HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-16-CCAC-mintA .
TOWN OF LEXINGTON
Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee (AhCCAC)
APR]L 19' _
Minutes
Date: Augustl6 2013
Place and time: Cary Memorial Building, Estabrook Hall,9:00 A.M.
Members Present: Michelle Ciccolo, Chair; Betty Borghesam; Harry Forsdick; Laura Hussong;
Florence Koplow; Leslie Zales
Member Absent: Mary Ellen Alessandro
Liaisons Present: Linda Vine, Vice chair of AhCCAC, Town Manager's Office; John Wilson,
Chief, Fire Department; John Mazerall, Police Department; Chris Filadoro, staff, Public Works;
Shawn Newell, staff, Public Facilities; Karen Simmons, staff, Recreation; Koren Stembridge, staff,
Library; Charlotte Rodgers, staff, Human Services; Dorinda Goodman, staff, Information
Technology; Norm Cohen, Board of Selectmen; Jon Himmel, Permanent Building Committee; Beth
Masterman, Capital Expenditures Committee; Glenn Parker, Appropriation Committee
Liaisons Absent (liaisons only attend as- requested and as- available to address relevant agenda
items): Alessandro Alessandrini, School Committee;
Consultant Representatives Present from Steffran Bradley Architects: Teresa Wilson, Kevin
Neumann, Richard Berry, Joe Sirkovich
Also present: Mark Barrett, staff, Facilities; Melissa Jones, staff, Town Manager's Office; Sheila
Butts, staff, Recreation; Jeanette Rebecchi, staff, Transportation Services; Deb Manger, Board of
Selectmen; Nancy Adler, Council on Aging; Bob Pressman, Community Preservation Committee
and Lexington Housing Partnership; Rita Sagalyn, resident; Joel Adler, Town Meeting Member; Bill
Levison, Chair, Transportation Advisory Committee; Carroll Ann Bottino, Council on Aging
Recording Secretary: Sara Arnold
The meeting was called to order by Ms. Ciccolo at 9:05 A.M.
1. Introduction: Those present introduced themselves. It was noted that Steffian Bradley Architects
(SBA) has been selected to assist the Town in the process of developing plans for the new
community center.
Norm Cohen should be added to the updated roster for the committee as the Board of Selectmen
liaison. There were no comments regarding the updated charge for the Committee.
2. Minutes: It was moved and seconded to approve the Minutes for June 25, 2013. The motion
passed. VOTE: 6-0
3. Timeline: Using PowerPoint slides, Ms. Wilson reviewed SBA's vision for the community center
project process:
• This Committee will build a vision for the Center by establishing guiding principles and goals.
• SBA proposes to have four listening sessions with a steering committee to hear User Group
concerns and identify their space needs. User Groups would be identified by the full committee
and contacted to arrange a presentation time during one of the four sessions. Findings would be
used to develop a program for the full committee's review.
• A mini- charette may be used to develop schematic designs for the spaces deemed necessary.
• The user group meetings and mini- charette will be held prior to November 13.
• The results of these events will be reported to the steering committee.
• The steering committee will report to the full committee in early 2014.
• This will be an interactive process with people who have been involved with the issues.
Subsequent discussion brought up the following comments, suggestions, questions, and responses:
• Looking at the big picture will be valuable in establishing priorities.
• Who is representing the teens during the process? The library may be able to help with this but
teens are a difficult group to engage.
• Lex- Engage, Lexington's web exchange, is a potential resource for communicating with
different groups.
• A warrant article will be needed for funding this project; this will be worked on by the Town
Manager's office and the Capital Expenditures Committee. It is anticipated that Community
Preservation Act funds will be used. Keeping the project cost - effective will be important.
• Deed restrictions are not available yet; the Town will not own the property until late November.
• The project will require permits.
• The Town tries to achieve LEED silver certification standards for its projects.
• If the new facility is going to have a commercial kitchen, should it be considered for an
emergency shelter? This is not included in the list of uses developed by the Ad hoc Townwide
Facilities Master Planning Committee (AhTFMPC).
