HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-06-CEC-min (Open Session) JS�®pN�N
Minutes of the
�3 Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
n
Open Session
;. APAIL„ October 6, 2020
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Location and Time: Remote Meeting; 8:00 A.M.
Members Present (remote participation): Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair
& Clerk; Sandy Beebee; Rod Cole; Wendy Manz, and Frank Smith
Members Absent: None
Others Present (remote participation): Glenn Parker, Chair, Appropriation Committee
liaison; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary.
Documents Presented:
• Amended Notice of CEC Meeting, October 6, 2020
• Draft #4 CEC Report to the Special Town Meeting (STM) 2020-3 (Report)
• "Financial Policy Working Group" memo from James Malloy, Town Manager,
October 1, 2020
• "Two Things for STM" memo from Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, for
Finance, October 1, 2020
• Draft #3 of CEC Meeting Minutes, October 1, 2020
Call to Order
Mr. Lamb called this Remote (Virtual) Meeting, which had been posted as such, to order at
8:01 A.M. He announced that the requirement to have a physical presence of a quorum had
been suspended in an Executive Order by Massachusetts Governor Charles D. Baker, on
March 12, 2020, after having proclaimed, on March 10, 2020, a STATE OF EMERGENCY in
the Commonwealth due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, known as
"COVID-19". He reported that the meeting was being recorded to assist in preparing Minutes
and Mr. Kanter confirmed that they would be deleted once the Minutes were approved.
Mr. Lamb stated that any votes during this meeting would be taken by a roll-call vote—which
he will call. A roll-call vote was taken and confirmed that six CEC Committee (Committee)
members were remotely participating.
At 8:02 A.M., it was moved and seconded to go into Executive Session—with an invitation for
Mr. Parker and Ms. Arnold to attend—to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of
a portion of real property (Open Meeting Law Exemption 6)—land acquisition—with the intent
to reconvene in Open Session. Mr. Lamb declared that an Open Session may have a
detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
There was a return to Open Session at 8:43 A.M.
Review of the Draft #4 CEC Report to the STM 2020-3
Mr. Kanter asked for any questions/comments for each of the Articles in the Draft #4 Report.
Minor edits were incorporated. Members agreed that this Committee would not take a
position in this Report on Article 7: Land Acquisition.
It was noted that this Report had been previously approved with the caveat that
non-substantial edits by the Chair and/or the Vice-Chair could be incorporated. There were
no objections to that approval remaining in effect.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
Open Session
October 6, 2020
Mr. Kanter agreed to post meetings for October 9th and 10th, only one of which is to be held,
if information regarding Article 7—Land Acquisition becomes public in advance of those
dates. [Note: Both were later cancelled.]
Member Concerns and Liaison Reports:
In response to Mr. Malloy's memo about the creation of a Financial Policy Working Group, it
was agreed that Mr. Smith would be this Committee's representative to this group. Mr. Kanter
and Mr. Lamb noted that in early conversations about the purpose of this Group, Mr. Malloy
spoke of also reconciling issues relating to the use of Recreation Enterprise Funds and the
Recreation Operating Budget. That was broadening from the original scope which was to
address policies related to the funding of the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) and
Capital Stabilization Funds. The Group will sometimes include representatives from the
School Committee and Department, and the Recreation Department.
Ms. Kosnoff's memo covered two STM 2020-3 recommendations:
• A proposal to present a Consent Agenda to the STM 2020-3 that would include four
"housekeeping" Articles, only two of which (Article 3, to withdraw funds from the
Capital Stabilization Fund, and Article 4, rescind prior borrowing authorizations) have
Capital relevance and are addressed in this Committee's Report. A Motion was made
and seconded to approve including those two Articles in the proposed Consent
Agenda and to abstain regarding the other two Articles. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
• A proposal to expand the language on Article 3: Establish, Dissolve and Appropriate
To and From Specified Stabilization Funds that would save some
administrative/housekeeping proceedings at future meetings. It was agreed that the
proposed language does not affect capital items, but noted that the language lacks
some specificity. A Motion was made and seconded to abstain from commenting on
the proposal, but included support for recommending some clarification to the wording.
Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
Approval of Minutes
Minor corrections were recommended for the Draft #3 Minutes of this Committee's meeting
on October 1, 2020. A Motion was made and seconded to approve said Minutes, as
amended. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
Adjourn
A Motion was made and seconded at 9:08 A.M. to adjourn. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
This Minutes was approved by the CEC at its meeting on November 5, 2020.
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