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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-03-CEC-min Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting June 3, 2014 Town Office Building, Parker Room; 8:00 .. Location and Time: AM David Kanter, Vice-Chair; Wendy Manz; Bill Hurley Members Present: Jill Hai, Chair; Beth Masterman Members Absent: Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Others Present: Documents Presented: Notice of Meeting/Agenda for CEC Meeting, June 3, 2014 Draft #3 of CEC Report to the 2014 Special Town Meeting (STM) (June 16) Ms. ManzÈs Input, June 2, 2014, to the CEC Input to the Board of SelectmenÈs (BoSÈ) Goal Setting (June19,2014) Ms.ManzÈs Summary, June2,2014, of the Board and Committee Chair Training, May 16, 2014 BoS Policy, ÅRemote Participation at Posted MeetingsÆ, approved by the BoS on March 10, 2014 In Ms. HaiÈs absence, Mr. Kanter called the meeting to order at 8:04 .. Call to Order: AM The Articles on Preparation for the CommitteeÈs Report to the June 16, 2014, STM: which this Committee will be reporting were discussed as follows: Article 3: Land AcquisitionÄOff Concord Avenue: The purpose of this Article is for the Conservation Commission (ConCom) to acquire a landlocked parcel of approximately 12 acres off 430 Concord Avenue. If the purchase were pursued, it is anticipated that Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds will be used. To meet requirements for the use of CPA funds, the Town was required to seek two appraisalsÄwhich the Town has now received. Details are being discussed by the BoS in Executive Session. The BoS must th decide by June 9 if they want to take such a request to the Community Preservation th CommitteeÈs June 10 meeting. It was noted that this purchase would resolve a title question associated with the parcel, which the Town has considered it owned and which it had designated as conservation land, but whose title is contested by the owner of the front lot at that address. In a straw vote, there was 3Ã0 support for this Article, but it was agreed that the Town should only purchase the land if Town Meeting approves Article 4 (discussed below). Article 4: Authorize Easement on Land at 430 Concord Avenue: The Town currently has a sewer easement on the front lot, but no other access rights. This Article is requesting authority to obtain an easement for public access on the front lotÄto include up to the Southern boundary with the back lot. This Committee agreed that it is appropriate to have an easement that also allows for public access from Concord Avenue to the back lot. A motion was made and seconded to ask the BoS to request that Town Meeting address Article 4 before Article 3. VOTE: 3Ã0 Page 1 of 3 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting June 3, 2014 Article 5: Schools Master Plan: This Article is requesting $250,000 to fund a 3Ãphased study to update the Schools 2009 KÃ12 Master Plan. It is anticipated that the consultant hired for this study will pursue Åspace miningÆ, a process for identifying available space in existing school buildings, as well as identifying additional space needed in the light of enrollment projections. It was noted that there may be a request for additional funding at a future Town Meeting to pursue the recommendations that result from this study. In a straw vote, there was 3Ã0 support for this Article. Article 6: Amend General BylawsÄContracts and Deeds: This Article will allow the Town to enter into contracts for solar facilities that run for 22 years rather than 20 years as currently stipulated. It was noted that this amendment to the Bylaw would require approval from the Massachusetts Attorney GeneralÈs office. It is expected that the TownÈs property on Hartwell Avenue will be considered for the installation of solar equipment. Mr.Kanter commented that there has been discussion of installing a modern firing range for the training of public-safety employeesÄlikely to be a regional resource, as is the current rangeÄon the Hartwell Avenue site, and he hopes the installation of solar facilities would not negatively impact the space needed for such a firing range. Ms. Manz added that she does not want the solar equipment to negatively impact the recycling opportunities that now exist at this site. In a straw vote, there was 3Ã0 support for this Article. Article 8: Establish and Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization funds: As there are no such actions currently contemplated, it is expected that the BoS will move for this Article to be Indefinitely Postponed. Article 10: Amend Article 5 of November 4, 2013, Special Town Meeting, Renovation to Community Center: This Article requests additional funds for renovating the purchased building for use as the Lexington Community Center (LCC). The