HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-12-12-CCAC-min
TOWNOFLEXINGTON
AdhocCommunityCenterAdvisoryCommittee(AhCCAC)
Minutes
Date: December 12, 2013
Place and time: Cary Memorial Building, Estabrook Hall, 8:00 ..
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Members Present: Michelle Ciccolo, Chair; Mary Ellen Alessandro; Betty Borghesani; Harry Forsdick; Laura
Hussong; Florence Koplow; Leslie Zales
Members Absent: None
Liaisons Present:Staff: Charlotte Rodgers, Human Services; Karen Simmons, Recreation; Pat Goddard,
Department of Public Facilities; Chief John Wilson, Fire Department; Chief Mark Corr for John Mazerall,
Police Department; Committees: Jon Himmel, Chair, Permanent Building Committee; Glenn Parker, Chair,
Appropriation Committee; Beth Masterman, Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC); Deb Mauger and Joe
Pato for Norm Cohen, Board of Selectmen (BoS); Jessie Steigerwald, School Committee
Liaisons Absent (liaisons only attend as-requested and as-available to address relevant agenda items):Staff:
Linda Vine, Vice Chair of AhCCAC, Town Manager’s Office; Chris Filadoro, Public Works; Shawn Newell,
Public Facilities; Koren Stembridge, Library; Dorinda Goodman, Information Technology; Committees:
Steffian Bradley Architects (SBA) Consultant Representatives: Teresa Wilson, Joe Sirkovich, Richard Berry
Also present: Sheila Butts, staff, Recreation Department; David Kanter, CEC; Nancy Adler, Chair, Council on
Aging Board; Joel Adler, Town Meeting Member; Stew Kennedy, Conservation Commission; Rita Sagalyn,
resident
Recording Secretary: Sara Arnold
The meeting was called to order by Ms. Ciccolo at 9:10 ..
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1.Opening Comments
: Ms. Ciccolo thanked the Committee, the staff, and other volunteers for the major effort
that has gone into preparing for this Saturday’s Community Center Open House and for responding to her
request for comments on her draft Board of Selectmen (BoS) presentation. Those in attendance applauded Ms.
Ciccolo’s leadership of the Committee. (Note: LexMedia was not recording the meeting.)
2.Minutes:
One correction was made to the December 3, 2013 Minutes. There was a motion and second to
approve the December 3, 2013 Minutes as amended. The motion passed. VOTE: 7-0
3.Correspondence
: Ms. Ciccolo reported that she received and has distributed correspondence from:
The Transportation Advisory Committee, which recommends a coordinated effort by all the Town’s
transportation-related committees to look at site access from multiple perspectives; and
Chief Wilson, who believes the High School is better suited as an emergency shelter than is the new
Community Center. He recommends an emergency generator at the Community Center, if possible.
Chief Wilson added that an additional access road, which can be two-way, will be required if the Town adds
facilities on the site. In response to a concern about the Marrett Road/ Massachusetts Avenue intersection, Ms.
Mauger reported that the intersection is being evaluated, but improvements will be extremely expensive and
may be Transportation Improvement Program eligible, which requires a state process.
4.SBA December 12, 2013 PowerPoint Presentation—Phase 1:
Ms. Wilson began with a recommendation to
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postpone building a ramp or new stairway, as discussed at the AhCCAC December 9 meeting, until Phase 2,
for the following reasons:
They are not in the Phase 1 budget.
The basement area under the mansion needs a lot of work, in addition to access, to become usable space.
Mr. Himmel suggested that any dampness in the mansion basement should be addressed as soon as
possible, regardless of access issues.
These projects could be done during Phase 2 even though the building will be occupied.
Phase 2 may include a stairway outside of the current building footprint.
Using the building without the ramp and additional stair case will be informative about the needs.
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Ms. Wilson reviewed small changes in the Phase 1 floor plans based on discussions at the December 3 and
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December 9 meetings. These included changing the area next to the basement Fitness Room, which was
previously identified for Equipment Storage, to an area for Small Group Fitness. The Small Group Fitness
area could be for a Balance, Strength, and Conditioning Room, as requested by residents associated with those
who have disabilities. Ms. Alessandro reported that she is attending the Commission on Disability meeting
today and wants to know what commitments are being made to this population. The ensuing discussion
included the following comments/responses to questions:
Ms. Ciccolo said that although no other locations have been identified for Small Group Fitness, there may
be other appropriate locations for this activity designation.
Ms. Simmons reported that the Recreation Department has 360 square feet of storage space in the Cary
Memorial Building, and it isn’t clear where there will be comparable space in 39 Marrett Road if the
Equipment Storage area becomes a place for Small Group Fitness activities.
Ms. Koplow asked for a detailed review of all the functions/programs and where they will be held. Ms.
Wilson noted that this is what SBA has been doing for all of the existing programs, and the SBA capacity
study shows that there is still capacity for additional programs, especially for small group programs. It was
agreed that this process has not been done for new programs or programs run by non-Town organizations.
Ms. Ciccolo explained that this would be complex because such programs require additional staff and
management of the facility and there is currently no budget for this. She added that the reason for listing all
of the new programming ideas is to avoid losing sight of them.
Other changes to the Phase 1 floor plans were mentioned and triggered comments, as follows:
Opening doorways to a lounge area off the rotunda on the first floor: There was concern that the lounge
area off the rotunda may not feel cozy. In response, it was suggested that experience will determine the
best arrangements for lounge areas, and it is best to remain flexible.
Putting a coffee counter in the rotunda on the first floor: It was agreed that the coffee counter should be in
the lounge area.
Enlarging the area identified for a Fix-It Shop on the basement floor: There were some questions about
why this change was made.
ACTION ITEMS: SBA will explore options for Recreation Department storage and alternatives for a Balance,
Strength, and Conditioning Room. They will also review the area that currently includes the Fix-It Shop.
5.SBA December 12, 2013 PowerPoint Presentation—Phase 2:
Mr.Sirkovich reviewed the list of facility
enhancements that have been identified for Phase 2. The following items on the list were discussed:
An Emergency Generator: This replaced the emergency shelter that had been previously listed.
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Optimization: Mr. Goddard explained that the
optimization will involve the current building and any new building. It will include a capacity analysis,
energy recovery ventilation, and upgrading the HVAC system in the current building; this can’t be done at
this time because the magnitude of Phase 2 has not been determined.
A Large Multi-Purpose Room: SBA provided information on building a multipurpose room that seats
200, 250 or 300 people banquet style. Ms. Wilson noted that they calculate 15 square feet per person for
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banquet style. This translates into $270,000 for each increase of 50 people over the $2.1 to $2.3 million
estimate for 200 people. There was discussion about the desired capacity for this room.
Mr. Parker commented that a previous study recommended a capacity of 200 people banquet style and
said the Town should not over-build.
Chief Corr urged consideration of the on-going security demands and operating expenses associated
with large buildings and expressed his concern that the existing 39 Marrett Road building is already a
challenge for addressing security. Ms. Ciccolo reported that staff is developing a security design.
Ms. Borghesani said that a larger multipurpose room will be needed if a gym isn’t available.
Committee members generally agreed that the multipurpose room should accommodate 250 people
banquet style.
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December 16 BoS Presentation:
This Committee discussed possible recommendations/comments that
should be presented to the BoS on Monday night, as follows:
Separating Phase 2 into Two Components/Phases: It was agreed that, at this time, this Committee should
be making a recommendation regarding which components should be pursued; recommended sequencing
can be addressed later.
ACTION ITEM: SBA will generate cost estimates associated with sequencing that identify the impact of
addressing the components as separate projects as well as the standard inflation escalator for postponing
any portion of the project. The outlying years for the cost estimates will be identified.
Teen Center in Phase 2: A Teen Center, including whether a gym is an essential component of such, has
not been addressed by this Committee. It was agreed that a teen center requires considerable planning, and
making such recommendations is premature.
Phase 2 Large Multi-Purpose Room: This Committee is recommending a facility to accommodate 250
people banquet style.
ACTION ITEM: Ms. Ciccolo will incorporate supporting documentation for a large multi-purpose room
into her report to the BoS to better identify the needs for such a facility.
Council on the Arts: It was agreed that the BoS should be asked to reach out to the Council on the Arts to
request assistance in decorating the facility for its Phase 1 opening next fall.
6.Open House:
Final details for the Saturday Open House were reviewed. Use of the elevator will be observed.
7.Next Meeting:
The AhCCAC will not meet until a to-be-determined date in January.
8.Adjourn:
There was a motion and second to adjourn the meeting at 10:07 .. The motion passed. VOTE:
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7-0
These minutes were approved on January 8, 2014.
Materials used at the meeting:
Public Meeting Agenda, December 12, 2013, AhCCAC
Memo: Transportation Advisory Committee to Ms. Ciccolo, Chair AhCCAC, regarding 39 Marrett Road Site
Access; December 11, 2013
Letter: Chief John A. Wilson, Fire Department, to Ms. Ciccolo, Chair AhCCAC; December 9, 2013
Lexington Community Center Open House, December 14, 2013, welcome flyer with Lexington Community
Center, Self-Guided Tour, (floor plans) and Frequently Asked Questions flyer
Lexington Community Center; AhCCAC Public Meeting – December 12, 2013; PowerPoint prepared by SBA
Draft Memo to the BoS from Ms. Ciccolo, Decmber 13, 2013
Multi-Purpose Room/Banquet space at the Lexington Community Center, prepared by Laura Hussong and
Florence Koplow as a supplement to the Draft Memo to the BoS
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