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11/05/15 AC Minutes
Minutes
Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee
November5, 2015
: Hadley Public Services Building, Training Room,7:30p.m.
: Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Kate Colburn;
Alan Levine;Eric Michelson;Richard Neumeier; Andrei Radulescu-Banu;Rob Addelson (non-
voting, ex officio)
Members Absent:Mollie Garberg; Beth Masterman
Others Present: Ian Dailey, Interim Director of Finance and Operations, Lexington Public Schools;
Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member
The meetingwas calledto order at 7:34p.m.
Request to Increase Spending Ceiling for School Bus Transportation Revolving Fund:
1.
Based onaction at the 2015 Annual Town Meeting,there is currently a cap of $850,000 on funds
that can be used in FY 2016 from thisRevolving Fund. Mr. Dailey explained that school bus
ridership is9%greater than anticipated. It has been determined thatthe cap needs to be raised to
$1.25 millionto cover the shortfall generated by the need for three more buses.Increasingthe cap
requires Appropriation Committee and Board of Selectmen (BoS) approval. This requestis
scheduled to be presented to the BoS on Monday.
Because there is an adequate balance in the Revolving Fund, it will not be necessary to make any
changes in the FY2016 school department budget. Thatbudget was based on 45% of the school
bus costs coming from ridership fees and 55% coming from the school operating budget.Approval
of this request will change the percentagesfor FY2016 and there will be increasedschool bus costs
in the FY2017 operating budget.In response to questions, Mr. Dailey reported that the school buses
carry about 50% of the students.An individual buspasscosts $300, subject to a family cap of
$750. The Town has a contract with C & W Transportation; the annual cost for the use of each bus
is$80,000, including driver and maintenance.
A motion was made and seconded to increase the Revolving Fund cap to $1.25 million. The motion
passed. Vote: 6-0
Minutes:
2.A motion was made and seconded to accept the minutes for October 14, 22,and
29,2015,as amended. The motion passed. Vote: 6-0
Committee Report to the November 2, 2015 Special Town Meeting#1:
3.The report needs
to be approved by this Committee on November 19.Preliminary drafts for each of the warrant
articleswere reviewed.It was noted that the articles include requestsfor design funds plus the
acquisition of property on Pelham Road. Negotiations for the acquisition are in progress. More
information is needed to write the report. Mr. Radulescu-Banu planstoattend ameeting with Pat
Goddard, Department of Public Facilities Director, Mary Czajkowski, Superintendent of Schools,
and Rod Cole, Capital Expenditures Committee on November 9to discuss the school facility issues.
Questions for Mr. Radulescu-Banu to take to the meeting were identified as follows:
1
11/05/15 AC Minutes
Pelham Road Property Purchase: Largest estimated cost for purchase and renovations?
Need for and process for takingby eminent domain? When will discussions become public
information? How many prefabricated classrooms can be added without increasing core
space?
Diamond and Clarke Middle School Projects: Essential elements? Recommended
elements?
Diamond Middle School Project: Capacity increaseif the teaching model is changed
without any space changes?
Clarke Middle School Project: Required site work to address capacity?
Lexington High School: Capacity?
General: Enrollment summaries?
There was discussion about the process going forwardand the financing model that is being
developed for the large projects being contemplated in the next five years. Comments included:
The motions for the articles will need to include funding amountsand their sources, in some
cases identifyingan overrideas a source,but willnot address the term of excluded debt.
The terms for excluded debt should be based ontheprojects’ life spans.
The financing model will take into accountthe $16.0-17.0 million that is in the Capital
Stabilization Fund, whichmay be used to help amelioratetax increases.
Mr. Valente is the best source forexplainingthe chronology of events associated with
purchasing the Pelham Road site and what happens if adebt exclusion request isn’t passed
in a referendum.
Additional design funds will likely be needed in the spring.
The Committee adjournedat 9:18p.m.
The documentsused at the meeting arelistedbelow.
Respectfully submitted,
Sara Arnold
Recording Secretary
ApprovedNovember 19, 2015
Exhibit
1.Agenda,posted by Glenn Parker, Chair
2