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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-10-17-CEC-min �y w-AOR yrry. Minutes of the s \�� Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting n October 17, 2018 APRIL&", II,E XI NGT.O Location and Time: Town Office Building, Reed Room; 7:45 A.M. Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Sandy Beebee; Rod Cole; and Wendy Manz Member Absent: Frank Smith Others Present: Kathy Linehan, School Committee; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Documents Presented: • Notice of CEC Meeting, October 17, 2018 • Draft#3 Minutes of the CEC Meeting, September 12, 2018 • Mr. Lamb's E-Mail, October 11, 2018 12:33, Annual Town Report—final draft • Town Warrant, Special Town Meeting (STM) 2018-1, November 13, 2018 • Summary of FY2020-FY2024 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs), October 12, 2018 • Strawman Capital Expenditures Committee Report to STM (2018-1), prepared by Mr. Kanter, October 16, 2018 Call to Order: Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 7:45 A.M. Approval of Minutes: Mr. Kanter reviewed proposed edits to the Draft#3 Minutes of the CEC Meeting, September 12, 2018. A Motion was made and seconded to approve said Minutes as amended. Vote: 5-0 Member Concerns: • Agenda for October 23, 2018, CEC Meeting: Mr. Kanter advised that meeting will be held in the Training Room in the Hadley Public Services Building, 201 Bedford Street. The draft Agenda has the standard items as well as a discussion of this Committee's report to the STM 2018-1; receiving a presentation by David Pinsonneault, Director, Department of Public Works (DPW), on the Center Streetscape Project (which is requesting final-design funding at that STM); and, to start this Committee's review of the FY2020-FY2024 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) submitted by the Town Departments, Koren Stembridge, Director, Cary Memorial Library, will present its one of those CIPs. All the members accepted those as being sufficient for that meeting and Mr. Kanter will submit the Notice/Agenda to the Town Clerk's Office for posting. • CEC Submission for the FY2017 Annual Town Report: The Committee unanimously endorsed what the Chair had prepared. • Committee Organization: After a brief discussion, a Motion was made and seconded to reaffirm Mr. Lamb's position as Chair. Vote: 5-0 A second Motion was made and seconded to reaffirm Mr. Kanter's position as Vice-Chair & Clerk. Vote: 5-0 Ms. Beebee reported that, as liaison to the Commission on Disability, she wanted to attend their meetings, but found she regularly faced conflicts. Mr. Cole agreed to be Page 1 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting October 17, 2018 the primary liaison and to attend the meetings when he is in town. Ms. Beebee will be the alternative liaison. A Motion was made and seconded to appoint Mr. Cole and Ms. Beebee as such. Vote: 5-0 Liaisons to New Town Committees: • Ad hoc Special Permit Residential Development Zoning Bylaw Amendment Committee: Ms. Manz expressed interest in serving as liaison to this committee. A Motion was made and seconded to appoint Ms. Manz as such. Vote: 5-0 • Ad hoc Crematory Study Committee: Ms. Beebee volunteered to serve as liaison to this committee. A Motion was made and seconded to appoint Ms. Beebee as such. Vote: 5-0 Update on Providing Additional Science Laboratories in Lexington High School: Ms. Linehan advised that Dr. Julie Hackett, the new School Superintendent, had reviewed plans to construct additional science-laboratory space to meet the Science Program needs at the high school—with an estimated cost of about $1.1 million that was to be presented to the STM 2018-1—and recommended the staff investigate whether there was an alternative approach that could create that space at a lower cost. An inventive alternative was identified that could be accomplished for about $150,000. She said that would be undertaken with the cost coming from the Schools and, if need be also from the Department of Public Facilities (DPF)—to which its Director, Michael Cronin has agreed—Operating Budgets. Ms. Linehan added that this approach creates some inconveniences for the teachers, but the School Department and School Committee agreed that it was fiscally prudent to pursue the alternative approach; therefore, there will be no funding request made to the STM 2018-1 for creating the additional laboratory space. Mr. Kanter noted that the DPF's Five-Year Capital Plan includes $152,500 in FY2021 for high-school short-term capacity. It was agreed that would be left for Mr. Cronin to explain when he presents that Plan to this Committee. Member Concerns and Liaison Reports: Mr. Kanter had attended the October 15th meeting of the Board of Selectmen (BoS). He said he complimented the staff for being able to release for that meeting the summary spreadsheet of the FY2020-FY2024 CIPs and expressed this Committee's appreciation for the direction to the departments to now use then-year dollar amounts in their CIPs. He then provided the following information from that meeting as it related to projects for the STM 2018-1 and/or the 2019 Annual Town Meeting (ATM). • The Center Streetscape Project: Although it no longer includes upgrading the Massachusetts Ave./Woburn St./Winthrop Rd./Fletcher Ave. intersection, the costs have escalated from an estimated $6.0-$7.0 million (including that intersection) to an estimated well over $9.0 