HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-12-03-CEC-min 0„3s,MOR�1kr,
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Minutes of the
= M n Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
APRILYS December 3, 2013
Location and Time Town Office Building, Parker Room, 8.00 A.M
Members Present Jill Hai, Chair, David Kanter, Vice-Chair, Wendy Manz,
Beth Masterman
Member Absent Bill Hurley
Others Present Mary Ellen Dunn, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business,
Lexington Public Schools (LPS), Tom Plati, Director of Educational Technology and
Assessment, LPS, Debbie Harvey, Assistant to Business Office, LPS, Marianne McKenna,
Director of Technology, LPS, Ian Dailey, Budget Officer, LPS, Pat Goddard, Director of
Public Facilities (DPF), Mark Barrett, Project Manager, (DPF), Stephen Keane, Lexington
Housing Authority (LHA), Bill Kennedy, Co-Chair, Lexington Housing Assistance Board
(LexHAB), Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance, Sara Arnold, Recording
Secretary
Documents Presented
• Notice of Public Meeting/Revised Agenda, December 3, 2013
• LPS' FY2015—FY2019 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPS)
• DPF's FY2015—FY2019 CIPS, including revised CIPS, 11/27/2013
• PowerPoint Slides prepared by Mr Plati regarding iPad use in the schools
• LHA's Application for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds
• LexHAB's Application for CPA funds
• Draft #2 Minutes of the CEC Meeting, November 19, 2013
Call to Order Ms Hai called the meeting to order at 8.05 A.M
Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Access Revolving Fund There was a
motion and second to approve the increase in the spending limit of the PEG Access
Revolving Fund from $450,000 to $490,000 to accommodate the estimated cost of the
underground installation of a redundant fiber-optic data connection Vote 4-0
ACTION ITEM Ms Hai will advise the Board of Selectmen (BoS) of this vote
School Department CIPS Ms Dunn reviewed the CIPS, as follows
• Food Service Equipment (#668) New equipment will improve safety and
reduce/eliminate Board of Health citations Clarke Middle School, Bridge Elementary
School, and Bowman Elementary School are converting to gas, which will improve
efficiency and be more cost effective The Food Service Revolving Fund will be used
for routine maintenance, such as repairs on the High School refrigeration system
The middle schools and high school need pot dishwashers, but this requires
additional planning
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 3, 2013
• School Classroom Furniture (#896) There are a variety of reasons, in addition to
normal wear and tear, that furniture is needed The Bowman Elementary School and
Bridge Elementary School renovation projects did not include funding for furniture
Furniture replacement was stopped at Estabrook Elementary School when it was
determined that the building would be replaced It may be possible to purchase
fewer pieces of furniture than currently identified because some of the furniture at the
old Estabrook building may be salvageable Extra office furniture may be used in
Town facilities The School Department will try to avoid storing furniture Mr Kanter
asked for a total value of all the furniture and for information regarding the life span
of furniture to demonstrate the favorable basis of the funding request. He also asked
that the CIP be renamed as the request extends beyond just classroom furniture as
it includes administrative furniture as well as equipment and software In response to
questions, Ms Dunn clarified the need for some of the items on the requested list of
furniture/equipment/software
o The print shop renovation project is starting in the spring of 2014, funding for
two pieces of equipment was excluded from that project a year ago, they are
included on the current list of requested items
o The workstations being requested will accommodate six or seven people
o The transportation-related request includes software that will assist in
designing school-bus routes It was suggested that the CIP include a
paragraph explaining this equipment.
