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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-09-12-CCAC-mintA . TOWN OF LEXINGTON Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee (AhCCAC) APR]L 19' Minutes Date: September 12 2013 Place and time: Cary Memorial Building, Estabrook Hall, 8:00 A.M. Members Present: Michelle Ciccolo, Chair; Betty Borghesam; Harry Forsdick; Laura Hussong; Florence Koplow; Leslie Zales, Mary Ellen Alessandro Members Absent: none Liaisons Present: Linda Vine, Vice chair of AhCCAC, Town Manager's Office; Karen Simmons, staff, Recreation; Charlotte Rodgers, staff, Human Services; Norm Cohen, Board of Selectmen; Jon Himmel, Permanent Building Committee; David Kanter for 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; John Wilson, Chief, Fire Department; John Mazerall, Police Department; Chris Filadoro, staff, Public Works; Shawn Newell, staff, Public Facilities; Koren Stembridge, staff, Library; Dorinda Goodman, staff, Information Technology; Consultant Representatives Present from Steffran Bradley Architects: Teresa Wilson, Richard Berry, Also present: Pat Goddard, staff, Facilities; Mark Barrett, staff, Facilities; Sheila Butts, staff, Recreation; Deb Mauger, Board of Selectmen; Nancy Adler, Council on Aging; Rita Sagalyn, resident; Joel Adler, Town Meeting Member; Jerri O'Neill, resident; Stew Kennedy, resident Recording Secretary: Sara Arnold The meeting was called to order by Ms. Ciccolo at 8:10 A.m 1. Introductions: Those present introduced themselves. 2. Minutes: It was moved and seconded to approve the Minutes for August 16, 2013. The motion passed. VOTE: 7-0 3. Timeline: Ms. Ciccolo explained that the Committee has two tasks: 1) develop a recommended plan for occupying the Marrett Road facility in early 2014 in order to minimize the time the building is unoccupied after the Town finalizes its purchase; and 2) develop long term recommended plans for the use of the Marrett Road facilities. A timeline for the first task was distributed. The interim plan timeline includes a request for funding at the November 4, 2013 Special Town Meeting. This Committee meets again on September 16, 2013. The Selectmen anticipate a report from this Committee on September 23, 2013. 4. Consultant Presentation: Using a PowerPoint presentation, Ms. Wilson and Mr. Berry reviewed the tasks they have completed to -date and presented a preliminary schematic design for moving the Human Services Department and Recreation Department offices and programs into the Marrett Road facility in early 2014. Potential uses for each floor (basement, first floor, second floor, attic) of the main building were identified. An effort was made to minimize renovations at this stage, but most floors require some adding and /or removing walls plus mechanical, plumbing and /or electrical work to make the building code compliant. 5. Committee Discussion: During and after the SBA presentation, committee members and liaisons raised concerns relating to this Committee's role, the process that is being used to fulfill its tasks, and the vision for the future community center. They made the following points: • The Committee is not there to just rubber stamp the consultant's recommendations. • The process is proceeding too quickly, without a full understanding of the needs and desires of residents. • Meetings with user groups are essential; a communication plan is needed. • The interim plan may negatively impact the long term plan; the interim plan shouldn't include anything that cannot be undone. • The facility should not just be accommodating offices that already exist; there should be new ideas incorporated, such as intergenerational programs. • Human Services currently uses one large room for exercise programs, meals and speakers; the new center should have multiple rooms for such needs. • There should be a commercial kitchen. • There are costs involved in renovating twice, first for the interim needs and then for the long term plan. • Renovating occupied space is complex, thus increasing costs; swing space may be needed. • There are costs involved in moving offices twice; and moving is disruptive to program functionality. • Town Meeting will want to know what is going to be done with the space that is vacated by Human Services and Recreation when they move to Marrett Road. Ms. Wilson, Ms. Ciccolo, Ms. Mauger, and Mr. Cohen answered questions and addressed concerns by making sure the Committee members understood the difference between the interim plan and the long term plan. • The Selectmen do not want the Marrett Road buildings left empty while the Town proceeds with efforts to develop a long term plan for the facility; thus it is necessary to move quickly on an interim plan. • If funding isn't procured at the November Special Town Meeting, funds for the interim plan won't be available before Fiscal Year 2015. • There are parallel tracks for developing the vision for this facility. SBA is making recommendations associated with an interim plan while pursuing background information for a long term plan. The latter will be a longer process and includes meeting with user groups. • The interim plan will be a scaled back version of what can ultimately be implemented, both in terms of facilities and programs. For example, the SBA interim plan includes a cafe, but there isn't a commercial kitchen; input from user groups during the development of the long term plan will facilitate the incorporation of new, including intergenerational, programs. • The guiding principles developed by the Community Center Task Force may be useful when developing the long term plan. • The Selectmen make the final decisions about whether to pursue a particular proposal. • The SBA interim proposal is just a schematic design that uses existing spaces with minimal change for some of the needs. When design development is started, there could be some changes. No work on the outside of the building is being proposed in the interim plan. • The reason for moving the Human Services Department and the Recreation Department into the facility is because those are key departments for implementing the community center programs. • Although the space identified in the Interim Plan for Human Services and Recreation can be changed when the long term plan is implemented, an effort is being made to incorporate particular needs in the interim plan. For example, the SBA interim proposal locates Human Services on the first floor near the entry door and an elevator. The consultant must address code issues, but this Committee does not need to get involved in the details of this issue. Staff are a valuable resource for understanding their departments' programs and needs. They were praised for their professional excellence. This Committee is not responsible for recommendations related to the future use of vacated facilities. The dialog resulted in a better understanding of the two parallel tracks that are being pursued simultaneously. ACTION ITEMS /REQUESTS were identified during the discussion: • SBA: Distribute electronic files of presentations prior to the meetings. • SBA: Create clarifying slides to help see all three floors of the building at once and to understand the amount of space that is available for multi -use programs on all three floors. • SBA: Develop a more comprehensive Time Line that includes meetings with the Capital Expenditures Committee and the Community Preservation Committee in preparation for going to the fall Special Town Meeting. • SBA: Develop an estimate of how long the interim plan will be in place. • Staff: Create a list of Human Services and Recreation Department functions that potentially will be moved to Marrett Road and a list of any critical aspects of functionality that will be "left behind ". • Staff: Distribute pages from the AhFMPC report that refer to a commercial kitchen. • This Committee: Review the Ad hoc Facilities Master Planning Committee report (particularly Community Center sections). • Ms. Ciccolo: Prepare a Communications Plan for the long term proposal based on committee member comments. 6. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 A.M. The Minutes were approved on September 16, 2013 Materials used /distributed at the meeting: ➢ Public Meeting Agenda, September 12, 2013, AhCCAC ➢ PowerPoint Slide prepared by SBA entitled `Phase I Timeline ",September 12, 2013 ➢ PowerPoint Slides, SBA Presentation entitled "Lexington Community Center, CCACMeeting, Thursday, September 12, 2013"