• The process needs to be inclusive: groups identified during the discussion included special
needs, under 6, teens, and multi - cultural entities. Asking representatives of different groups to
come and make presentations may encourage their participation and will inform this Committee
of their needs.
• It was generally agreed that it isn't necessary to have a separate steering committee because this
Committee (seven official members) is an appropriate size for this role. The Committee should
meet every other week.
ACTION ITEMS were identified. Attendees should
Send ideas for a community outreach plan to Ms. Ciccolo, including important groups and
outreach outlets. Ms. Ciccolo will compile the information for the next meeting.
Read the AhTFMPC's final report, particularly the section on the community center, and email
Michelle if anything appears to be missing.
Contact Ms. Zales if interested in touring community centers in other Towns. She will probably
minimally visit the center in Lincoln.
Additionally,
• Ms. Ciccolo will determine the best day and time to have meetings based on input from
committee members.
4. Annual Town Report: Some technical corrections were made to a draft Town Report article
regarding this Committee. It was moved and seconded to approve the article with the corrections.
The motion passed. VOTE: 6 -0. A photo will be taken at the next meeting.
5. Staff Presentations: Ms. Vine distributed a spreadsheet identifying programs and program locations
provided by the Recreation Department, the Human Services Department, and the Library.
Representatives from these three town departments, which may use space at the new community
center, provided background information regarding their programs.
Recreation: Ms. Simmons used PowerPoint slides to review her department's programs and
responsibilities. She described staffing levels and the management of passive and active
programs for residents of all ages, including marketing and registration. The programs are
designed to be accessible and affordable; they are adjusted according to demand. The
department also manages a wide range of facilities, including the Pine Meadows golf course,
pools, the Res, tennis courts, parks, and playing fields.
Human Services: Ms. Rodgers used PowerPoint slides to review her department's staffing
levels, programs, and responsibilities. She described services for senior citizens, youth and
families, and veterans. She also noted that Transportation Services is now part of her
department. She added that today's human services programs are intergenerational and
multigenerational, and there has been significant growth in programs related to health and
wellness.
Library: Ms. Stembridge discussed staffing levels and the growth in library programs (now
456). The facility is the fifth busiest library in Massachusetts with 600,000 visits annually. This
includes over 100, and sometimes over 200, teens every afternoon during the school year.
Demand for meeting room space exceeds the library's resources. There is interest in using space
at the new community center for some of the library programs, such as technology courses and
homework help sessions.
During a discussion of these presentations, the following information was clarified:
• Recreation programs are adapted to meet the needs of a specific participant; usually a person
with special needs.
• The Recreation Department is currently developing a three year strategic plan using focus
groups; surveys are collected every other year; and there are regular program evaluations. This
feedback allows the department to determine needs and demand.
• The Senior Services evidence based programming includes health, wellness and prevention
programs based on academic research with measurable outcomes.
• The COA Board has been working with a consultant to re -think how senior programming is
planned and delivered. This includes a change in approach from a focus on the frail elderly to
thinking more broadly about the needs of seniors of all ages and stages.
• The Library recently completed a strategic plan.
Two additional ACTION ITEMS were identified:
• A presentation by the Health Department is recommended.
• Ms. Stembridge will make the library's strategic plan available to Ms. Ciccolo, who will
distribute it to this Committee.
6. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned atl1:05A.M.
The Minutes were approved on September 12, 2013.
Materials used /distributed at the meeting:
➢ Public Meeting Agenda,Augustl6, 2013,AhCCAC
➢ Committee Roster: digital title - "CCACMembers rev 071113"
➢ Committee charge: digital title - "CCAC Charge- Final- Rev070113"
➢ Annual Report for CCAC: digital title "CCAC FY13 Annual Report"
➢ P. 23 -24 from CCTF Final Report: digital title - `Pages from CCTF Final Report"
➢ Programs and Program Location Spreadsheet: digital title—" Community Center Program Matrix"
➢ PowerPoint Slides, SBA Presentation with Proposed Timeline, August 16, 2013
➢ PowerPoint Slides, Recreation Department Presentation, August 16, 2013
➢ PowerPoint Slides, Human Services Presentation, August 16, 2013
➢ Notes for AhCCAC Meeting August 16, 2013, Koren Stembridge