o The schools currently have eight Augmented Audio Communication (AAC)
devices, the number of students needing these devices is increasing
o A master plan is identifying classrooms that need acoustical treatments (e g ,
acoustical tiles, drapes, blinds, etc ) and FM systems to assist
hearing-impaired students It was noted that the high-school modular
buildings coming in 2014 & 2015 will have less ambient noise than the current
classrooms
• School Technology Capital Request (#897) Mr Plati reviewed the major
components included in this project, as follows
o Tech workstations,
o Additional iPads for students, the project includes professional development
for staff to ensure staff can use and monitor the equipment efficiently and
securely in a school environment before the equipment is deployed,
o Replacement of old equipment, partially for elementary-school equity,
o Updating network components,
o Interactive projector/whiteboard units, the purchase of which is being
coordinated by DPF
Mr Kanter asked that a timeline be created to demonstrate the progress being made
toward total implementation of this project. In response to questions, Mr Plati
clarified the following
o Not all public schools in the region are using Apple products although most of
them are now moving toward the use of iPads
o There is a trend away from using desktop computers
o Buying technical equipment in quantity does not result in discounts, although
the town does get a 7-8% educational discount off the unit prices
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 3, 2013
a The schools are moving toward wireless technology The schools have had
few requests for wireless technology from the public, public access is a policy
issue because of security concerns
• Design Funds for School Traffic Safety Mitigation (#898) Ms Dunn explained that
the School Committee's Traffic Safety and Mitigation Study is nearing completion
She can provide a draft copy at this time This study will be used to design clearly
identified traffic plans for school properties Those plans will be included in a
Geographic Information System (GIS) program that is compatible with the Town's
GIS programs This project will be used to design the identified plans, although they
cannot all be implemented at one time because of staff "bandwidth" limitations
Ms Dunn noted that the modular buildings that were recently approved by Town
Meeting will impact traffic at the High School and the Estabrook Elementary School
project included implementation of traffic studies Mr Kanter suggested listing each
school and including one sentence to identify unique situations associated with each
one, as appropriate He also requested a short paragraph describing how the School
Committee's commissioning of the Traffic Safety and Mitigation Study represented
taking a District-wide view of the matter that would not have been considered as
each of the school's prior major projects were undertaken
• School AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Replacement (#899) Ms Dunn
reported that there are eight AEDs that are 12 years old and need to be replaced In
response to questions, she said she did not believe there were any other safety
devises that needed replacement at this time, the two-way radios were upgraded a
year ago, and there are regular inspections of equipment.
Department of Public Facilities CIPs There was a brief acknowledgment of the changes
that had been requested at the Committee's November 12, 2014, meeting and made in the
following revised CIPS
• School Building Envelope and Systems Program (#562)
• Cary Memorial Building Upgrades (#639)
• East Lexington Fire Station Physical Fitness Room (#739)
• Hastings School Renovation/Replacement (#870)
The following revised CIPS, which had also been reviewed at the November 12, 2014,
meeting, triggered the following comments
• Visitor Center (#835) The CIP now references the basis of the cost projection, but
Mr Kanter asked for clarification of the allocation shown of the project's total to the
amount being requested from Community Preservation Fund (CPF)
• Cary Memorial Building Updates (#639) It was noted that requested amount has
increased and in anticipation of $391,050 of the total being for audio-visual
equipment that may not be deemed eligible for funding from the CPF, that amount is
now shown being from the General Fund—which the BoS would be asked to
support, too
• Middle School Science, Performing Arts, and General Education Spaces (#838) The
project now includes an increase of $20,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 for evaluation
of the Diamond Middle School Food Services The Committee recommended that
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 3, 2013
effort be included in the Renovation & Update of Diamond Kitchen and Cafeteria
(#900) that, in FY2016, includes the funding request for the implementation based
on the evaluation Mr Addelson and Mr Goddard will review and report back to this
Committee
The following comments were made regarding the DPF CIPS that had not been previously
reviewed
• 39 Marrett Road Community Center Renovation (#892) Mr Kanter noted that the
original cost basis for this project (developed by The Cecil Group a year ago)
addressed the potential for a half-court gym, however, a full-court gym may be
recommended by the Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee (AhCCAC) on
December 16, 2013, when the AhCCAC reports to the BoS The cost of a full-court
gym will be approximately $5 million, and none of this will be CPA eligible
Mr Goddard noted that the project includes $250,000 in FY2015 for construction of
a sidewalk. The sidewalk analysis (funded at the November 4, 2013, Special Town
Meeting) will be done after the purchase (anticipated for this week) is complete
• Renovation & Update of Diamond Kitchen Cafeteria (#900) As previously addressed
regarding the Middle School Science, Performing Arts, and General Education
Spaces (#838) CIP, this Committee recommended this project #900 be revised to
include the funding in FY2015 for the evaluation of the Diamond Middle School food
service improvements that is currently in #838
• Finance Office Reconfiguration (#901) This CIP has been withdrawn as the work is
integrated into School Building Envelope and Systems Program (#562) CIP
• Clarke Gymnasium Dividing Curtain (#904) The Town is getting a quote for this
project and it is yet to be seen whether it will still meet the $25,000 threshold for
capital funding
• Clarke Gymnasium Lockers (#905) This request is in FY2016 so the Town and
Schools will have a better understanding of the space needs
• Clarke Auditorium Audio Visual System (#910) This was discussed in conjunction
with Middle School Science and Performing Art Spaces (#838)
LHA Funding Request Mr Keane discussed the LHA's request for $300,551 of CPA
funding toward the Vynebrooke Village Exterior Preservation Project (total estimated cost is
$901,653 The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) voted 9-0 to support the project.
