HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-10-08-CEC-min
Town of Lexington
Capital Expenditures Committee
Meeting Notes
October 8, 2002
Town Hall, Room 111
Committee members present: Bhatia, Burnell, Hornig,
Rosenberg, Stolz
The committee elected Narain Bhatia vice chair, to act in
Shirley Stolz’s absence.
Minutes of the September 24 meeting were approved, and may
be forwarded to Appropriation Committee liaisons. The
contact list for Committee members may also be circulated by
Stolz to Appropriation and other interested persons.
Committee members devoted the meeting to considering matters
of substance to be raised with each Town department likely
to have significant capital items in the next one- and five-
year periods; the schedule for briefings with each
department to review capital plans; and overall goals for
the year.
Department capital issues
1. Schools
Burnell discussed general issues: the new
facilities/buildings supervisor; progress in moving along
construction plans for Harrington; and the undetermined
small-ticket capital items likely to be presented for this
year.
Among items likely to figure in the current
budgeting/2003 Town Meeting (for FY 2004) are:
•High school noise-abatement modifications
•Identified small-ticket items (Clarke gym floor, roof
repairs, Hastings wall repair, etc.)
It is unknown whether the School Committee will ask now
for planning funds for renovation/replacement of Bowman and
Estabrook schools, or if that will be a 2004 budgeting/Town
Meeting request (the funds likely to be borrowed and spent
at once, in preparation for spring 2005 debt-exclusion vote
including the plans for those schools).
Major issues concerning the next phases of elementary-
school work include programming for flexibility in space
(vs. future changes in use or curriculum design); rigorous
analysis of renovation vs. replacement; and timing (whether
to group all the work in a relatively short period, or to
stage it, eg., one school each five years).
2. Public Works
Bhatia raised the issue of getting a realistic view of
DPW capital needs in light of the overall budget picture,
when there will be pressure to hold down spending.
Among items likely to figure in the budgeting/2003 Town
Meeting (for FY 2004), or of interest to the Committee:
• analyzing what is in the “building envelope” program:
how requests make it on to the list, whether past priorities
were adhered to, what is in the current program, what is
projected
•Hartwell Ave. landfill closure/capping and possible
reuse
3. Public Works/201 Bedford Street, Council on Aging/Senior
Center
October 7, the Selectmen approved and appointed a new
advisory committee to study siting issues, possible reuse of
201 Bedford St., etc., with a preliminary report due
February 1. Rosenberg will be the Committee’s liaison.
Among issues of interest to the Committee will be the
programming requirements and therefore space requirements
for a proposed senior center, flexibility in space design to
accommodate proposed programs/uses, and parking
requirements.
Of related interest will be a consideration of DPW
programming needs: replacing the barn at 201 Bedford and
renovating other space and facilities on site
(administration building, etc.); vs. removing DPW from 201
Bedford street and building new facilities at Hartwell Ave.
(size of proposed facilities, cost, operational issues in
staffing and travel/transit time for dispatching, etc.). Or
a three-site option: Town Hall, 201 Bedford St. offices, and
Hartwell Ave. for trucks/equipment and materials (salt, sand
storage)?
When will planning monies be requested for DPW and senior
center facilities, if the town proceeds toward presenting a
debt-exclusion including these items in spring 2005?
Scheduling
(meetings 7:30 p.m.; consider trying a morning
meeting with one big and one small department depending on
how meetings bunch up?)
•Oct. 23 tentative—Schools?
•Oct. 29 Summit II
•Oct. 30 tentative
•Nov. 6 tentative
•Nov. 13 tentative (but note conflict with TMMA; move
to Nov. 12 or 14?)
•Nov. 20 tentative
•Dec. 17 Summit III
•Jan. 8 Summit IV
•Jan. 15 tentative Summit V
The Committee will tentatively schedule on these dates
separate major briefings from DPW; Schools; and DPW/201
Bedford St./COA-Senior Center; and smaller presentations by
Recreation; Fire; and Library (East Lexington branch)
Overall Committee goals for the year
1. Public education
Bhatia raised the long-term issue of how to educate
the public on capital programs: roughly $100 million
committed so far (high school and middle school renovations;
two new elementary schools; road rebuilding and repair;
library; Lincoln Field); and perhaps an equal amount
proposed (four remaining elementary schools; DPW and senior
center; perhaps East Lexington library; perhaps conservation
land acquisition). Proposed sequence of three-year debt-
exclusion issues (and operating overrides). He and Rosenberg
will explore how to use the Committee’s report, Minuteman
coverage, cable, mailers, community visits to facilities,
community group meetings/briefings, maybe a video, to show
what funds have been spent how, and to present to the
community the proposed future agenda; and will report back
to the Committee.
2. Cash Capital
What position the Committee wants to take to make the
case for a sustainable policy, including commentary on
salvaging what can be saved from the current program, and
securing a predictable revenue stream. What worked, and what
did not, about the current program? How much will be needed,
how will be funded from current revenues, vs. borrowing?
3. The three-year cycle
What needs to be done to keep on it.
4. Looming large items
Senior center and DPW programs, flexibility of space,
scope of building projects, operating-cost implications
Meeting adjourned 9:30 p.m.
John S. Rosenberg