million. The increase needs to be explained and justified in detail. He also noted that the scope includes a small section of Waltham Street, which appears to be an addition. Construction funding, which is expected to be requested at the 2019 ATM, would likely include the entire cost to ensure the project's continuity under one contractor; however, it is expected that it would be implemented in two phases. Page 2 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting October 17, 2018 • Stormwater-Management Expenses: The Town is spending approximately $2.0 million per year from its Operating Budget on those expenses. Collecting stormwater fees from residents, based on their contribution to stormwater runoff, could be a method for helping cover these costs—which would then be removed from the Operating Budget. • Automatic Water-Meter Reading Project: The BoS, consistent with CEC requests, is awaiting the report including return-on-investment analysis for this project. Several Selectmen expressed increased need for that analysis because cost projections have increased dramatically. • Police Firing-Range Project at the Hartwell Avenue Site: It is complex because it must address that the soil in the current location is contaminated from the prior weapons firing and the need to consider noise impacts on abutting residents if the new range is not enclosed. Mr. Kanter suggested to the BoS that the Town look for collaborative construction funding (in addition to user fees) from other Towns that want to use this firing range as availability of adequate fire-arms training is already very limited across the Commonwealth. He also suggested that State and Federal funding should be pursued because of the enhancement to public safety from the broad-scope training provided by a modern firing range. • Inter-Municipal Agreement (IMA) with Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School (Minuteman Tech) regarding a New Recreation Complex to be built on their property. Town continues to negotiate for an IMA that would allow the two entities to share costs for, and the use of, athletic facilities that are being built by Minuteman Tech. (The current construction estimate is $20 million and Minuteman Tech is proposing it fund $12 million and Lexington fund the $8 million balance.)A strong case regarding Lexington's unmet needs for athletic facilities was presented to the BoS. It is generally understood that outside Minuteman Tech's regular school hours (e.g., after 5:30 P.M. and on weekends), the facilities would be available for Lexington programs and there may be some flexibility when Minuteman Tech students are not using all the facilities before 5:30 P.M. (e.g., when Minuteman Tech students have an "away-game"). Mr. Kanter urged the BoS to incorporate a maintenance arrangement that does not expose the Town to misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Although a first draft IMA is expected to be available in the near future, Mr. Kanter asked the BoS for information on when a final-design cost estimate would be available, but that date was not known. (On hearing that report, this Committee then agreed that it would be a major challenge to have an agreement ready for the 2019 ATM.) Mr. Kanter urged members of this Committee to watch that BoS meeting on LexMedia to capture the extent of the conversations regarding all the capital projects on its Agenda as there were more than just those he mentioned. CEC Report to the STM FY2018-1: Mr. Kanter reviewed the final STM 2018-1 Warrant Articles and explained that the Articles on which this Committee plans to report are included in the Strawman CEC report to that STM that he provided. The discussion was as follows: • Article 3: Appropriate for Center Streetscape Design: Mr. Smith is assigned to write the material for this Article. Page 3 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting October 17, 2018 • Article 5: Appropriate for Hosmer House Reuse Study: After discussion it was agreed that Ms. Beebee would write the material for this Article. Mr. Kanter noted that there has been controversy in the past with the Town's Historic Districts Commission about moving the Hosmer House off its corner lot (colloquially called by some as the Town's "Conscience Land" although it is already used for popular activities such as the Farmers' Market and the ice-skating rink), and the recent design for the new Police Headquarters would require the Hosmer House, to be moved, at least, laterally within the current lot. • Article 6: Amend FY2019 Operating, Enterprise and CPA Budgets: Mr. Lamb agreed to write the material for this Article. • Article 8: Establish and Appropriate to and from Specified Stabilization Funds: Mr. Lamb agreed to write the material for this Article. Mr. Kanter noted that the Article references an Ambulance Stabilization Fund, which is something new. Mr. Kanter again urged members to begin working on the front material for the 2019 ATM report. Meet with James Malloy, new Town Manager: Because Mr. Malloy was unable to attend today's meeting, Mr. Kanter will extend an invitation for him to attend an information-only session at 8:00 A.M. on October 24th or during this Committee's already scheduled meeting at 7:45 A.M. on November 2nd Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 8:45 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 5-0. These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on October 23, 2018. Page 4 of 4