The LHA sought and has received assurance from the Massachusetts Department of
Housing and Community Development it will fund the predevelopment costs ($90,165) and,
subject to that CPA funding being approved, the funding of the balance of the project.
Mr Keane reviewed the complexities involved in funding these projects
LexHAB Funding Request Mr Kennedy discussed LexHAB's request for $750,000 of
CPA funding to a $1,200,000 project for the construction of two buildings for affordable
housing on the Busa Farm property on Lowell Street near Westminster Avenue While
some of the neighbors continue to have some reservations, adjustments have been made
in response to neighborhood concerns Those neighbors would like a traffic study done,
but as the current design is for not more than a total of six units (each building having two
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 3, 2013
2-bed-room units and one 1-bedroom unit), such a study is currently not planned The BoS
will make the determination of how many buildings and units would be proposed for Town
Meeting's approval The buildings will be designed to use passive and active measures to
achieve net-0 energy use The Committee made the following suggestions
• The Sustainable Lexington Committee should be apprised of the project, it is likely it
would support the project at Town Meeting
• The drawings should show where the photovoltaic cells would be installed
• The funding components should be clarified so the source of the other funding (i e ,
$450,000 of prior CPA funding) is detailed
• The Minuteman Regional High School should be approached about its ability to have
its students (with its staff's supervision) assist with constructing these buildings (The
current funding request is based on no such assistance being provided )
Minutes A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #2 Minutes of the CEC
Meeting, November 19, 2013 Vote 4-0
Liaison Reports Mr Kanter reported
• At last-night's meeting of the BoS it was announced that the closing on the purchase
of the 39 Marrett Road property has been postponed for a few days to accommodate
preparing the necessary paperwork. The BoS voted that the Warrant for the
2014 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) will be closed on December 27, 2013, that the
Town elections will be held on March 3, 2014, and the 2014 ATM will begin on
March 24, 2013
• Scheduling the Cary Memorial Building Upgrades project is challenging because the
building is heavily used by the Town, its heating and cooling systems also support
the Town Office Building, and the project will take about 15 months Summer
experiences the lowest demand on its space, making the beginning of the summer
2014 the best time to start the project—with completion of the project by the early fall
2015 This would require going out to bid in the spring of 2014 To accommodate
that, it is being considered to request that the BoS include a Special Town Meeting
that would begin and be dissolved near the start of the 2014 ATM to address the
construction funding of this project.
• At its meeting on November 21, 2013, the CPC took positions on applications it had
received for the use of FY2015 CPA funds for the following projects/purposes
o Hennessy Field Conservation Extension 0-9
o Cary Memorial Building Upgrades 9-0
o 39 Marrett Road Community Center Renovation 9-0
o Visitor Center Design Phase 9-0 Mr Kanter that while the BoS had voted to
include this funding request in the Warrant for the 2014 ATM, the BoS
withheld it support pending the Historical Society and the Tourism Committee
having resolved their differences relating to the Visitor Center Upgrades
o Hastings Park Gazebo Renovation No vote
o The undergrounding of power lines at Hastings Park (companion to the
gazebo renovations 0-9
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 3, 2013
o Completing the inventory of 259 homes that are currently identified by the
Historical Commission as provisionally historically significant 9-0
o Phase 3 Battle Green Master Plan No vote
o LHA's Vynebrooke Village Renovations 9-0
o LexHAB's Set-Aside Funds for Development of Community Housing at Busa
Farm 8-0-1
o The Recreation Department's multiple projects 9-0
o Debt service associated with the purchase of the property at 39 Marrett Road
and the Wright Farm 9-0
o The administrative budget request 9-0
Next Meetings The next two meetings will be on Mondays December 9th at 11 .00 A.M
and December 16th at 8.00 A M The agenda for the December 9th meeting will include going
into Executive Session under Exemption 6
Adjourn A Motion was made and seconded at 10.36 A.M to adjourn Vote 4-0
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on December 20, 2013
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