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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-05-26-CEC-min LL n Minutes of the Y 4 j Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting May 26, 2015 APRIL 19' Location and Time Town Office Building, Reed Room, 8.00 A M Members Present Jill Hai, Chair, David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk, Elizabeth Barnett, Rod Cole, Wendy Manz Members Absent None Others Present Bob Pressman, Housing Partnership, Dongxu Shan, John Zhao, Hua Peng Documents Presented • Notice of Public Meeting/Agenda for CEC Meeting, May 26, 2015 • Ms Manz's & Mr Kanter's Further Inputs to CEC's Input to the Board of Selectmen's (BoS') Goal Setting for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2016 & 2017 (Distributed by Mr Kanter's e-mail, May 20, 2015 3.30 P M to the other CEC Members and Ms Arnold) • Ms Manz's & Mr Kanter's Updated Affordable Housing Inputs to CEC's Input to the BoS' Goal Setting for FYs 2016 & 2017 (Distributed by Mr Kanter's e-mail, May 25, 2015 8.07 P M to the other CEC Members and Ms Arnold) Call to Order Ms Hai called the meeting to order at 8.02 A.M Committee's Input to the BoS' Goal Setting for FYs 2016 & 2017 The Committee reviewed the latest inputs previously received and discussed the further refinement of four of the proposed eight goals The changes agreed upon were as follows 1 Overall Capital Plannina Add a cite of the Working Group that Ms Hai is chairing to identify all the Town's contemplated, major, capital projects 3 Uparades to Roads Make minor changes to the phrasing to be consistent with the Minutes from the previous meeting on the 18th 5 Affordable Housina Policy After discussion of Ms Manz's proposed text, she offered to submit substitute text for this goal that considered the points that had been raised 8 Capital Proiect Submission Process The Committee felt that clarification was warranted regarding where in the process additional improvement was desired Ms Hai will address that change A Motion was made and seconded to approve the intents of each of the goals as discussed and authorized Ms Hai to consider the subsequent inputs, to modify the final language as consistent with those intents and the discussion this date, and then to release her final version to Linda Vine, Deputy Town Manager, by the established deadline Vote 5-0 Review of the Completed 2015 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) & Associated Special Town Meetings (STMs) from the Committee's Perspective The Committee felt it had done a good job in fulfilling its responsibilities and that both the Town Moderator's decision to have the Consent Agenda and the Committee's decision to have the Chair speak for all matters representing the Committee's positions—but still allowing members with minority positions to speak on those positions, if desired— contributed to the best use of Town Meeting's time The Committee asked Ms Hai to advise the Town Moderator that the Committee endorsed having a Consent Agenda, was open to the possible expansion in the future of which Articles it contains, but wanted the Moderator to continue to apply the rule she used for the 2015 ATM regarding the need for Page 1 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting May 26, 2015 unanimous support by the BoS, both Finance Committee, and as applicable for the particular Article, other standing Committees, Boards, and Commissions The Committee noted, however, there were a few instances where it lacked timely and complete information—particularly updates—from the Town staff that hindered the Committee in its orderly discussion and decision making That matter is being addressed to the BoS by our Goal #8 input to that Board and the Chair's discussion with Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance Ms Hai spoke to the situation where the Committee had taken a position, but later information—including the discussion at Town Meeting on an Article and its Motion—raised a question by one or more Committee members on what should be the Committee's position In a few cases, that led those Committee members to rise, as permitted in their role as Town Meeting members, to express a position contrary to that taken during the Committee's deliberations The Committee unanimously agreed that, in the future, if any Committee member has doubts about their prior position, that member should advise our Chair who would consider asking the Town Moderator to recess the Town Meeting so our Committee could caucus and, if needed, take a new vote on the matter at hand Committee's Actions Plan for FY2016 (including its role in the BoS' process for addressing the results from the efforts funded by the March 23, 2015, STM #1 for School Facilities Capital Projects, and the Committee's preparation for the expected Fall STM and the 2016 ATM) Ms Hai noted that the Committee faced intense demands in March as our Report to the Town Meetings was being assembled She suggested that the Programs section of our report—which addresses the roles of each of the Town Departments and functional areas, their recent accomplishments with prior appropriations, cross-references to the related Articles which will be before the upcoming Town Meeting(s), and their 5-year Capital Appropriation history—could be accomplished, except for the cross-referencing, in the months leading up to the Capital presentations to the Committee by the Departments, etc , that typically start in late October Ms Hai suggested the due