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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE REPORT TO STMI NOVEMBER 2006 However, in May of this year, the Town was notified that it had not been awarded the grant. This project is eligible, and is proposed by the CPC, for CPA funding. We understand that this shelving project can be accomplished before, during, or after the Archives Environmental Controls project without any significant adverse impact on either project. This Committee unanimously (9 -0) supports the project. Article 6: Appropriate Funds Requested Funding Committee For Affordable Source Recommendation $50,000 GF (payment Approve (9 4) Housing Purposes None from Brookhaven Facilities at Lexington) Department) The 2004 Annual Town Meeting approved a zoning article allowing expansion of Brookhaven at Lexington. As part of the development plan, Brookhaven agreed to make two $50,000 payments to the Town for the purpose of supporting affordable housing. The first of these two payments has been made to the General Fund (the second is anticipated next year) and the Board of Selectmen is recommending that this payment be appropriated by Town Meeting for use by LexHAB. This Committee unanimously (9 -0) supports the recommendation. Article 7: Accept Funds Requested Funding Committee MGL Chapter 71, Source Recommendation Section 37M (Joint None Approve (9 4) Facilities Department) Town Meeting is being asked to accept MGL Chapter 71, Section 37M, which allows the Town's School Department to consolidate administration functions with the Town's municipal operations. In this case, consolidation of the facilities management and maintenance functions would create a single, unified, Facilities Department that would administer major capital projects, building maintenance and custodial services. The goal is to house this department's administrative and some common maintenance activities at the renovated DPW complex. Creating this new department is a two -step process. In the first step, under this Article Town Meeting will be asked to accept this statute which permits the consolidation of town and school administrative functions. Once that occurs, the Town Manager and Superintendent of Schools, with the guidance of the Board of Selectmen and School Committee, will work to develop the organizational structure of the Facilities Department, and then translate that into an operational budget. The second step occurs at an Annual Town Meeting (likely the 2007 Annual Town Meeting), when a vote of the School Committee and the Town Meeting will be necessary for the specific consolidation of the maintenance function. It is likely that a consolidated facilities maintenance budget will be presented for FY2008 at the 2007 Annual Town Meeting. Until an organizational structure and budget are agreed upon, we cannot evaluate the potential savings or costs of this consolidation. However, we see approval of the motion under this article as creating an opportunity for the Town to develop a more consistent facilities maintenance program, as well as find savings through operating efficiencies and economies of scale. This Committee unanimously (9 -0) supports approval. Page 13 of 15