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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-12-04-AC-min 12/04/13 Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee December4, 2013 : LegionRoom,Cary Memorial Building,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Mollie Garberg;Alan Levine;Susan McLeish; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier;Rob Addelson (non- voting, ex officio) Members Absent:Robert Cohen;Jonina Schonfeld Others Present:Dawn McKenna The meetingwas calledto order at 7:35p.m. Announcementsand Liaison Reports: 1.Mr. Neumeier reported ona recent Cary Memorial Renovation Design Committee meeting. It now appears that renovationcosts are going to be $669,350greater than originally projected. Among the reasons for the increase is the addition of ashed for storingsnow removal equipmentthat was not originally included in the project. It will cost $30,000 (reduced from $47,000)and is not expected to be Community Preservation Act eligible.Other issues include the discovery that some concrete columns have deteriorated. The project cost is now $8,537,126, and it is anticipated that the project will take 15 months to complete. The plan is to go out to bid as soon as possible so the project can begin in early summer,when the building experiences its lowest usage, and be completed by the end of summer 2015. Mr. Parker reported that the Selectmen have voted on a schedule that includes holding town rdth elections on March 3and starting the Annual Town Meeting on March 24. There may be a Special Town Meeting on the first day of the Annual Town Meetingto address funding for the Cary Memorial Building renovation project. Mr. Parker reported that the Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee has solid Phase 1 plans to renovate 39 Marrett Road for a Community Center. They are now addressing plans for Phase 2, including an extensive additionthat could include a gym, banquet hall and greenhouse, but a Phase 2 project of this magnitude may not be politically feasible at this time. Minutes: 2.A motion was made and seconded to accept the November24, 2013 Minutes with changes made by Mr. Bartenstein. The motion passed. VOTE: 7-0 Increase Expense Limit for Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Access 3. Revolving Fund: The Town is pursuing plans to use a Verizon underground conduit for fiber- opticcommunication cables that will connect 201 Bedford Street with the Town Office Building and the Police Station. Currently,the Town is using RCN connections that are on poles, which are subject to disruptions from weather, accidents andother potential incidents. The underground conduit will provide valuable redundancy and less vulnerability. 1 12/04/13 Minutes The PEG Access Fund has available funds to cover the $40,000 needed to pull the fiber through the conduit and cover the necessary police details; however, Town Meeting voted a$450,000 ceiling on FY2014 expenditures from the PEG access fundthat was based onthe LexMedia contract. The ceiling can be increasedif the AppropriationCommittee and Board of Selectmen vote to do so. There was a motion and second to approve raising the spending ceiling on the PEG Access Fund by $40,000 to accommodate this expenditure. The motion passed. VOTE: 7-0 Reserve Fund Transfer for Patriots Day Safety and Security Measures: 4.To address heightened concernsabout security and safety during 2014 Patriots Day activitiesfollowing last year’s Marathon bombing, a request for additional funds has been made by the Police Department ($20,000) and bythe Department of Public Works($22,000).A transfer from the Reserve Fund, whichhas not yet been tapped in FY2014 and has a current balance of $900,000, can cover these expenses. It was noted that noReserve Fund transfers were made in FY2013. Mr. Addelson will get answers to the following questions: Will the added safety and security measures be in place all three days ofPatriots Day activities? What is the current Police and DPW budget for Patriots Day activities? Willtherebea similar need for additional security at other Town eventssuch as the Memorial Dayparade? There was a motion and second to approve the transfer of $42,000 from the Reserve Fund to cover the costs of additional safety and security measures during Patriots Day activities. VOTE: 7-0 Errata for theCommittee’s Report to the November 2013 Special Town Meeting: 5. Mr. Parker distributed a memorandum identifyingfive correctionshe proposes to make to the Committee’s reportto the November 2013 Special Town Meeting.There were questions about the process for making and circulating such correctionsand whether the corrected reportwould needto be acceptedby Town Meeting.Mr. Parker will get more information before pursuing this. FY2015 Budget Projections and Recommendations for the next Budget Summit: 6. This Committee discussed the approximately $1.9 million in unallocated funds for FY 2015that was recentlyreported at a budget summitas open for discussion. A variety of potential uses were identified and various opinions were shared but there was no consensus. Mr. Addelson discussed the disposition of reserves contained in the Health Insurance Trust Fund that are no longer needed due to the Town’s participation in the GIC.There will be a report with various scenarios. One proposal is to use $1.0 million (out of $6.0-7.0 million) to helpfund the FY2015 Health Insurancebudget, thus reducing amount required from the General Fundby $1.0 million. Themoney freed up could then be applied toward the Town’s OPEBliability. 2 12/04/13 Minutes With respect to the preparation of the FY2015 budget, Mr. Addelsonreported the following: The Town Manager will be presenting his budget to the Board of Selectmen in early January. There will be a General Fund component for Phase 2 of the Community Center project. Pavement projects are being adequately funded, althoughsome roads need reconstruction, not just repaving. It is anticipated that costs associated with Cary Memorial Building or Visitor Center renovations that are not CPA-eligible will be covered by within-levy debt. The general Stabilization Fund has not beenfunded for several years so it is a smaller percent of the total budget;however, funds have gone into otherstabilizationfunds, thus maintaining an adequateaggregate. Ms. McKenna reportedthat the Selectmen recently expressed support for upgrading theVisitor Center. At the same time, Selectman Peter Kelley commented thatthe Town shouldbuild a new police station and fire station before the Visitors’ Center isrenovated.Ms. McKenna notedthat tourism is a growth industry in Massachusetts,and taxesfor food and accommodationsplus the multiplier effectprovide revenue for the Town; if the Town supports tourism, this can help pay for projects such as a new police station or fire station. The meeting was adjourned at 8:55p.m. A list of documentsand other exhibits used at the meeting is set forth below. Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Approved January 23, 2014 Exhibits 1.Meeting Agenda posted by GlennParker, Chair 2.MEMO: Report to the November 2013 Special Town Meeting Corrigenda, prepared by Glenn Parker, December 2, 2013 3