HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-12-AC-minJune 12, 2013 Minutes
Minutes
Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee
June 12, 2013
Place and time: Ellen Stone Room, Cary Memorial Building at 7:30pm
Members present: Glenn Parker, Chair; Robert Cohen; Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine; Eric
Michelson; Susan McLeish; Richard Neumeier; Jonina Schonfeld; Rob Addelson, Assistant
Town Manager for Finance (non- voting, ex officio)
Members Absent: John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary
Other Attendees: Patrick Mehr, Town Meeting Member
The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m.
1. Liaison Reports: Mr. Levine reported that the Ad hoc Townwide Facilities Master Planning
Committee met on Monday, June 10 to finalize its interim report to the Selectmen. They also
discussed a financial scenario that will be included with their final report. Their goal is to
complete the final report by the end of June.
Ms. Schonfeld reported that the School Committee will be meeting in executive session next
week to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining.
2. June 17, 2013 Special Town Meeting Report: Mr. Parker discussed his draft report for
Article 2: "Approve TIF [Tax Increment Financing] Agreement(s) ". The current draft does not
include the Committee's position on the article and serves primarily as background information
about TIFs in Lexington. Mr. Addelson will provide some additional information regarding the
Shire TIF agreement. Mr. Parker plans to submit the report for printing in the morning so it will
be available for the Town Meeting Members Association information meeting being held
Thursday night.
Mr. Mehr asked this Committee to reject Article 2 for three reasons:
Businesses already have a tax advantage because the sale prices for business properties
exceed assessed values, and assessed values are used to determine taxes. He believes that
the assessments need to be looked at in a formal way before the Town accepts such TIFs.
• Facts about the building under consideration and the Hartwell Avenue area are being
twisted. The property is described as decadent and the area around 95 Hayden Ave was
called blighted, and he does not believe this is true.
• Staff is spending an exorbitant amount of time negotiating a TIF, and this costs the Town
money. This time should be spent on more important matters.
Mr. Cohen said that the state has identified the Hartwell Avenue area as blighted; this is a legal
term. Mr. Levine noted that sale prices of business properties reflect more than the value of the
real estate unless the buildings are vacant; having tenants impacts the sale price. He added that
the Board of Assessors handles these issues.
Mr. Mehr expressed disappointment that this Committee is not looking into these concerns. Mr.
Michelson suggested that they might be looked at after Town Meeting.
June 12, 2013 Minutes
There was a motion to approve the draft report with technical corrections; the Committee's vote
on the article will be added as one of the technical corrections. The motion was approved.
VOTE: 8 -0.
3. Approval of Warrant Articles: It was noted that Mr. Cohen was not present at the last
meeting when the Committee voted on Article 3: "Technical Correction to Article 2 of the
March 18, 2013 Special Town Meeting — Land Purchase off Marrett Road ". Mr. Cohen asked
that his affirmative position be incorporated into the report, making the vote 9 -0 in favor of the
article.
There was a motion to support Article 2. The motion passed. VOTE: 8 -0
Mr. Levine will explain to Town Meeting why the Committee has taken its position on Article 2.
Mr. Bartenstein indicated at last week's meeting that he will decide whether to support Article 2
before Town Meeting.
4. Executive Session: At 8:15 p.m., following a declaration that an open meeting may have a
detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town, a roll call vote of the Committee was
taken on a motion by the Chair to go into executive session to discuss the uniQure TIF matter
under exemption 6 (to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property) and
exemption 7 (to comply with, or act under the authority of, any general or special law or federal
grant -in -aid requirements) and to return to open session. The motion was unanimously adopted,
each member present having voted in the affirmative.
The Committee returned to open session at 8:35 p.m.
5. Next Meetings: The Committee discussed the meeting that was posted for 6:30 p.m. on June
17, the same night as the Special Town Meeting. Because there is currently no need to meet,
Committee members should consider the meeting cancelled. However, Mr. Parker will not have
the meeting officially cancelled until the day of the meeting, making it possible to hold a meeting
if it becomes necessary. Committee members will be so informed if a meeting is to be held.
Mr. Parker asked committee members to respond to his email, if they haven't already, about
future meeting dates. There will be a meeting on either July 10 or 11. Mr. Parker will try to
determine future dates before he leaves town on vacation.
6. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8:42 p.m.
A list of documents and other exhibits used at the meeting is set forth below.
Respectfully submitted,
Sara Arnold
Recording Secretary
Approved July 10, 2013
Exhibits
1. Meeting Agenda posted by Glenn Parker, Chair
2