HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-29-CEC-minMinutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
Date, Place, and Location: November 29, 2011 8:00 a.m., Cary Memorial Building, Ellen
Stone Room
Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; Ted Edson, Vice - Chair; Bill Hurley; David Kanter;
Shirley Stolz
Other Attendees: Karen Simmons, Recreation Director; Chris Filadoro, Department of
Public Works (DPW), Public Grounds Superintendent; David Pinsonneault, DPW
Operations Manager; Theo Kalivas, Budget Officer; Keith Hoyle, Interim Chief, Fire
Department
Documents Presented:
1. FY2013— FY2017 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) as cited below.
2. Extract with Inventory of Fire - Department's Major, Capital- Equipment, Vehicles from
CEC Report to the 2011 Annual Town Meeting, March 17, 2011, Page 19
Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
FY2013— FY2017 CIPs (Recreation) (Ms. Simmons):
The discussion began with a review of the status of the prior -years Recreation projects. The
FY2013— FY2017 projects were reviewed as follows:
Athletic Field Lighting (Project #278): This project has been projected in the capital plan for
a number of years. The Committee discussed the projected cost for the 2 phases of the
project, and the split between Recreation - Enterprise and Tax -Levy funding, which is based
on a 2008 estimate and 3% annual inflation. The warranty was also discussed as well as
responsibility for maintenance.
Pine Meadows Improvements (Project #280): This project, which has slipped a year from
last- year's plan, does not hold the same priority level as other projects. A beaver - trapping
program was started and completed. Some recent storms have created a mess on the first
and second fairways with flooding because of downed trees. This is proposed as a
Community Preservation Act project as it will help preserve a recreational asset, but if not
approved as such, it will fall back to using recreation funds.
Park and Playground Improvements (Project #282): This was bumped up to $65,000 as
the Fibar Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) surface at the Lincoln Park playground is costly,
but does need to be the right depth for safety purposes. The Committee discussed a 4 -5
year projection for this project, including the playground renovation at the Waldorf School,
where a new playground structure will be built. The plan is to build a neighborhood park for
children ages 5 -12 and to attempt to partner financially with that school in order to create a
larger, more - sufficient, structure. If the Waldorf School does not contribute, a smaller
structure would be built.
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Town Pool Renovation (Project #283): This project has been slipped a year from the prior
plan as it won't be affordable— expected to be about $323,000 debt service per year —until
the Recreation Enterprise Fund's contribution to the Lincoln Park debt expires. The
Committee discussed prior debt exclusions in this regard, supplemental funding, sanitary
code, liability, inflation factors, and the planned expansion.
Park Improvements— Athletic Fields (Project #518): The Committee discussed project
scope and costs, mitigating costs, and patching versus replacement. While the FY2013
request is $60,000, the request increases in FY2014 —the first of the 4 -years for $200,000
or more —to $250,000, most of which is designated to Lincoln Park's Field 1's carpet as it is
the most heavily used.
Pine Meadows Equipment (Project #519): The mower at the golf course needs to be
replaced.
ADA Accessibility Study (Project #530): The Committee discussed the timing of this project
and why it's not being addressed by a Town -wide study. With a planned bleacher
replacement, it will be the responsibility of the Recreation Department if the study is not
otherwise done.
Park Improvements —Hard Court Resurfacing (Project #532): The Committee discussed
past infrastructure rebuilding, the current need now for a heavier maintenance (instead of
patching), as well as scheduled funding for this over -5 -year planned project. Mr. Kanter
expressed his belief that the FY2013 request relative to the Center Track belongs, instead,
in with the other plans for that Track that are in Project #732— rather than being
intermingled with the court - related actions.
Center Playfield Drainage — Implementation Phase 111 (Project#585): This is the final
phase of a 3 -phase project.
Center Track Area Reconstruction (Project #732): As the plan is to bid this in the
2016 -2017 winter, the Committee discussed the timing for the funding as well as the scope
of the project.
Busa Recreation Use (Project #830): There was a discussion regarding whether there is
any Board of Selectmen (BoS) support for this project, the basic - concept sketches
accomplished in- house, the scope of the project to include type of turf, size of the field,
shared use, master plan, and parking, as well as the need for new fields as 3 fields were
lost when the new Harrington Elementary School was built.
FY2013— FY2017 CIPs (Fire) (Chief Hoyle):
Public Safety Radio Connectivity (Project No. 681): This infrastructure - project study will be
a Police, Fire, and DPW initiative. The Committee discussed the relationship of this request
with the FY2015 funding request under Portable Radio Replacement (Project #741),
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) restrictions, radio replacement, narrow-
banding, and equipment age. As this is a request for a study, the Committee asked the
Chief to include what is expected to be the FY14 construction- project request as well. Costs
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were discussed as well as whether there should be any Department of Public Facilities
and /or Management Information Systems Department involvement. Chief Hoyle will find out
if current equipment is already narrow banded to meet FCC requirements and would,
therefore, not need to be replaced at this time.
