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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-01-14-CEC-min JS�®pN�N Minutes of the �3 Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 14, 2021 \ V APAIL 19 \..GEXI NGTQ 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): Members of Other Committees: Sara Cuthbertson and Scott Bokun, School Committee (SC) liaisons; Town Mee tina Member: Taylor Singh; Staff: Finance Department: Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Documents Presented: • Notice of CEC Meeting, January 14, 2021 • DRAFT Capital Expenditures Committee Report to Summit III, 16 Jan 2021 (as of January 12, 2021) • Mr. Lamb's email to James Malloy, Town Manager; Subject: Some CEC Concerns for Further Consideration; January 12, 2021 • Lexington CEC Officers; Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments,15 Jan 2020 • Draft #4 of CEC Minutes for its December 17, 2020 Meeting Call to Order Mr. Lamb called this Remote (Virtual) Meeting, which had been posted as such, to order at 8:01 A.M. As all those present had been previously advised of the special conditions of this meeting, he passed on repeating them (i.e., 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.). Mr. Lamb further reported that the documents for this meeting, which had been provided electronically to the Committee and would be available upon request, were those listed as Documents Presented. Any votes during this meeting would be taken by a roll call. This meeting is being recorded to assist in preparing Minutes, and the recording would be deleted once the Minutes were approved. Mr. Lamb took a roll-call vote and confirmed that six Committee members were remotely participating. Commemorating Hank Manz Referencing the passing of Ms. Manz's husband, Hank, Mr. Lamb spoke this eulogy: With the indulgence of Wendy, the Committee members, and those on the call, I'd like to take a minute to commemorate Hank Manz. When it comes to Town affairs, there are a few people who I will always listen to, who I will turn to for guidance on non-obvious issues, and who I will allow to influence on my own votes and positions. Hank is one of those select few. Page 1 of 3 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 14, 2021 From when I started in Town Meeting, 20 years ago, I remember thinking, "when I grow up, I want to be like Hank." Whether at Town Meeting, or sitting on the Board of Selectmen, Hank always followed Madam Moderator Marge Battin's rule: Only speak if you have something intelligent to add to the debate. I'm paraphrasing of course. When Hank came to the mic, you knew you had better listen because what he was going to say was going to be important, and relevant. There's so much in our news today about political parties. In my mind, Hank was never a Democrat nor a Republican. Rather, Hank was a Lexingtonian, and more so than anyone else I can think of. He embodied the true spirit of his Tricorn Hat award and is as deserving as any recipient in my memory. Everything he did was to advance Lexington's best interests. Hank was a genuinely good person, a downright nice guy, and we will all surely miss him. Please join me in a moment of silence in honor of Hank. There was a minute of silence. Discuss and Approve the Committee's Report to This Evening's Summit III Mr. Lamb presented the Draft CEC Report to the Financial Summit III, noting that a paragraph that had inadvertently been included in an earlier version sent to the CEC had been removed. A Motion was made and seconded to approve the current document, as displayed. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 Discuss Concerns with the Fiscal Year (FY) Town Manager's Preliminary Recommended Budget & Financing Plan, January 11, 2021 ("White Book") Mr. Kanter presented the email that Mr. Lamb had previously sent to James Malloy, Town Manager, explaining that it addressed some concerns relative to his White Book. In it, Mr. Lamb expressed hope that, by presenting them in the email, they would be considered and resolved before the Town's Select Board (SB) approved the FY2022 Recommended Budget & Financing Plan ("Brown Book"). Further, it noted that those concerns would not be in this Committee's report to the Summit because the level of detail could unnecessarily divert the discussion during that Summit III—which, indeed, is the case with the report just approved in this meeting. The only comment was by Ms. Manz who questioned the concern stating that the Parking Lot Consolidation and Repaving Project should be eliminated completely from the Capital Plan. She suggested it might be a worthwhile project eventually to pursue. Mr. Kanter noted that recommendation in the email to remove it reflects the legal barriers associated with the Project including consolidating and managing parking on private property—which barriers Mr. Malloy had explained at a prior meeting of this Committee's—and the fact that the SB had already stated that it be removed from the Capital Plan. CEC Officers As a routine, yearly, practice, Mr. Lamb asked whether the Committee wished to change the current Committee officers: he as the Chair, Mr. Kanter as the Vice-Chair & Clerk. Each member expressed support for continuing with the current officers. Page 2 of 3 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 14, 2021 Subject Areas, and Liaison Assignments Displaying a document showing Committee members' positions, subject areas, and liaison assignments to Town Departments and Committees, each member concurred that their current assignments were acceptable. Comments included, but were not limited to, the following: • The School Master Planning Committee has not been meeting because of COVID-19. • It is expected that the Ad hoc Special Permit Residential Development Zoning By-law Committee (AhSPRDZBC) will be terminated. • Because the Center Streetscape Project is moving forward, the Center Streetscape Design Review Ad hoc Committee's tasks have been completed, but a new Committee may be created to provide oversight going forward. • The Town Manager's new working group to clarify fiscal policies should be added to the list, and the name of the group needs to be determined. It was agreed that Ms. Manz would verify the information related to the AhSPRDZBC and the Center Streetscape Design Review Ad Hoc Committee, and Mr. Smith would determine the correct name for the Town Manager's new working group on fiscal policies. There was a Motion to accept the current officers and roster of assignments and liaisons, with updates regarding the information being determined by Ms. Manz, and with the addition of the Town Manager's new working group on fiscal policies identifying Mr. Smith as the member assigned to that group. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 Approval of Minutes Mr. Kanter noted that the Draft #4 CEC Meeting Minutes for December 17, 2020, included more detail than usual because he felt it was an extremely important meeting and its expanded documentation should be part of the historical record. He presented amendments to clarify/correct the draft. A Motion was made and seconded to approve said Minutes, as amended. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 This Committee's Report to the 2021 Annual Town Meeting and Future Meetings Mr. Kanter encouraged members to send him text on the front matter for the report. He hopes to distribute a "strawman" report in the next week. He added that the Moderator hopes that all articles are ready for the first session of the Annual Town Meeting. This Committee is responsible for distributing its report one week prior to the first financial article being discussed. Future meetings are scheduled for 8:00 A.M. and Mr. Smith reported that once a month this timing conflicts with another meeting that he has to attend. It was agreed to start at 7:30 A.M. on those mornings. Mr. Kanter will provide the dates after he gets them from Mr. Smith. Adjourn A Motion was made and seconded at 8:36 A.M. to adjourn. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 This Minutes was approved by the CEC at its meeting on January 28, 2021 Page 3 of 3