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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-09-11-CPC-minMinutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, September 11, 2013 3:00 pm, Parker Room Town Offices Building, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Present: Committee Members: Marilyn Fenollosa, Chair; Richard Wolk, Vice - Chair, Richard Canale, Norman Cohen, David Horton, Jeanne Krieger, Leo McSweeney, Robert Pressman and Sandra Shaw. Administrative Assistant: Nathalie Rice Also in attendance were Jill Hai, Chair of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC), and David Kanter, Vice Chair of the CEC. The meeting was called to order at 3:03 pm. by Ms. Fenollosa. 1. 39 Marrett Road (Scottish Rite Property) — Request for FY14 CPA Funding — The CPC met with Town Manager Carl Valente and Robert Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance to discuss a Board of Selectmen request for potential FY14 funding at Fall Town Meeting for "move -in" costs for 39 Marrett Road. Mr. Valente updated the Committee on the progress of the purchase of the property, stating that the closing was scheduled for late November. He explained that in order for the Human Services and Recreation Departments to move into the building, there were certain critical renovations needed. These included modifications to the fire safety and security systems and the installation of a full kitchen to enable meals to be cooked for seniors. He also noted that certain walls needed to be removed in order to provide programming space for seniors. In response to questions about the cost of the renovations, Mr. Valente said the Community Center Advisory Committee would be making a recommendation to the Selectmen on September 23 with specific building needs and associated costs. Mr. Valente will ask to meet with the CPC when he has more detailed information and Selectman approval for the project. There was a lengthy discussion of the request and whether the CPC should entertain a fall submission. (The CPC has a policy of not accepting applications for Fall Special Town Meetings.) Ms. Fenollosa addressed this point, stating that the requested funds would enable the building to be occupied in the late winter or early spring of 2014. If the request waited until Annual Town Meeting, occupancy would be delayed until the fall or winter of 2014, or potentially the spring of 2015. She believed the time sensitivity of the matter justified the request. She stated that this request differed from other submissions that had been contemplated by applicants for fall funding, such as the Visitor Center Improvements project, because the Visitor Center was "up and running" whereas Marrett Road needed short-term renovations in order to be usable by Town Departments. Mr. Cohen added that the Marrett Road application would need Board of Selectmen endorsement before being presented to the CPC. If other projects received such endorsement, he noted, the CPC would likely consider them. Mr. Addelson presented a spreadsheet detailing the impact of the Marrett Road financing on the CPA budget. Members discussed the set aside amounts for the various "buckets ", and Mr. Pressman noted that there were no estimates in the spreadsheet for renovations to the Hosmer House (formerly known as the White House), Munroe Center for the Arts or the Stone Building. He noted however, that these Town buildings were included in the Ad hoc Town - wide Facilities Master Planning Committee financial analysis which suggested the possibility of CPA funding. Ms. Fenollosa noted that none of the three projects currently has defined plans for renovation. Mr. Canale questioned the percentage increase in the CPA surcharge, to which Mr. Addelson replied that he had used a 3% increase per year — the increase typically estimated for tax revenue. Mr. Canale also stated that it appeared that Mr. Addelson had estimated the State Match at 25 %, adding that this might be an underestimation. Mr. Addelson replied that he had used conservative figures. Mr. Kanter raised the issue of whether the present Senior Center in Muzzey Junior High would need renovation with CPA dollars, to which Mr. Valente replied that Ad Hoc Town - wide Facilities Master Planning Committee would be taking up the matter. Mr. Valente said he would be meeting with the Muzzey Condominium Association in the following week, and would discuss the possibility of the Association buying back the Senior Center space. The CPC voted unanimously to entertain an application on behalf of the Board of Selectmen for an application for FY14 CPA funding for 39 Marrett Road for the Fall Special Town Meeting. Ms. Fenollosa requested that when Mr. Valente returned to the CPC, that the application be accompanied by a detailed proposal and cost breakdown. 2. Member Welcome and Election of the Chair and Vice Chair. — Ms. Fenollosa welcomed David Horton as the new ad hoc representative appointed by the Board of Selectmen. She then opened the discussion up for the appointment of a new Chair for the CPC. Jeanne Krieger moved to appoint Ms. Fenollosa, and after the motion was seconded, Ms. Fenollosa was unanimously appointed. Sandy Shaw then moved that Dick Wolk be appointed as Vice - Chair. After a second to the motion, the CPC voted unanimously to appoint Mr. Wolk as Vice - Chair. 3. Conflict of Interest Training — Ms. Fenollosa noted that the Town Clerk has asked all Committee members to take an online course in Ethics and Conflict of Interest Training. Some of the members had taken the course. For those who had not, a handout was distributed explaining how to start the training. 4. Town Report — The Town Report had been circulated to the CPC in the previous week, and was approved as submitted after editing by the Chair. 5. Approval of Minutes - The minutes of the meeting of May 2" 2013 were approved as submitted. 6. CPC Meeting Schedule — After a discussion of member schedules, the CPC decided to meet on Thursday afternoons at 3:00 pm. 7. Article for Lexington Minuteman — Mr. McSweeney noted that he had had inquiries about the application process for CPA funds. The Committee decided it would be worthwhile to put 2 a short article in Lexington Minuteman to inform the public about the CPA funding process. Ms. Rice will draft the article for Committee review. 8. Parking Stickers for CPC Members — Due to conflicts experienced in the previous meeting cycle, members asked whether parking stickers could be obtained for parking in the rear of Town Offices. (There had been an afternoon Children's Symphony practice last year, which made it very difficult for CPC members to find parking on Thursday afternoons.) Ms. Rice will look into the matter. (It was subsequently found that the symphony is over at 2:00 pm on Thursdays and therefore should not present a problem for parking.) 9. Update on Possible FY15 Projects — Ms. Rice and Ms. Fenollosa updated the CPC on possible projects for FYI based upon conversations with department heads. Updates were as follows: There will be no Archives and Records application for FYI 5; no Historical Society submittal; several Recreation proposals; a likely Cary Memorial Building Upgrades application for $7.9 million dollars; and a Lexington Housing Authority (LHA) application for funding for renovations to Greeley Village. The LHA request would enable the Authority to leverage 2 /3rds of the project cost in the form of grant monies from the State. It is likely that the LHA will receive final approval of their grant request by October 3o Ms. Fenollosa asked Ms. Rice to put together a spreadsheet on expected FY 15 project requests for CPA funding. 10. Historical Preservation Conference — Ms. Fenollosa notified members that there would be a Statewide Historical Preservation Conference on October 18 at the Cary Memorial Building and other locations throughout the Town. There will be round table discussions on the CPA funding for historical projects at which Stuart Saginor from the Community Preservation Coalition will be speaking. More information on the Conference can be found at mapreservationconference.org. The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 pm. The following documents were presented at the meeting: 1. A packet containing the following: "Town of Lexington 33 Marrett Road Purchase, Special Town Meeting" dated March 14, 2012 (this should have been dated 2013); the Town Clerk's Certificate for FYI for Article 14, for the funding of $100,000 in CPA funds for design development for Marrett Road; and "Phase 1 Timeline ", dated September 12, 2013 which depicted the proposed development process for Marrett Road. 2. "Impact of 33 Marrett Road Financing on CPA Funds" undated. This was presented at the Special Town Meeting in the spring of 2103. "Massachusetts Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest — Town of Lexington — 2013 Receipt Confirmation & Training Certification ", and email dated 8/6/2013. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Rice Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee