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Home My WebLink About2013-06-06-AC-min June 6 2013 Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee June 6, 2013 Place and time Ellen Stone Room, Cary Memonal Building at 7 30pm Members present Glenn Parker, Chair, John Bartenstem, Vice Chair and Secretary; Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine, Eric Michelson, Susan McLeish, Jonma Schonfeld, Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent Robert Cohen, Richard Neumeier Other Attendees Joe Pato, Selectman The meeting was called to order at 7 38pm 1 Announcements. Mr Levine reported that the Ad hoc Townwide Facilities Master Planning Committee is expecting to complete its interim report to the Selectmen this week, in time for the Selectmen's goal planning session. He recommends that this Committee read the report. A final report will be generated in the near future 2. Minutes. There was a motion to approve the minutes for May 9 and 29 with technical corrections being incorporated. The motion passed. VOTE 6-0 3 Liaison Reports. Mr Parker announced that the Selectmen have created a Community Center Advisory Committee and have asked for a liaison from the Appropriation Committee Mr Parker volunteered and suggested that it would be useful to have an alternate Ms McLeish and Mr Michelson volunteered. The new committee will be developing recommendations for integrating program needs into the facility on Marrett Road. The purchase of the property is expected to close in November The Selectmen would like a report as soon as possible Ms McLeish reported that on Monday night the Selectmen created a Cary Building Design Committee but no mention of an Appropriation Committee liaison was made at that time It was suggested that Mr Neumeier may be interested in such a position, if it's created, considering his past involvement with this project. Ms McLeish also reported that the Selectmen adopted a recommendation of the Tax Deferral and Exemption Study Committee to increase some of the thresholds associated with the senior service tax work-off program, which has been using less than the appropriated amounts in recent years This program allows low-income senior citizens to work for the Town and have their wages subtracted from their tax bill Effective July 1, the income threshold for individuals will increase from $50,000 to $53,000 annually, and wages will increase from $8.50 to $9.50 per hour The number of allowable hours of work is restricted. The income threshold for couples is remaining at $55,000, based on a position that couples have only one property tax bill to pay This Committee expressed general support for increasing a couple's income threshold, but the role the Appropriation Committee plays in such a decision wasn't clear 4 June 17, 2013 Special Town Meeting Warrant: Mr Michelson is preparing a beef wntten report on Article 3 "Technical Correction to Article 2 of the March 18, 2013 Special Town Meeting — Land Purchase Off Marrett Road" There was discussion about preparing a written June 6 2013 Minutes report for Article 4 "Approve TIF [Tax Increment Financing] Agreement(s)" Mr Parker volunteered to draft some language, he will include bullet points identifying reasons for supporting a TIF with uniQure Mr Bartenstem distributed and briefly reviewed a document listing multiple theoretical TIF scenarios to illustrate the proposition that it is necessary to consider the duration of a TIF, as well as the percentage of incremental taxes foregone during its term, in order to evaluate the relative cost of differing TIF arrangements Additional discussion was deferred until the Committee was in executive session. 5 Executive Session. At 8 10 p.m , following a declaration that discussion in 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 then return to open session. The motion was unanimously adopted, each member present having voted in the affirmative The Committee returned to open session at 9 05 p.m 6 Next Meetings. The Committee is scheduled to meet on June 12 at 7 30 p.m The Committee will also meet at 6.30 p.m prior to the June 17, 2013 Special Town Meeting. Mr Parker reported that he will be out-of-town. It was agreed that Mr Levine will make the Committee's presentation on Article 4 at Town Meeting. Mr Parker asked committee members to respond to his email about future meetings in which he provided a link to a "Doodle" request. Mr Addelson said that he is required to address the annual 3% transfers by July 15 It was agreed to meet either on July 10 or 11 to meet this deadline 7 Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9 18 p.m A list of documents and other exhibits used at the meeting is set forth below Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Recording Secretary Approved January 9, 2014 Exhibits 1 Meeting Agenda posted by Glenn Parker, Chair 2 TIF Scenarios, prepared by John Bartenstem, 6/6/2013 2