HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-02-03-LEXHAB-min FROM Hays & Skerry FAX NO. 617 423-4050 Feb. 10 2014 11 17AM P5
LexHAB
Minutes of Meeting on February 3,2014
The meeting opened at 7.08 AM.The Chairman presided.
Present were Bill Kennedy,Chair,Bob Burbidge,Vice-Chair,Bill Hays,Les Savage and
Dave Eagle.Pat Nelson,LexHAB's attorney,was also present as was Bob Pressman.
1 Minutes.
The minutes of the January 6 meeting were unanimously accepted as mailed.
Draft minutes of the January 28 meeting were distributed;no action was taken as to
these.
2. Financial Reports:
Dave Eagle commented on the recent movement of funds from checking to
LexHAB's MMDT account;this leaves$120,000 in checking.The Fairview project will
require much more than$120,000 but MMD`I funds can be withdrawn at any time
without penalty
Dave also noted,with regard to the annual statements and the accompanying spread
sheets, that he,Gerry Howell and Karen had recently met to review same;there appear to
be no loose ends.
A question was asked why the P&L statement for 2013 shows no depreciation
whereas the statement for 2012 does.The likely reason seems to be that the auditors
determine the correct figure for depreciation and the 2013 reports have not yet been
submitted for audit.
3 Busa Farm.
A. Meeting with Representatives of Lex-Farm on Jan.28'
Bob Burbidge reported that the meeting seemed to have gone well.He noted that
at the close of the meeting,Janet Kern and Ken Kaufsky asked to see the following as
soon as available:
-Description and location of the proposed rain gardens designed to
accommodate on site at least part of the run-off from the new buildings.
FROM Hays a Skerry FAX NO. 617 423-4058 Feb. 10 2014 11 17AM P6
-Any plans we may have showing the location of the drain pipe that runs from
Lowell Street under the housing parcel and then under the fields.
It was noted that the first of these requests has already been met;the drain location
plan and sketch will be forwarded by Les to Lex-Farm,
B. The Drain Pipe:
The large plan dated 2010 showing the area with the pipe location penciled in was
reviewed.
Dave noted that it is possible although not certain that subsurface ground water
under the fields may be flowing into the pipe;it has been observed that ground water
entering the pipe at the catch-basin on Lowell Street does not account for the volume of
water discharging from the pipe at its end.
C, Subdivision Plan:
The recorded plan of the Farm was reviewed, It was noted that the parcel shown
off lower Lowell Street(Parcel 2 on the plan)is not going to pass 100%into LexHAB's
hands,the Selectmen having approved only about half of this parcel for housing.it was
also notcd that this plan is a Land Court plan,meaning that the title to the farm has been
registered.
Assuming that the Town is going to prepare a new plan showing subdivision of
this parcel,there was concern that approval of the new plan may be delayed because of
Land Court involvement,
Pat Nelson will check with Town Counsel and with the Town's
Engineering Department to determine whether a new plan is going to be required and if
so,who will prepare it,As for delay,Pat noted that plan approvals of this kind are
handled administratively by the Land Court's engineering department,a process that does
not involve hearings before a judge. She does not anticipate any undue delay in the
approval process.
D Next Step:Board of Selectmen:
Bob Pressman commented on the desirability of our securing a decision from the
Selectmen on the density question before the CPC Articles are taken up in Town
Meeting.There was general endorsement of Bob's point;The Chair,and in his absence,
the Vice-Chair will seek a date to appear before the Board. March 10 would be a first
choice as Bill Kennedy will be in Town at that time.
The objective of the appearance will be limited to the issue of how many units we
FROM Hays 2. Skerry FAX NO. 617 423-4058 Feb. 10 2014 02 50PM P1
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will be allowed to build. Once we-know how many units are to•go on the site,we can
prepare the final package including plans and layouts that DHCD will require.But first,
we will submit the package to the Selectmen for their endorsement which is required for
a friendly 40-b application and which DHCD will therefore be looking for
The importance of the presence at the Selectman's meeting of Carter Scott,Karl
Oldenberg and John Noonan was noted.
it was noted that the Selectmen earlier voted to allow 4 housing units on the site.
But that decision was made without input from us on the density question;we had not
asked for resolution of that question and did not therefore present to the Board our
reasons for advocating 6 units.With support from some Selectmen,we are now simply
asking for reconsideration on the density matter
Two of the neighborhood requests remain to be satisfied.John Noonan is working
on the sight-line plan and Karl Oldenberg on the horizon photograph,
4.Fairview
Bill Hays reported that DHCD has not rendered its decision_Bill spoke with Aaron
t Henry last)vho promised to call the contact person at DHCD to urge a timely decision.
5 Muzzey Condominium:
Pat Nelson,having attended the Special Meeting of unit owners,reported that the unit
owners voted to oust the Board of Trustees except for Grace Ayers anci9elected a new
one.The new Board is pursuing alternatives to installation of sprinklers
Though authorized to vote the LexHAB shares,Pat did not vote nor.did she speak,
consistent with our long standing policy to let the non-municipal owners`run their
condominium without having to deal with LexHAB and therefore the Town
6 Parker School Condominium:
Pat reported that roof-leak problems have surfaced this winter It is likely that a full
re-roofing is in the offing.There are not estimates so far
The conditions in the storage areas flagged by the Town have been addressed at
considerable expense, Still,one of the Trustees continues to press for a de-leading of the
common areas but the Town has so far not cited the building on the lead issue.
Pat noted also that the Trustees have approved a 5%increase in monthly maintenance
fees to begin to replenish the condominium's reserves which have been exhausted.This is
independent of any assessment or monthly maintenance fee increase to finance a new
roof
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7 Tenant Selection Guidelines:
There was discussion about Aaron Henry's recent E-mail calling to LexHAB's
attention a recent Massachusetts cowl decision involving what providers of affordable
housing may or may-not ask prospective tenants to furnish,Pat noted that decisions of
this kind often end up applicable for the most part to the facts of the particular case and
are not therefore of universal application.
Nonetheless,the consensus was that we should give attention to the decision and to
Aaron's suggestion that we do so.
Pat will again review our application forms and she will also work up a script for use
in interviews with prospective tenants.
8 Other Business:
There was discussion once more on a subject often discussed:namely,LexHAB's
waiting list(actually,the absence of a LexHAB waiting list)
Our policy and resulting practice was reviewed;the members expressed their
continued endorsement of the award of housing based on greatest need among to pool of
interested applicants at the time of selection.We do not award on the basis of waiting-list
seniority nor on the basis of a lottery,though we have had to accept lottery selection as to
all units built with CM funds.
9 Next Meeting:
The next meeting will be on March l Os'at 7 A.M.at the LexHAB office at 4 Militia
Drive in Lexington.
Respectfully Submitted
William C Hays,Secretary Pro Tern