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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-16-CEC-STM-rpt (Supplement - Article 5) CAPITAL EXPENDITUTRES COMMITTEE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT TO STM 2021-1 CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE TOWN OF LEXINGTON SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT TO THE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING (STM) 2021-1 (OPENING SESSION WAS NOVEMBER 8, 2021) ADDRESSING ARTICLE 5, APPROPRIATE FOR POLICE STATION ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND SWING SPACE CONSTRUCTION Released November 16, 2021 Submitted by: Charles Lamb, Chair David G. Kanter, Vice-Chair& Clerk Sandy Beebee Rodney Cole Frank Smith (Content on the reverse of this cover) CAPITAL EXPENDITLTRES COMMITTEE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT TO ST'M 2021-1 The following changes are a result of changes to the Article 5 Motion, made after our original report was published. l. On Page 2 of the Report,replace the Article 5 introductory table,in its entirety,with the following version: Article 5: Appropriate Funding for Police Station Funds Requested Committee Architectural Design Source Recommends and Swing Space Construction $255,000 (for a) & $615,000 (for b) a. Approval (5-0) $870,000 General Fund (New Levy b. Approval (5-0) Growth) 2. As a continuation of Page 3, add the following text: This Committee has now taken two votes, instead of one, under the new Motion. The first (identified above as "a") appropriates funds for the requests in the lower section of the table titled"Reasons for Supplementing the Architectu[r]al Design Fees for the New Facility". We still unanimously recommend funding to complete all actions needed prior to the anticipated request for construction funding at the 2022 Annual Town Meeting. That avoids further delays in that request which, in turn, offers the earliest possible completion of the new Police Station. The second (identified as "b") is for appropriating the funds needed to be ready for temporary use by the Police Department—called "swing space". • By addressing the Construction/Renovation funding and the other funding at this STM gets those actions underway as soon as possible to achieve the earliest possible completion of the new Police Station. • This Committee fully appreciates that requesting completion of swing space before a debt-exclusion or other citizen support of the new Police Station is different than past practice, but believes these circumstances clearly warrant that action: > Public Safety is one of the highest, if not the highest, goals for our citizens and our government. >The parcel at 173 Bedford Street was purchased with the specific intent to provide swing space for both the fire and police functions. Hence, having served for one function (fire swing space), it is also intended for the second. > There is no other Town-owned land that can service as the swing space for a� new Police Station so there is no harm in creating that swing space now. >Construction bids will be lower now vs later. And the only reasonable expectation is that any delay incurred by voting down these funds, will result in greater costs than currently cited—which represents, in this Committee's opinion, a failure in fulfilling the fiduciary responsibility. Therefore, please join this Committee's unanimous support of approving the b vote.