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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE REPORT TO STMI NOVEMBER 2006 see this project as having a direct and significant benefit by helping ensure the continued existence of one of the Town's priceless historic assets. This Committee unanimously (9 -0) supports the project. Project Description Amount Requested Funding Source Committee Recommends (ii)(b) Lexington Depot Elevator Purchase and $44,000 CPA Disapprove (7 -2) Installation "The restored [historic Lexington Depot] building now serves as the [Lexington Historical Society]'s headquarters and program venue but is also serving as a community center for the entire town. One major impediment to the full use of the building is that the installation of a planned freight elevator that would allow access to the large storage area over the main part of the building has been deferred due to lack of funds. There is no place to store the tables, chairs, projection and sound equipment, lectern and the like that are used by the many groups in town that utilize the building. The Society is requesting $44,000 to pay for the elevator that will permit full functionality of the Depot building." (Project Application, July 24, 2006, `ProjeetInformation, Scope of'Projeet[in part] ) "Currently, the Depot has no access —other than by ladder to the storage area over the function space and offices. There is no place except for the elevator shaft itself to store tables, chairs, sound system, lectern, platform that are used by organizations renting the building. Crowding these items into the elevator shaft has been difficult and unsafe. Once the elevator is installed, these items and others can be brought upstairs to the storage space and readily retrieved as needed. The elevator is designed for freight because there is nothing overhead except a storage area." ( "Community Preservation Funds for the Lexington Depot Elevator ", November 12, 2006) This Committee understands the benefit to the Society and, thus, also to users of the Depot's function space�—of having the freight elevator and acknowledges that use of CPA funding is allowable. We do not believe, however, that this project is an appropriate use of Lexington's CPA funds at this very early stage in the CPC's identification of Town -wide projects worthy of such funds' use specially for Town - owned assets, or assets that the Town may wish to acquire in the future. (For example, we are not even aware of the results of the CPC's open -space study whose funding only became available as of July 1" of this year.) Unlike the Hancock - Clarke project, we see the Depot elevator as a secondary enhancement and one that should be funded by other than a Town appropriation. We encourage the Historical Society to seek alternate sources of funding through contributions and/or increased fees for use of the Depot by non - Society groups. This Committee (7 -2) does not support the project. Project Description Amount Requested Funding Source Committee Recommends (ii)(c) Cary Memorial Building Vault Moveable $60,000 CPA Approve (9 -0) Shelving At the time the Archives Environmental Controls project was presented to, and approved by, the 2006 Annual Town Meeting, it was stipulated that moveable, high - density, archival shelving was also needed as a companion improvement to enhance the functionality of the vault for the State - required archived documents. The shelving was not included in that request for CPA funding as the Town was attempting to obtain a $60,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to cover the cost of the shelving. Page 12 of 15