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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-04-01-AC-min4/1/13 Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee April 1, 2013 Place and time: Reed Room, Town Office Building, 6:30 p.m. Members present. Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Robert Cohen; Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine; Susan McLeish; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Jonina Schonfeld; Rob Addelson (non- voting, ex officio) Members Absent. none Others present: Kevin Batt, Town Counsel; Paul Miniutti, Town Meeting member; Dawn McKenna, Town Meeting member The meeting was called to order at 6:37 p.m. 1. Announcements and Liaison Reports. None. 2. Articles for the March 2013 Annual Town Meeting — Proposed Amendments: Article 4, Line Item 8500 (Town Clerk Expenses): Mr. Miniutti made a presentation on his proposed amendment to reduce this line item by $40,000 to eliminate funding for electronic voting equipment at Town Meeting. He doesn't believe the program will improve transparency, and he believes that few people are interested in the data. He suggested that the value of this new program doesn't justify the cost. He commented that new technology should be available soon to allow electronic voting using Town Meeting members' smart phones or tablets, which would be more cost effective. Committee members agreed that it was appropriate for Town Meeting to have a healthy debate about this subject, although they do not expect Town Meeting to support the amendment. They noted that other Towns are using electronic voting successfully. Ms. Garberg reported that when she moved to Lexington she wanted to know how her Town Meeting members had voted, and there was no available information. It was also suggested that using personal equipment could create reliability problems. A motion to recommend approval of the amendment failed. VOTE: 0 -9 Article 20 (Establish and Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization Funds): Mr. Bartenstein read an email from Patrick Mehr, who could not be present, describing his proposal to "amend the main motion under article 20 to increase the amount going into the [Capital Projects/Debt Service Relief/ Building Renewal Fund] by $750,000..." Mr. Mehr believes the FY14 budget should include an additional $750,000 in anticipated new growth revenue, and he believes that putting an equivalent amount of as -yet unallocated revenue into the specified stabilization fund would encourage use of a budget surplus, should it materialize, to reduce taxes in a future year. 4/1/13 Minutes Mr. Addelson explained that the historically conservative estimates of new growth are a product of the process, not a product of intent. Estimated new growth for the coming fiscal year is based on experience during the first five to nine months of the current fiscal year. If new growth doesn't reach estimates, this could create a situation where total revenues were less than the total amount appropriated, thereby impacting the state's certification of the Town's budget. A motion to support the amendment of Article 20 as described in Mr. Mehr's email failed. VOTE: 0 -8 -1 Article 4, Line Item 1100 (Lexington Public Schools): It was reported that Ms. McKenna may move to amend Line Item 1100 to provide funding for an elementary school foreign language teacher. It was noted that even if additional money is appropriated, the School Committee would not be required to spend the money in that fashion. There was also concern that this is not the appropriate process for changing the School Department's budget. Ms. McKenna arrived at the meeting to report that she had decided not to put this motion forward because the School Committee had voted, 0 -5, to oppose it. She added that she hopes to continue a dialog with the School Committee about restoring foreign language at the elementary level. The meeting was adjourned at 7:26 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. Email from Patrick Mehr to Glenn Parker dated April 1, 2013, RE: AC discussion of amendment to Article 20 2