2023-02-23-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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02/23/2023 AC Minutes 2 water consumed due to the dry summer in 2022, are seeing increases of 5% versus the average of 3.5%. Additionally, the gradual transition to the use of cash instead of borrowing to fund many of the enterprise capital projects will continue to impact water rates in the short term. Article 6: Establish Qualifications for Tax Deferrals Mr. Bartenstein indicated that the committee that is responsible for making recommendations on tax deferrals has proposed to increase, as they have in the past few years, the income threshold which is a primary qualification for this benefit. The current threshold is $90,000 and will be increased to $96,000 if this article is approved by town meeting. The deferral program allows the property tax to be deferred until the time when the property is sold. Mr. Parker mentioned that the second part of the motion would tie the income limit, starting in 2025, to the limit for married couples in the Massachusetts Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. This will result in the future in the threshold being automatically adjusted without the need for town meeting votes. Article 7: Appropriate to Affordable Housing Trust Mr. Parker indicated that the balance in the Affordable Housing Stabilization Fund of $330,000 would be moved into the Affordable Housing Trust. This money was received from Brookhaven. However, new monies transferred into the Stabilization Fund cannot be automatically moved into the Housing Trust for another two years. The Committee decided to not include this article in the unanimous list pending additional information. Article 8: Evaluation of Archeological Resource Potential (CP) The Committee discussed whether this initial request of $65,000 could have cascading impacts in future years. The goal stated by the article proponent is to eventually pass a related Town bylaw. Article 9: Establish and Continue Departmental Revolving Funds The spending limit authorizations for several of the revolving funds are listed as TBD. Mr. Padaki proposed that, since approval of this article has been routine in prior years, it could be supported unanimously. Mr. Michelson, however, wants to better understand the trash and recycling revolving fund. The Committee decided to not include this article in the unanimous list pending additional information. Article 10: FY2024 CPC Budget/Projects Mr. Padaki indicated that he was still deciding on whether he will support parts (a), (e), (f), and (m). Mr. Bartenstein indicated that he was still deciding on whether he will support parts (c) and (d). Mr. Kanter indicated that the CEC had also decided to not unanimously support (a), (e), (f) and (m) at this time. The Committee also discussed (p) and it was not clear if the electricity credit for the power from LexHAB solar panels would be received by the tenants, Town, or LexHab. Therefore, it was also removed from the unanimous list. Article 11: Recreation Capital Projects The total appropriation requested is $309,000 from the Recreation Enterprise Fund. Mr. Padaki mentioned that the three items included under this appropriation request are $150,000 to restore the cart path at the golf course, $124,000 for golf course maintenance equipment, and $35,000 for pool water chemistry automated controllers for the town pool. The Pine Meadows clubhouse renovation project is not part of this article and is being funded from free cash under the Public Facilities projects article. Article 13: Water System Improvements & Article 14: Wastewater System Improvements