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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-18 SB-min Select Board Meeting October 18, 2021 A remote participation meeting of the Lexington Select Board was called to order at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 18, 2021 via Zoom remote meeting services. Select Board Chair Ms. Hai; Vice Chair Mr. Lucente; and members Mr. Pato; Ms. Barry; and Mr. Sandeen were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. VOTE: Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 by roll call to adjourn the Open Session of the meeting at 6:30 p.m. to enter into Executive Session under Exemption 3 to discuss strategy with respect to litigation. Further, it was declared that an open meeting discussion may have a detrimental effect on the litigation position of the town. Following the close of Executive Session, the Select Board reconvened in Open Session at 7:18 p.m. Ms. Hai stated that the meeting was being conducted via Zoom as posted, with the agenda on the Town’s website. Ms. Hai provided directions to members of the public, watching or listening via the Zoom application, regarding the procedure for making a public comment. Ms. Hai reminded Board members, staff, and members of the public about Lexington’s Standard of Conduct regarding civil discourse during Town Government meetings. EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. Select Board Work Session  Update from Chief Equity Officer Martha Duffield, Chief Equity Officer, provided a summary of her first 90 days in the position and what current and future initiatives are likely to be. Her first quarter goals were to understand the groundwork that has already been conducted; build internal and community relationships; and outline priorities and create an action plan for the Town. Ms. Duffield acknowledge that the work can sometimes be hard and uncomfortable but she hopes to normalize having hard conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion and also normalize making mistakes with humility so that people will know they will be treated within the community grace and respect. The first introductory meetings were with internal staff. Meetings were also held with committees, boards, and community groups. Ms. Duffield named five overarching objectives she is considering: talent acquisition (recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion strategies); accountability; community engagement; internal resources; and Police. Recruitment: Engage the Massachusetts Municipal Association; draft a diversity hiring policy; add a diversity hiring statement to the Town website career page and all job postings; create an equity proclamation; work toward being considered “the best place to work”. Hiring: Review posting locations; evaluate success rate of receiving applications from those locations; review the various departments’ job-posting budgets; review and update job descriptions for inclusion; review candidate selection and interview processes for each department; provide questions/procedures for 1 hiring managers to use in job interviews and when onboarding new hires; review candidate offers and annual job performance processes. Accountability: Rejuvenate the Citizens’ Advisory Council by updating group name and charge; post updates every month to, among other things, highlight cultural and other observances; publicize Equity Officer office hour schedule; create dashboard to track employee distribution metrics re: age, race, gender. Community Engagement: Continue and strengthen existing relationships and provide assistance to Town boards/committees/cultural groups. Internal Resources: Create a centrally located Cultural Calendar that standardizes information; write a guide for writing/rewriting job descriptions and job performance evaluations which includes a guide to recognizing “coded language”. Police: Ms. Duffield reported that she and the Interim Chief of Police are meeting weekly. They have reviewed the Ortiz report/diversity audit and are working together on diversity hiring strategies. Ms. Duffield has created questions for the interview process and reviewed Police Station plans to ensure inclusivity. Additionally, Ms. Duffield reported that she is participating in the Town’s Dismantling Racism program. She has completed training through the Race Equity Leadership program (National League of Cities) and she has completed one of four courses in the Diversity and Inclusion certification program through Cornell online. She has also completed courses on having courageous conversations; active bystander training; implicit bias; and how to address de-escalation and harassment. She has participated in a variety of webinars and programs having to do with Indigenous populations; LGBTQIA; Asian populations; and disabilities. She was selected to join the Massachusetts DEI Coalition. Ms. Hai asked for more information about the Building Trust initiative. Ms. Duffield reported that the first meeting is tomorrow with a small group of employees who will begin by brainstorming and discussing how to approach establishing good relationships between Police and community. Ms. Duffield reported one surprise of her job is how often she has met with the Interim Police Chief and the hard— but mutually respectful— conversations they’ve had. DOCUMENTS: Chief Equity Officer Presentation to the Select Board  Discuss American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding Priorities and Process Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance, spoke about the type of funding requests that are eligible under ARPA and how much the Town can expect to receive. Department directors provided the details/background of their initial funding requests. Ms. Kosnoff said that the municipal allocation of ARPA funds (called Coronavirus Local Recovery Funding or CLFRF) will be slightly over $9.9M but there are other, non-municipal strands of ARPA funding available for various other entities, such as the Schools (i.e. $1.2M in so-called SRO funding). The timeline for expending/committing these funds is from now until December 31, 2024 after which there are two additional years to complete the CLFRF-funded projects in the pipeline. The overarching purpose of CLFCF funds is to provide revenue replacement support and to re-build the economy by addressing the pandemic’s impact on communities and on other groups. Ms. Kosnoff provided the list of eligible categories: 1) Support public health expenditures; 2) Address negative impacts caused by the 2 public health emergency; 3) replace lost public sector revenue; 4) Provide premium pay for essential workers; Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. Ms. Kosnoff noted that eligible entities, other than the municipality and related departments, include households and small businesses. Funds may not be used for: