2019-11-12 BOS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Selectmen’s Meeting November 12, 2019 A meeting of the Lexington Board of Selectmen was called to order at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 in the Selectmen’s meeting room. Doug Lucente, Chair; Joe Pato; Suzie Barry, Jill Hai and Mark Sandeen were present as well as James Malloy, Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. Review Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee Final Report Ms. Barry introduced Mr. Bridger McGaw, Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee member, to present a summary of the Committee's Final Report to the Board of Selectmen. Mr. McGaw said the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee was formed by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) in September 2018 and charged with making one of the following recommendations regarding a potential Crematory at Westview Cemetery: 1. Build a crematory adjacent to/connected to proposed new Westview Building, or 2. Build a crematory on another location on the Westview property or 3. Do not build a crematory at this time. Mr. McGaw stated the Committee’s work included an operational and feasibility analysis; exploration of various business models; numerous interviews; a Massachusetts municipality survey; further review of public comments; and conferring with Town Counsel, DPW, and Town Finance on Town financial implications. Mr. McGaw affirmed the Committee was sensitive that not all end-of-life religious observances can presently be performed in our community. He said the Committee’s analysis resulted in the determination a crematory operation would not be a feasible operational addition to the Town at this time given the lack of a predictable quantity of clients needed to financially break even in combination with the stringency of current state regulations. On August 20, 2019, the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee voted 5-1 (with one member absent) not to support building a crematory at this time as its final recommendation. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to accept the report of the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee. 2. Approve MWRA Sewer Bond Ms. Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance, said the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) has recently announced a new round of financial assistance for member communities to fund sewer improvement projects. She explained Lexington is eligible is eligible receive total assistance of $1,560,000 through this program which includes a grant of $1,170,000 and a zero interest loan of $390,000 which the Town would repay to MWRA over a period of 10 years. Ms. Kosnoff explained the MWRA loan would be issued in the form of a municipal bond and would be applied against the authorization in Article 18 from the 2019 Annual Town meeting. She