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TOWN OF LEXINGTON TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC TRUSTS Minutes of Meeting of May 3, 2016 The meeting was held at 7:30 pm at the home of Alan Fields at 42 Adams Street, Lexington, ,MA. Present were Alan Fields, David Williams and Susan McClements. Minutes from the November 4, 2015 meeting were unanimously approved. David Williams noted that the Town Celebrations Committee should be reminded to publically acknowledge funds it receives from the American Legion Fund and the Leroy Brown Fund for the Patriot's Day Parade. They have done so in past years but did not do so at this year's parade. After reviewing the results of the investment portfolios, which continue to exceed benchmark returns, there was further discussion concerning the trust's income distributions during a period when interest rates were at extremely low levels. The Trustees concluded that in response to the current interest rate environment, a total return policy should be adopted, thereby enabling, when appropriate, the trusts to pay out in a calendar year, four per cent (4 %) of the principal value of the trust. The policy would therefore enable the trustees to invade principal as well as use income to meet the four per cent distribution objective. The Trustees unanimously approved the adoption of the foregoing total return policy. The Trustees discussed and unanimously approved continuing the policy of deferring any disbursements from funds with a total value of less than $10,000. The Trustees reviewed and discussed policy and procedures in place for the disbursement of funds: Typically, a memo is sent from the individual or organization requesting the funds to the TOL Secretary to the Board of Selectmen. The secretary produces a voucher, which then must be approved by one of the Trustees. Individual scholarship funds send requests for disbursements to current Trustee, David Williams, who requests a voucher from the selectmen's secretary. Approved vouchers are sent to the TOL Treasurer's office so that funds may be disbursed. Scholarship funds distributed by the Lexington Scholarship Fund are approved in an aggregate amount annually by vote of the Trustees based on awards from the Lexington Scholarship Funds. The funds are transferred from those individual scholarship funds to the Lexington Scholarship Fund. A list of individuals/ schools receiving the scholarships is sent to the TOL Treasurer's office with a voucher to issue individual cheeks from the Lexington Scholarship Fund. The Trustees unanimously approved and ratified the disbursement in March, 2016 of the following amounts to the Town of Lexington for cemetery perpetual care costs incurred in 2015: $70200.00 from the Westview Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund; and $ 7327.00 from the Munroe Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund.