HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-10-27-CEC-minMinutes of the
Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 27, 2015
Location and Time: Town Office Building, Parker Room, 7:30 A.M.
Members Present: Jill Hai, Chair; David Kanter, Vice -Chair & Clerk; Elizabeth Barnett;
Wendy Manz
Members Absent: Rod Cole
Others Present: Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation and Community Programs;
Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation; Aaron Henry, Planning Director;
Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development; David Kucharsky, Assistant
Planning Director; Patty Moore, Budget Officer, Finance Department; Bob Pressman,
Community Preservation Committee; Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member; Sara Arnold,
Recording Secretary
Documents Presented:
• Notice of Public Meeting for CEC Meeting, October 27, 2015
• Recreation Department's FY2017— FY2021 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs)
• Planning Department's FY2017— FY2021 CIPs
• Recreation Facilities & Open Space; inventory prepared by Lexington Recreation
and Community Programs
• Recreation Facilities and Open Space Renovations and /or Reconstructions,
10/26/2015; history prepared by Recreation Department
• Town of Lexington Pine Meadows Golf Club Equipment Inventory update 9/2/15;
prepared by Recreation Department
• Granite Forest; proposal prepared by the Lincoln Park Committee
• Capital Expenditures Committee Report to November 2, 2015, Special Town
Meeting #2
• Updated FY2017- FY2021 CIP #979, Munroe School Roof; prepared by the
Department of Public Facilities
Call to Order: Ms. Hai called the meeting to order at 7:34 A.M.
Discussion of Recreation Department's CIPs: Mr. Coleman reviewed the status of
capital projects that had been previously funded, as referenced in the handout. He and
Ms. Simmons then discussed the FY2017— FY2021 CIPs, as follows:
• Athletic Facility Lighting ( #278): This 2 -year project request is for $350,000 in
FY2018 and $505,000 in FY2019. The oldest lights were installed in 1986. The new
lights will provide approximately $244,000 in savings in electricity over 25 years. In
response to questions, they added the following:
➢ Although a year ago this project was scheduled to start in FY2017, it has been
delayed to allow time to consider the possible impact of locating a new high
school in the center field area. Staff from the appropriate departments (school
and town) meet as a team to ensure projects are coordinated.
➢ Recently received cost estimates were used in this CIP; the 22% increase
indicates that the estimates used a year ago were from several years prior.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 27, 2015
➢ As with all the requests being made for funding from the Community Preservation
Fund (CPF), if that funding isn't supported by the Community Preservation
Committee, the Recreation Committee will revisit each and determine its next
steps.
➢ Maintenance of the current lights over six years is approximately $15,000.
• Pine Meadows Improvements ( #280): This project will address drainage issues at
the 4'" and 8th greens. The funding request has increased, as compared to a year
ago, because the scope has been expanded. The 8th green developed serious
problems that need to be addressed as soon as possible, thus the time line has
been accelerated, as compared to a year ago.
• Park and Playground Improvements ( #282): Every year, staff evaluate and prioritize
the park and playground needs. The fence around the center playground is 40 years
old and in serious disrepair. Safety is a concern; the project has been accelerated as
compared to a year ago. The proposal is for an 8 -foot fence to replace the current
4 -foot fence.
• Town Pool Renovation ( #283): Despite the current filtration system having a life
expectancy of 15 years, it was last updated in 1980. Repairs are frequent and
increasing in cost. The project includes a $166,000 FY2017 CPA request for design
and engineering, including preparation of bid documents. Construction costs
included in the CIP reflect current estimates. They will be updated based on what is
learned during the design phase. It is a complicated project. The project currently
includes all of the recommendations from a FY2008 study. The splash pad with
water sprays represents about $300,000 of the project's estimates.
• Park Improvements — Athletic Fields ( #518): There is an ongoing effort to work with
the schools to identify projects that need to be pursued. The FY2017 project is for
Adams Park behind the Waldorf School. The Waldorf School pays a fee to use the
field. There is an FY2021 request for a central command irrigation system to improve
the monitoring of the systems around Town. Although this would result in some cost
savings, it is considered a luxury. Projects that involve safety concerns are given
priority. Although use of the CPF is contemplated in this CIP, eligibility has not yet
been reviewed by Town Counsel.
• Pine Meadows Equipment ( #519): Having inside storage has extended the life of the
equipment used at Pine Meadows.
• Park Improvements —Hard Court Resurfacing ( #532): The basketball and tennis
court surfaces need to be resurfaced every 12 -15 years. The basketball courts at
Rindge and Kinneens Parks need full reconstruction because of their condition.
• Center Track and Field Reconstruction ( #732): As with the Center Field Lighting, this
project has been postponed a year —in this case until FY2019 —in an effort to have
more information about the potential location of a new high school. In response to
questions, Ms. Simmons reported the following:
➢ Test results indicate that there are no health risks associated with the synthetic
turf and the in -fill material being used in Lexington and being contemplated for
this project. It is the best option given the high usage of Lexington fields.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 27, 2015
➢ Because the scope for this project has not been changed and because there are
no new estimates available, the CIP is using the same funding amounts as last
year. It is their standard practice to use the most current estimates for the scope
rather than adding inflation to an old estimate.
Request from Committee members: The date of the current estimate would be
helpful.
• Granite Forest at Lincoln Park ( #976): This is a public -art project with plans for a
public /private partnership to build it. It will be managed by the Lincoln Park
Committee, which has a $1.0 million endowment. The CIP is requesting $30,000
from the CPF. Granite pieces from the site of the Inn at Hastings Park will be used
for benches and artistic displays. Security at sites throughout Lexington is being
reviewed. This site will be included. Lighting may be considered for some locations.
Request from Committee members: A sketch showing dimensions would be helpful.
Discussion of Planning Department's CIPs: Mr. Henry introduced the CIPs by
acknowledging that the Planning Department does not usually have its own CIPs, and by
their nature they are likely to have interdepartmental implications. With assistance from
Ms. Kowalski and Mr. Kucharsky, Mr. Henry discussed the FY2017— FY2021 CIPs that have
been prepared for consideration, as follows:
• Hartwell Avenue Area Transportation Improvements ( #980): Several recent projects
have enhanced the Hartwell Avenue Overlay District, including a multi -use path that
connects Route 2A to the Burlington Forest, a sidewalk on part of Hartwell Avenue to
Bedford Street and repairs to the Kiln Brook bridge. The Town is also working with
the Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare— Lexington, located on Bedford Street at the
Hartwell Avenue intersection, to have a bus shelter installed on Bedford Street. The
Town has received funds from a development project on Hartwell Avenue to be used
for transportation enhancements, which has prompted this CIP request for design
funds to develop crosswalks and related features at Hartwell Avenue and Eldred
Street. This project is a subset of the Town's Hartwell Avenue Transportation Plan.
Additional funds for transportation enhancements are anticipated from a project at
17 Hartwell Avenue.
Requests /comments from Committee members:
➢ The scope of the project included in this CIP needs to be clearly defined;
sketches should be included.
➢ The $22 million reference for the Town's Hartwell Avenue Transportation Plan
warrants considerably more information to provide perspective to what is being
request in this CIP.
➢ The elements being contemplated at this time and for following years need to be
clearly defined; this Committee needs this information in order to take a position
on this project and to develop its required 5 -year plan.
➢ Traffic calming on Wood Street and Winter Street are also important issues.
➢ In the Description of Project, 1St line, correct the name of the "Hartwell Avenue
Traffic Fund" to "Traffic Management Overlay District Stabilization Fund ".
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 27, 2015
• Traffic Mitigation ( #981): This CIP is of particular interest to Carl Valente, Town
Manager. It is designed to address transportation- safety requests submitted to the
Transportation Safety Committee by citizens. It isn't known in advance what projects
will be brought forward.
Requests /comments from Committee members:
➢ The CIP needs context, with a description of the process. An inventory of projects
and an overlay of citizen requests would help.
➢ Perhaps this should be included in the operating budget if it is going to be an
annual expense.
➢ Access to Mr. Henry's notes would be helpful.
CEC reporting to the November 2, 2015, Special Town Meeting (STM) #2: Mr. Kanter
distributed to the Committee their printed copies of the final report that had been released
yesterday. Also yesterday, the report was posted to the Town's Town - Meeting Website and
the Town's Archives, and external distribution made (including making copies available for
the Town Meeting members).
Review of other FY2017— FY2021 CIPs: Ms. Moore provided printed copies of the updated
FY2017- FY2021 CIP #979, Munroe School Roof. She pointed out that the update was to
revise the funding source for that project.
No actions were taken on the following Agenda items:
• Updates on any new, public, information from the Board of Selectmen, the School
Committee, or other Town bodies regarding the Multiple School Construction Projects
(now including the land purchase and improvements at 20 Pelham Road along with
access improvements to that site)
• CEC reporting to the November 2, 2015, STM #1— debate expected to begin on
December 2, 2015
• CEC reporting to the 2016 Annual Town Meeting
• Member Concerns and Liaison Reports
• Any other urgent business that may properly come before the Committee that could
not be foreseen by the Chair
• Approval of Minutes
Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 9:33 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 5 -0
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on November 17, 2015.
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