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03/20/2019 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee(AC) March 20, 2019 Place and Time: Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m. Members Present: Glenn Parker, Chair; Alan Levine, Secretary; Ellen Basch; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Nick Nichols; Lily Manhua Yan Members Absent: Sanjay Padaki, Vice-Chair; John Bartenstein; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non-voting, ex officio) Other Attendees: None The meeting was called to order at 7:36 p.m. Announcements and Liaison Reports Mr. Levine reported that the School Master Planning Committee met on March 8, 2019. Overcrowding is already a problem at the high school, and an additional 400 students are expected over the next four years. There are plans to move the Inforination Technology Department from the high school to the School Administration Building. Other space mining options are being explored. Additional portable classrooms may be necessary. A Statement of Interest has been submitted to Massachusetts School Building Authority as the first step in applying for State funding assistance to replace/renovate the high school. Mr. Nichols reported that he is attending a Resilience Workshop tomorrow from 8:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appropriation Committee (AC)Report to the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) Mr. Parker identified articles on which this Committee needed to vote: • Article 16(f): Appropriate for Municipal Capital Project and Equipment; Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) System: Mr. Parker reported that the Capital Expenditures Committee had met earlier in the day and had voted 5-1 to recommend support for this article. Mr. Nichols shared his reservations about the project, explaining that: ➢ As meters age, they record less water than is actually being used. However, the Town does not lose any revenue because the rates charged reflect the fact that customers' meters do not record full usage. On average,ratepayers pay the same as they would if all meters were new. ➢ The project would yield savings in meter-reading costs, both labor and vehicle-related expenses, but they do not cover the costs on a present value basis. ➢ There will be some savings from catching leaks within structures sooner because of continuous readings, but it is unclear how much water will be saved. The consultants based their estimates on reduced leak-related abatements, but the real savings to the town and ratepayers should be based on the wholesale rate the town pays the MWRA. Other comments included, but were not limited to, the following: ➢ The new program will be a"hosted" system and the updated"maintenance" costs include the hardware as well as software. ➢ This is 21st century technology and is ultimately the future for meter reading. 1