HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-03-31-AC-min
March 31, 2008
Minutes
Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee
March 31, 2008
Place and time: Cary Memorial Building, Legion Room, 6:40 p.m.
Members present: Alan Levine (Chair), Deborah Brown (Vice Chair), John Bartenstein
(Secretary), Richard Eurich, Pam Hoffman, Susan McLeish, Eric Michelson, Rob
Addelson (ex officio, non-voting)
Others present: Dawn McKenna (Tourism Committee), Richard Pagett (Community
Preservation Committee & Center Committee), Jane Pagett
1. Article 23 Rescind Prior Borrowing Authorizations.
Two items will be
included:
a) Art 30B – 2005 – White House Planning – School Admin. This would
rescind $154K of a $240K authorization.
b) Art 32C – 2005 – Traffic Signal Improvements – Lowell & Maple. This
would rescind $25K of a $75K authorization.
These items have been presented to CEC and they have no objections. The Board
of Selectmen voted to support it. The Committee recommends support (7-0).
2. Liberty Ride.
The Board of Selectmen are asking Town Meeting to establish a
revolving fund for the Liberty Ride. A cash flow analysis conducted by Rob
Addelson suggests that the revolving fund should be funded with $20K. To
achieve this, $17,500 would come from a reduction in the appropriation to the
Reserve Fund, and an additional $2659 transfer will come from the Selectmen’s
gift fund. Town Meeting must first establish the revolving fund under Article 8.
Then the following changes must be made to Article 4:
a) reduce line item 2300, Reserve Fund, to $532,500,
b) reduce line item 7300, Economic Development Personal Services, to
$92,212,
c) reduce line item 7300, Economic Development Expenses, to $14,166.
The Committee recommends support (7-0).
3. Reserve Fund Transfer Request.
Rob Addelson presented a request to transfer
$40,000 from the Reserve Fund to line item 8220, Town Manager’s Legal
Services. Due to extended contract negotiations and an ongoing disciplinary
hearing, this line item is under funded, and $39,000 is currently due. The balance
in this line item is $630 and the Reserve Fund balance is $369,000. Legal fees
will continue to accumulate even after this transfer, and the staff will evaluate
anticipated expenses through the year. Options to fund this line include funding
under Article 27, 3% transfers or additional Reserve Fund transfers. The
Committee unanimously supports this (7-0).
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March 31, 2008
4. Land Acquisition.
The Community Preservation Committee anticipates
presenting a land acquisition request to Town Meeting. The CPC will hold a
public hearing on April 29 in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
5. Center Business District Sidewalks.
Article 15 (Appropriate for Municipal
Capital Projects and Equipment) includes a request for $370,000 for the third
phase of five for the Center Business District sidewalk project. Phase 4 & 5 will
be for sidewalks on Waltham St and Mass Ave from Muzzey St to the Library.
The Center Committee and Tourism Committee support this article. The CEC
disapproves of this project. A community review meeting of phase one was
attended by Eric Michelson and Susan McLeish. The feedback from that meeting
has the Selectmen seeking additional information about maintenance (brick
surface and trees), about accessibility testing, and from the City of Cambridge,
who have a similar sidewalk program. The Committee has questions: is it
necessary to incur the additional costs attributable to the use of structural soil?
The structural soil is necessary for street trees to thrive in a congested urban
setting, and will prevent roots from heaving the sidewalks. Is it necessary to
install brick on Muzzey St? Brick is requested as a method of tying the business
district together via “connectivity” as recommended by the Dixon report. Also
mentioned was that the HDC has already approved brick sidewalks, and may not
approve another surface. The CEC and the Center Committee will have a meeting
on Wednesday at 9 AM.
The meeting was adjourned shortly after 7:24 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Eric Michelson
Approved June 25, 2008
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