Fire Pumper (Project#734): The Ferrara pumper put in service in Aug 2010 (FY2010
funding), made in Louisiana and serviced in Maine, has been out of service 1/3 rd of the
time. It is under warranty for 6 years. It is "over- sized" to carry extra equipment, but that
equipment isn't needed on nearly all of the calls and, therefore, isn't ideal for the routine
calls. This request is to cover what would be the Town's 10% responsibility of $45,000 for a
smaller pumper that would be acquired under a U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)- managed, Federal Fire Act
grant program and $10,000 for any contingencies such as to acquire extra equipment. If
that grant for $405,000 isn't obtained, none of the Town funding would be needed as, in the
absence of the grant, no acquisition would be pursued under this project.
The Committee discussed the configuration and life of equipment, and its funding, listed in
the inventory of the Fire - Department's major, capital- equipment, vehicles document
prepared by the Committee for this year's Annual Town Meeting. Chief Hoyle will update
the spreadsheet for the Committee.
There was a discussion regarding having a quint', which would be proposed if there were
to be a 3 rd fire station (as being studied), as well as how to obtain quality- and- properly-
sized equipment when it is purchased for future use.
Ambulance (Project #735): The Committee discussed the difference between ambulance
models (International and Chevrolet) as well as preference and timeline for replacements
and reserves. The projected cost of $250,000 in FY2015 is net of an expected trade -in.
Headquarters Fire Station Replacement (Project #738): Consultants have been asked to
look at a combined public- safety building, but —at this time —there is no BoS decision
regarding a replacement. Location and staffing for such a combined public- safety building
were discussed. A complete rebuild excludes Community Preservation Funding, but
rebuilding may well be the right direction for this project; however, maintaining a central
facility —to maintain response time —could complicate the process.
East Lexington Fire Station Physical Fitness Room (Project #739): The intent was this
project would be contingent on building a new station; hence the funding has been
proposed for FY2016. The Committee, however, felt the project's objective warranted an
earlier implementation— suggesting acceleration at least to FY2014.
1 "A quintuple combination pumper or quint is a fire service apparatus that serves the dual purpose of an
engine and a ladder truck. The name quint is derived from the Latin prefix quinque -, meaning five, and refers
to the five functions that a quint provides: pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders."
[Source: Wikipedia [ http: / /en. wikipedia. org /wiki /Quint_(fire_ apparatus)]
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Fire Pumper Replacement (Project #740): The Committee noted the likely inter - relationship
with the earlier, conditional, fire pumper acquisition (Project #734, above).
Portable Radio Replacement (Project#741): As the Committee noted, it has questions
regarding the inter - relationship with the radio connectivity study (Project #681, above).
The Committee discussed with Chief Hoyle his role as Interim Chief and the on -going Fire
Chief replacement process.
As this completes the review of the Fire - Department CIPs, the additional time that had been
included on the agenda for the December 6 meeting will not be needed and will be removed
from that meeting's agenda.
The BoS study of Fire - Department operations has begun and Chief Hoyle expects it to be
completed by next March or April, with the BoS review of the Department's buildings and
safety by the end of next June.
Other Business:
Organization of CIP Documents: The Committee discussed the organization of those
documents we received —both in hardcopy and electronically. It was agreed that even if a
by- priority Summary were to be provided, having another) Summary and the CIP sheets in
numeric order by project number would be very helpful to our review process and during the
departmental presentations.
Committee's Endorsement Policy for Issue Overrides: The Committee discussed the
endorsement policy for overrides related to issues (as opposed to political campaigns)—
such as the pending one for the construction of a new Estabrook Elementary School and
the renovations at the Bridge and Bowman Elementary Schools.
A Motion was made and seconded that for any issue campaign there should be no
constraints placed on Committee members participating financially and those members can
act in any manner they see fit with regard to the campaigning. Vote: 5 -0
A Motion was made and seconded that this Committee endorses supporting the
referendum questions to build a new Estabrook Elementary School and to renovate the
Bridge and Bowman Elementary Schools. Vote: 5 -0
While the Committee endorses those referendum questions, the Committee remains very
sensitive to the issue of any cost growth in either of the projects. The Committee, in its
report to the 2011 Special Town Meeting, endorsed the Bridge and Bowman renovations to
that Town Meeting at the cost estimated at that time. The Committee will, likewise, evaluate
the latest cost estimate for the Estabrook School project in the process of writing its
recommendation on that project in its report to the 2012 Annual Town Meeting.
Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 10:30 a.m. to adjourn. Vote: 5 -0
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on January 10, 2012.
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