The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2013-11-13-CPC-min Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee Wednesday, November 13, 2013 3:00 pm, Parker Room Town Office Building, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Present: Committee Members: Marilyn Fenollosa, Chair; Richard Wolk, Vice-Chair, Richard Canale, Norman Cohen, David Horton, Jeanne Krieger, Leo McSweeney, Robert Pressman and Sandra Shaw. Administrative Assistant : Nathalie Rice Also in attendance was David Kanter, Vice-Chair of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC). The meeting was called to order at 3:06 pm. by Ms. Fenollosa. 1.Debt Service and Administration Budget Ms. Rice updated the CPC on the status of the Debt Service and Administrative articles for Annual Town Meeting. There are three Debt Service articles, all of which are estimates at present. The first, for the 39 Marrett Road acquisition, is estimated to be $1,034,600. A short term note (a Bond Anticipation Note, or BAN) has been sold for this loan and short term interest ($115,000) will be due in February. (The appropriation for this BAN was approved at the 2013 Annual Town Meeting.) In February of 2014, the interest and principal will come due and be paid in FY15. The second article, the Debt Service for the acquisition of the Wright Farm is also an estimate. A note for the bond will be sold this year and it is estimated that the FY15 payment of principal and interest will be $413,000. Finally, the third Debt Service article will be the issuance of a short term note on the Marrett Road D&E that will likely be approved at the 2014 Annual Town Meeting; this short term note is estimated at $28,070. Ms. Rice noted that the Committee may wish to pay the D&E for Marrett Road, (only $645,775 as estimated at present) from CPA cash rather than incur debt. Ms. Rice also addressed the Administrative Budget article, explaining that the CPC annually sets aside $150,000 for the payment of administrative expenses. These include the Administrative Assistants salary at 3 days a week ($44,492, including health benefits), legal fees, membership dues to the Community Preservation Coalition ($7,000), minimal office needs, and the $50,000 set-aside for land acquisition planning. Any unspent funds from the Administrative Budget return to the Undesignated Fund Balance at years end. (In FY13, $56,422 was returned to the Undesignated Fund Balance.) 2.Vynebrooke Village Renovation - $300,551 Mr. Steve Keane, Executive Director for the Lexington Housing Authority presented this proposal for $330,551 to replace front doors, siding and the roofs at Vynebrooke Village, a 48-unit low income affordable housing community. Mr. Keane explained that he had applied for State funding, and had been approved by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for $601,102 of the full cost of $901,653. He presented the approval letter, dated October 25, 2103 which stated that the state funds were for an initial $90,165 in predevelopment costs. The CPC questioned whether the letter represented a commitment for full construction funding, to which Mr. Keane replied that it did. He went on to explain the project, noting that 1 CPC funding will be used for the replacement of siding, entrance doors, fascia, and roofs. Mr. Horton questioned whether any of the costs involved in the replacement might not be eligible for CPA funding. The Committee discussed this issue and decided to check on this matter. (The CPC reasoned, however, that because CPA funds were only requested for one- third of the total project cost, any ineligible expenses could be covered in the remaining two thirds DHCD funding .) Ms. Fenollosa questioned whether the CPC had approved funding in a previous year for window replacement, to which Mr. Keane replied that the Committee had, and that windows were not part of this project. He explained that the project would cover all 48 units, and added that he had also applied for State funding for two adaptable units at Vynebrooke. These units would be fully funded by the State. The CPC commended Mr. Keane for his diligence in securing State funding to offset CPA appropriations. (Ms. Krieger also thanked Mr. Keane for his excellent and thorough presentation at the recent First Friday meeting of the League of Women Voters.) The CPC took a straw vote on this rehabilitation project and voted their approval (9-0). 3.Battle Green Mater Plan, Phase 3 - $90,000 David Pinsonneault, Director of Operations for the DPW and Ms. Dawn McKenna, Chair of the Tourism Committee presented this proposal to the CPC. Mr. Pinsonneault commenced the discussion explaining that rather than applying for construction funds this year, it had been decided to more carefully address the design phase of the project. He said there are anticipated changes to the Battle Green area, which might necessitate design changes prior to construction. He noted that it was more prudent to wait until the Center Committee had issued its report solidifying the design of the Green and taking into account such things as the Buckman Tavern sidewalk renovations, and the relocation of certain crosswalks, both of which would have an impact on the design of the Battle Green sidewalks. Mr. Pinsonneault said that Phase 1 of the Battle Green Project covered the rehabilitation of the monuments and Phase 2 included the renovation of pathways and fencing. Since the Phase 2 work was integrally tied to the work around the Green, it will be put on hold pending the Phase 3 design study. Ms. Fenollosa asked when the Center Committee Study would be ready, to which Ms. McKenna replied that it would be ready next month. Mr. Kanter noted that the separation of design funds into two years seemed unusual. The FY15 project calls for $90,000 in D&E funds this year, and $125,000 in FY16. Mr. Pinsonneault said this was done at the suggestion of Mr. Livsey the Town Engineer. The CPC suggested that Mr. Pinsonneault might wish to put all his D&E costs up front. He will pursue this possibility with the Town Engineer. There was a brief discussion of the fountain under the Captain Parker statue. Mr. Pinsonneault said the decision making on the fountain centered on the color (bronze or verde green) and the specific use of the fountain. He said the issue would need further public input. Mr. Wolk said he was still confused about the status of the previous Battle Green projects for which the CPC and Town Meeting had approved funding, given that some of them were not affected by sidewalk and crosswalk configurations (for example, the monument rehabilitation). He stressed that it would be helpful if the applicant compiled a spreadsheet detailing when the project was approved, its description and its status. Members agreed, and Mr. Pinsonneault will compile such a list. 2 A straw vote was taken on this project, (6-0-3) with three members abstaining until further information was received. 4.Discussion of FY15 Projects Parker Meadow Accessible Trail Design and Construction Project, $34,500 a.Ms. Rice noted that this project was on the Agenda not only because an amended application had been submitted, but because the project had not been formally listed for discussion at the previous CPC meeting when it was discussed. The project application has been amended to a single project (where it had been a recreation and conservation project previously). It remained at the same request of $34,500 for the design phase. In FY16, a Phase 2 request will be submitted for construction funds. There were no members of the public in attendance for the discussion of the project. The Committee voted (9-0) in a straw vote to support the project. b.Pocket Park Project for FY15 Ms. Rice explained that she had talked to Melisa Tintocalis, the Economic Development Director, and that Ms. Tintocalis had stated that she would be postponing the construction phase of this project until FY16. In response to a question from the CPC, Ms. Rice noted that the legal issues related to the project have not yet been worked out a significant reason for the delay. 5.Updates and Member Concerns Ms. Fenollosa reviewed the meeting schedule for the remainder of the year relative to taking final votes on projects. Mr. Cohen will not be able to attend the December meetings and requested that the CPC might take final votes on projects for which there were no amendments needed. Ms. Fenollosa said that final votes will be taken at st the next meeting (November 21) on projects which are in their final form. After a discussion about the Visitor Center project, which may not be approved by the Selectmen until after the warrant is submitted, the Committee agreed it would suffice to make the CPC vote contingent upon BOS approval. Ms. Rice noted that the Needs Assessment Report hearing will probably be held in January or February. The following documents were submitted at the meeting: 1.A letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development, dated October 25, 2013, HILAPP Award for Vynebrooke Village Development (667-2), submitted by Steve Keane, Director of the Lexington Housing Authority. 2.Department of Housing and Community Development, Project Schedule 155065 for Lexington Housing Authority, (667-2), undated. The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Rice Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee 3