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Home My WebLink About2015-09-30-AC-min 9/30/15AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee September 30,2015 : Selectmen’s MeetingRoom,Town OfficeBuilding,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Kate Colburn; Alan Levine;Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier;Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:Beth Masterman; Mollie Garberg; Andrei Radulescu-Banu Other attendees: Joe Pato, Chair, Board of Selectmen (BoS); Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member The meetingwas calledto order at 7:36p.m. Announcements: 1.Mr. Bartenstein and Mr. Parker reported having attended a recent Conflict of Interest training session provided by the Town. Theyurged committee members to complete the required on-line training if they are not currently in compliance. It was noted that if an ethics violation is pursued for such non-compliance, the individual member will be held personally accountable. Committee Reports for the Two Fall Special Town Meetings(STM): 2.Mr. Pato reported that he expects two warrants to be signed by the Selectmen on Mondayfor STMs, as follows: nd November 2STM: This will be for non-school related articles, including the following: Wayland’s request to leave the MinutemanRegional VocationalTechnicalSchool district, which must be approved by all of the member communities to be accepted. A transfer of land at Busa Farm to Lexington Housing Assistance Board. A fundingrequestfor water system improvements under Massachusetts Avenue in areas east of Lexingtoncenter; this timing allows for summer of 2016 improvements to be completed prior tothe 2017State traffic improvement projects that are anticipated. Mr. Addelson commentedthat this will likely be paid using cash and debt. A request for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for improvements to the affordable housing planned for Wright Farm. A fundingrequest(approximately $25K)for afire station site study to determine how the current site could be used to meet fire station needs. An update to the Fiscal Year 2016 operating budget to reflect the financial settlement associated witha prior purchase ofa fire engine. CPA adjustments based on the amounts that will be allocated by the State. nd December 2STM: The warrant for this STM, which will be opened on November 2 but then adjourned to a later date, tentatively December 2, to permit additional preparation by the boards, committeesand staff,will be for school-related articles, including the following: A funding requestfor design developmentforClarke and Diamond Middle Schools,and possibly for Fiske Elementary School,based on plans that have been developed over the past year. A fundingrequestfor a Hastings Elementary School feasibility study tomeet Massachusetts School Building Authority(MSBA)guidelines. 1 9/30/15AC Minutes A funding requestfor purchasing and renovating theArmenian Sisters' Academyon Pelham Roadin Lexington to accommodate elementary public school students. A required second access road would most likely be through the Lexington Community Center site. Target dates associated with preparing the STMreports were identified: th October 5: The BoS expect to finalize the two warrants. The motions will not be available until later. th October 7: John Livsey, Town Engineer, and Fire Chief John Wilson will be invited to this Committee’s meeting. th October 14: Mr. Addelson will provide preliminary financial impact analyses; these will be subject to change, but changes should be relatively minor. thth October 15-26: Mr. Parker is traveling; Ms. Masterman has agreed to play the lead role in nd preparing the report for the November 2STM. ndnd October 22: This Committee approves its report for the November 2STM thnd October 26: This Committee publishesits report for the November 2STM. thnd November 19: This Committee approves its report for the December 2STM. rdnd November 23: This Committee publishesits report for theDecember 2STM. Mr. Parker agreed to create a spreadsheet with proposed committee member assignments for the various sections of the reports. Background material for some sections of the report can be started now. It was noted that there are also two Budget Summits scheduled in preparation for the spring thth 2016 Annual Town Meeting: October 8and November 12. Discussion included the following commentsand answers to questions: Town Meeting needs to receive a broad review of the financial impacts on taxpayers of the various school projects, including the high school heating, ventilation, air conditioning needs, coupled with the town requirements, including a new fire station and police station. Anyfinancingfor various school and town facilities thatdoesn’t come from excluded debt would impactthe capital stabilization fund, regularly scheduled capital projects,and/or services. The impact of seeking 30 year bonds versus20 year bondsis being reviewed. A previous analysis involving most of the projects being contemplated indicated that the impact on the taxpayer in 2021 would increase to levels of concern. Opening another school, such asonPelham Road,would impact the operating budget; those impactsneed to be identified and understood. The Lexington Community Center does not add appreciably to the operating costs in the near future. Lexington should know in Decemberwhether the MSBA approves the renovation/rebuilding of Hasting Elementary School; it is expected that the Town would save $20-30 million with MSBA assistance. Minutes: 3.Some minor edits were recommended for the Open and Executive Session Minutes for September 9, 2015. A motion was made and seconded to approve this Committee’s Open Sessionand Executive 2 9/30/15AC Minutes Session Minutes for September 9, 2015,with edits, as requested. The motion passed. VOTE: 6-0. Liaison Reports: 4. Mr. Michelson reported on plans to rebuild the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School (Minuteman Tech), which will cost approximately $145 million. MSBA has approved the project with a maximum reimbursement planof 40%; current MSBA approved projects are for no more than 31%. Lexington’s share, based on enrollment, which can fluctuate, would be approximately $475,000 per year for 30years. It was noted that this results in a 50% increase in the Town’s annual Minuteman Tech obligations. If funding isn’t approved and the school closes, Lexington students who want toattend a technical school would need to go to anout-of-districtfacilityfor which the Town pays tuition and transportation costs. It can bechallengingto find space in out-of-district technical schools. Ms. Colburn reported that there are plans to lease space for three years that will accommodate the pre-kindergarten program starting in the fall of 2016. Anew/renovated facility for pre-kindergartenneedsto be available by the fall of 2019if the lease is not extended. Ms. Colburn reported that the School Committee discussed using a portion of the $4,080,000 appropriated for school projects at the March, 2015Special Town Meeting to further the designofstandard modular buildings, which could be used at overcrowded schools in fall 2016 if the purchase of the Pelham Road property does not materialize. Ms. Colburn shared concerns expressedby citizensat a recent School Committee meeting about spending $15 million to renovatethe Pelham property,which would allowonly5 years of useful life before more investment would be needed. Mr. Bartenstein reported on the current status of FY2016 water and sewer rate-making proceedings, which are due for a final determination by the BoSon Monday, October 5and the feedback he has providedto Town Staff and the BoS duringthe process. There was discussion of the usage estimates on which the rates are based, usage trends, the availability of Section 1 irrigation readings from the summer as a proxyfor anticipated town-wide usage in the coming fiscal year, and the management and use of fund surpluses. Mr. Addelson noted that the final staff recommendation is still under consideration and emphasized that to the extent there is conservatism in the usage projections, the primary concern is to protect the integrity of the Town’s finances. Adjournment: 5.The Committee adjournedat 9:33 p.m. The documentsused at the meeting arelistedbelow. Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Recording Secretary Approved October 7, 2015 3 9/30/15AC Minutes Exhibits 1.Agenda,posted by Glenn Parker, Chair 2.Historical Water and Sewer Usage and Projections; FY2015 Projections;prepared by Mr.Bartenstein 4