviewing com- pleted design documents. The Committee recommends disapproval of this request(0-8-1). Article 7 Appropriate Funds for the Creation of a Lexington Economic Development Strategy Funds Requested Funding Source Committee Recommendation None N/A IP The Committee supports indefinite postponement for this article. Article 8 Funding for Sustainability Actions Funds Requested Funding Source Committee Recommendation None N/A IP The Committee supports indefinite postponement for this article. 9