Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-21-AC-min 3/21/13 Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee March 21, 2013 Place and time Reed Room, Town Office Building, 7 30 p m Members present Glenn Parker, Chair, John Bartenstem, Vice Chair and Secretary, Mollie Garberg, Alan Levine, Enc Michelson, Richard Neumeier, Jomna Schonfeld, Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent Robert Cohen, Susan McLeish The meeting was called to order at 7 40 p m 1 Announcements: Mr Bartenstein reported attending a meeting of the Lexington Retirement Board meeting earlier in the day A new Town Meeting member, Andrei Radulescu- Banu, was also present with questions about fund performance and the level of investment fees Investment returns for 2012 were healthy at 14 2%but Mr Bartenstein noted the challenges faced by the Board in meeting the actuarially targeted 7 75%rate of return over the long term in today's investment climate 2 Committee's Report to the March 2013 Annual Town Meeting Mr Parker thanked members for their contributions to and comments on the draft report and requested any additional changes by noon on Saturday so that he can prepare and circulate a final draft Votes were taken on Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Articles, as follows • Article 8d (Muzzey Senior Center Upgrade) Because the Senior Center will likely be moving to 33 Marrett Road, it was moved and seconded to support indefinite postponement of Article 8d VOTE 7-0 • Article 8e (Visitor Center—Design Phase) Because neither the Selectmen nor the CPC are supporting funding this project at this time, it was moved and seconded to support indefinite postponement of the municipal funding portion of Article 8e VOTE 7-0 • Article 10q (Hartwell Avenue Infrastructure—Engineering and Easements) and Article lOr(Sidewalk Improvements and Easements) Mr Addelson reported that at the request of the Capital Expenditures Committee, $200,000 of the $600,000 that was originally included in Article lOr for sidewalks will be moved to Article 10q This $200,000 is for sidewalks on Hartwell Avenue and brings the Hartwell Avenue request up to $800,000 It was moved and seconded to support appropriations of$800,000 for Article 10q and $400,000 for Article lOr VOTE 7-0 • Article 20 (Specified Stabilization Funds) Mr Addelson clarified the amounts of money going into and out of the Transportation Demand Management Stabilization Fund It was moved and seconded to recommend approval of Article 20 based on the 1 3/21/13 Minutes latest numbers available for appropriation into and out of the various funds Vote 7-0 It was noted that some of the specified stabilization funds are no longer active, and there was a discussion of closing out such funds in the future if they are obsolete Mr Addelson and Mr Michelson reviewed the assumptions Mr Michelson used in developing the three year projection for the Committee's report Mr Parker reported that a question had been asked why the Appropriation Committee hadn't taken a position on Article 32 (Amend the General Bylaws—Electronic Voting) It was noted that the Committee has effectively indicated its support for the adoption of electronic voting at Town Meeting by its favorable vote on Article 4, which includes funds for purchasing and operating the electronic equipment A motion was made and seconded to approve the draft report of the Appropriation Committee to the March 2013 Town Meeting, subject to the changes discussed at this meeting and further technical and stylistic edits to be made over the weekend VOTE 7-0 The meeting was adjourned at 8 36 p m A list of documents and other exhibits used at the meeting is set forth below Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Recording Secretary Approved May 9, 2013 Exhibits 1 Meeting Agenda posted by Glenn Parker, Chair 2