date would be soon after Labor Day—which, this year, is September 7th The Committee unanimously endorsed that suggestion Mr Kanter was asked to distribute to the Committee members a word-processor file of this year's "final" report to the Town Meetings that he had released this past April 27th incorporating the separately published Errata and Updates so the members could use their respective Programs sections of it as a basis for their input to what will be the Committee's report to the 2016 Annual Town Meeting and any associated Special Town Meetings Ms Hai asked the members whether any wished to have their assignments changed as liaison for subject areas or formal liaison to other continuing Town bodies No member expressed any wish for a change (The attachment to these Minutes, therefore, reflects those continuing assignments ) Ms Hai raised the question as to whether there is a need for a meeting in June Mr Kanter suggested that unless some unexpected matter arose with capital implications, it appeared to him a June meeting would likely only be needed if some substantive new information regarding the School Facilities Capital Projects were to become available (e g , from another Pre-Summit Meeting) Ms Hai will advise the Committee if she sees the need for a June meeting Page 2 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting May 26, 2015 Member Concerns and Liaison Reports Mr Kanter brought to the Committee's attention the actions that they need to take if there is, or could be the appearance of, a financial conflict of interest—which is the case for any similar municipal employee He cited that Joe Pato, Chair of the BoS, had this discussed at the May 18, 2015, meeting of that Board Ms Hai said that our members' involvement in routine, on-going, capital programs (e g , on roads and water & wastewater infrastructure) normally do not present an opportunity for such a conflict of interest. As a parallel mater to notifying our appointing authority (the Town Moderator) if a member believes there is or could be a conflict of interest, Ms Hai reminded the members to ensure they have fulfilled their biennial ethics training (available on line) and reported the result to the Town Clerk's Office Mr Kanter advised the Committee that three members of the BoS signed a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) asking MassDOT to accelerate it's internal reviews of the 3-intersection Massachusetts Avenue Roadway Reconstruction Project whose construction funding is to be under the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Those reviews are necessary for the project to be move to 100% design with Plans, Specifications, & Estimates (PS&E) drawings in time for advertising the project by the end of September 2016 (Mr Pato has recused himself from matters related to that project as he is a direct abutter ) Mr Kanter reported on attending, with members Ms Hai and Ms Manz a presentation by Cinder McNerney, a member of the Swampscott Finance Committee and Managing Director, First Southwest Company, on Bond Ratings Overview The event was sponsored by the Association of Town Finance Committees of which both of Lexington's finance committees are members Ms Hai advised that Ms McNerney had provided a copy of the latest Moody's Investors Service, Inc , report on Lexington which gave the Town the highest-possible municipal long-term debt rating of Aaa on its bonds and the highest- possible municipal short-term obligation rating of MIG1 on its notes Ms Hai will make that report available to all Committee members Approval of Minutes A Motion was made and seconded to approve the draft Minutes for the Committee's meeting on May 18, 2015, as amended Vote 5-0 Adjourn A Motion was made and seconded at 9 48 A.M to adjourn Vote 5-0 Attachment Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee, Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments for Fiscal Year 2016 (as of May 26, 2015) These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on July 13, 2015 Page 3 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting May 26, 2015 ATTACHMENT Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments for Fiscal Year 2016 (as of May 26, 2015) The Committee members agreed to serve as liaisons to subject areas (including Town of Lexington departments and offices) as follows Affordable Housing Ms Manz Community Center Mr Kanter Conservation & Open Space Ms Manz Economic Development Ms Hai Facilities Mr Cole Fire and Police Ms Hai General Financial Mr Kanter Information Services Mr Kanter Library Ms Hai Public Works Ms Barnett Recreation Ms Manz Schools Mr Cole The Committee members agreed to serve as the formal liaisons to the following Lexington committees, commission, and boards, as follows Ad hoc Cary Memorial Building Renovation Design Committee (AhCMBRDC)t Mr Kanter Ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee (AhCCAC) Mr Kanter Ad hoc Townwide Facilities Master Planning Committee (AhTFMPC)t Mr Kanter Commission on Disability (CoD) Ms Manz Community Preservation Committee Mr Kanter Housing Partnership Board Ms Manz Lexington Center Committee Ms Manz Permanent Building Committee Ms Hai Planning Board Ms Manz Sustainable Lexington Committee Ms Barnett tlt is understood that the work of the AhCMBRDC and of the AhTFMPC have been completed and once it is confirmed that each committee has filed all of their Minutes, Reports, etc , it is expected the Board of Selectmen will formally dissolve those committees Page 4 of 4