new estimateÄnow based on the 90% construction documentsÄwhen burdened with the soft costs, is approximately $1.0 million more than the current appropriation of $6.22 million. That budget gap has been reduced to approximately $500,000 following a value-engineering process by the Town and the Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee (AhCCAC). nd Mr. Kanter reported that the AhCCAC provided the BoS with an interim update on June 2, and Peter Kelley, BoS, questioned the advisability of the about $500,000 reduction as he was concerned that might eliminating elements of the renovation that he would consider important for the LCC. The BoS discussed whether the proposed change in the scope would include a desirable change. They appeared to be 4Ã1 in favor of the reduction at this th time, but this Article will be discussed in more depth at the June 9 BoS meeting when even-more detailed information about the costs will be available. Mr. Kanter reported that the reduction includes approximately $40,000 for structural work that isnÈt needed if occupancy in one area is restricted to office use, as planned. The structural upgrade was originally included in the scope to avoid disruptive renovations if the use of this space is changed in the future to assembly use, but the AhCCAC believes that to be very unlikely. This Committee questioned whether heavy office equipment could create a problem for the use of this area for offices and thought it would be prudent to leave the structural upgrade in the scope regardless of the intended use. In a straw vote, there was 3-0 support for retaining the funding for the structural upgrade in the project scope, as Page 2 of 3 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting June 3, 2014 discussed above, if such heavy-equipment loads could become a factor; however, Mr. Kanter said he would discuss with Pat Goddard, Director of Public Facilities, whether such possible heavy office equipment would warrant the structural upgrade. Mr. Kanter reported that the bid documents for this project will include several add-alternates, in the following order: additional mill work in the building, the exterior repairs, and a ramp from the mansion to the garden area. The ramp is not required under the Americans with Disability Act, but without it, the access to the garden area is awkward for a disabled person. Article 11: Amend Article 2 of March 24, 2014, STM, Cary Memorial Building Upgrades: As there was only one general-contractor bidder for this project, and the bid price is within the existing appropriation, it is expected that the BoS will move for this Article to be Indefinitely Postponed. Article 12: Appropriate for Authorized Capital Improvements: As there are no such actions currently contemplated, it is expected that the BoS will move for this Article to be Indefinitely Postponed. This Committee reviewed the eight The CommitteeÈs Input to the BoSÈ Goal Setting: goals identified in the handout with Ms. ManzÈs input to the CEC input to the BoSÈ Goal Setting, scheduled for June 19, 2014. There were suggestions to clarify the wording in some of the goals. Ms. Manz will work on shortening the wording in the goal about affordable housing. The goal about capital planning will be listed first. It was agreed to remove the goal about the capital project-submission process. Mr. Kanter will incorporate the suggestions. It is anticipated that a final version will be submitted to the Town ManagerÈs office by the end of the day. Member Concerns and Liaison Reports: Mr. Kanter distributed a copy of the BoS policy regarding remote participation at posted meetings. Ms. Manz distributed her written summary of the Board and Committee Chair Training session that she attended on May 16, 2014Äas discussed at this CommitteeÈs meeting on May 29, 2014. She reviewed the process for establishing an agenda, which cannot be created by a quorum (either together or by using serial communications) unless it is done at a posted meeting, but individual members can recommend agenda items to the Chair. She also said that committee members cannot debate an issue on a ListServe; they can only report factual information on a ListServe. Mr. Kanter reported that the telephone number for this Parker RoomÈs teleconferencing unit is 781-698-4595; for this buildingÈs Reed RoomÈs unit it is 781-698-4596. th This Committee is scheduled to meet at 5:30 .. on June 10 and at Future Meetings: PM th 9:00 .. on June 11. There will be an effort to publish this CommitteeÈs report to the STM AM th before the Town Meeting Members Association Information Session on June 12. None Approval of Minutes: A Motion was made and seconded at 9:24 .. to adjourn. Adjourn:VOTE: 3Ã0 AM These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on August 26, 2014. Page 3 of 3