Contributions to Pension fund; contributions or replenishment of reserves or “rainy day” funds; direct or indirect application of funds to reduce tax revenue/tax rate; payments for legal settlements; payments for debt service; general infrastructure spending above the amount identified as lost revenue. Ms. Kosnoff said the biggest “wild card”, in terms of eligibility, is replacing lost public sector revenue. But once something is identified as lost revenue, the funding can be used for any municipal purpose i.e. operating budget, capital improvements, one-time uses, or anything that would have received allocation in the municipal budget, keeping in mind the exceptions listed above. Ms. Kosnoff believes that for the first year, Lexington can claim $2.5M in lost revenue but she emphasized that the federal formula is complicated and that Massachusetts is at a disadvantage because of the way its municipal tax structure works. Some of the purposes the Senior Management Team have identified for CLFRF funds do not fit into any of the categories besides “lost revenue” which may serve to limit the number of projects that can move forward. Ms. Kosnoff reported that, so far, the Town has about $4.9M in hand of the total $9.9M. Yearly reports on funding uses are mandatory and the first reporting deadline is April 30, 2022. Ms. Kosnoff asked the Select Board for feedback on the list of possible CLFRF uses, including those not municipally based, as well as any additional uses that might be a priority. She added that the desired main focus is for one-time uses, rather than uses that would add permanent staff or programs requiring future Operating Budget support. She also asked for feedback about how to further engage with the community about these funds. Department request lists and Select Board comments/questions: DPW: Picnic tables (12 plastic) @$24,000 total; Bikeway replacement bottle filling stations (6 @ $6,000 ea.) @ $36,000 total; Electronic sign boards (2) @ $40,000; Water tower replacement @ $1M-$5M; Stormwater infrastructure improvements @ $60,000-$75,000. Ms. Barry asked for preliminary information about the water tower, such as a proposed location. DPW Director Dave Pinsonneault said the initial thought had been to put the new tower—or possibly two new towers—where the existing tower is but that now appears problematic. The department is still conducting research. Mr. Pato noted that stormwater management will be a recurring issue and believes it is therefore a program the Town should budget and plan for in the long term. Ms. Kosnoff said that some of the one-time items, such as the water tower, are capital projects. If some of these can be covered by the CLFRF funds, it would provide tax burden relief. Fire Department: Simulation mannequin (SIM MAN) @ $50,000; ATVs @ $60,000-$75,000. Ms. Barry asked if the ambulance-type ATV would be something other communities might borrow or rent from Lexington. Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh said this is a possibility but he would want send out an 3 operator from Lexington. If the loan was for a medical mutual aid situation, the ATV would not incur a charge but of it was for a special event, such as a parade, there would be a charge. Ms. Hai asked if the price quoted was for two ATVs or for one. Chief Sencabaugh said that $60,000 is a general amount for a brush-clearing type of vehicle and the $75,000 is the general amount for the ambulance-type ATV. There would be an additional $10,000 needed for a trailer that would attach to either type, depending on circumstances. Human Services: Increase affordable housing stock providing short-term incentives for larger rental property owners (grant basis with limit TBD) @$150,000-$200,000 annually; Mental health services/health clinician @ $80,000-$100,000 annually; new transportation services TBD—evaluation needed; hire consultant to create pedestrian/bike plan to align with Comprehensive Plan @ $65,000; neighborhood block parties @ $10,000; small grants for important organizations such as FISH which provides rides/escorts to medical appointments @ $50,000. Transportation Director Susan Barrett noted that she actually does not recommend a new transportation service, although it appears on the list, since there is currently a regional collaboration to create a service. She believes a better use of that level of funding would be to replace disappearing funding for an MHPC taxi/livery program. Mr. Pato asked how much pandemic housing assistance has already been provided through the Fund for Lexington and the Takeda grant and, further, what the ongoing costs of affordable housing assistance might be after the one or two years of CLFRF funding. Director of Human Services Melissa Interess reported that over $150,000 was already provided in rental and utility assistance. She said there were a number of ways to approach on-going rental assistance, such as seeding an account for future use. Mr. Pato said he believes that the uptick in mental health needs during the pandemic is not something that will go away and the approach to addressing it in the long-term needs to be examined. Ms. Kosnoff said her research into what other communities are doing with the funds shows that some are creating more affordable housing and/or buying land on which to build affordable units. She believes this use, in particular, closely aligns with ARPA’s goals. Mr. Lucente noted that, due the pandemic, it has become increasing difficult for small businesses to attract and retain staff and that transportation is part of any solution to the economic need. Ms. Barrett applauded the focus on transportation but cautioned that jumping too quickly without building carefully— in a regional way— might lead to another failed shuttle service. Ms. Barrett noted that the MHPC livery program is being used in some cases to transport employees to work. Mr. Pato said since funding continues to be available for projects in the pipeline past the 2024 deadline, taking time to plan— and then commit funds— is a good strategy. Ms. Hai added that some communities are choosing to use ARPA funding for the planning and design stages of transportation projects. Ms. Barry said she feels mental health and local business support are two important priorities. Mr. Sandeen asked how many people could be helped by the proposed affordable housing program with an allocation of $150,000. He supports development of a bike and pedestrian master plan to improve mobility with either ARPA funds or Town funds and he supports the neighborhood block parties proposal to combat isolation. IT: Broadband/fiber cable expansion @ $1M as part of the Town’s public safety and connectivity project 4 to create redundancy/back up for Town and School buildings. The Select Board took a brief recess before reconvening at 8:38 p.m. Library: Disease resistant bathroom fixtures @ $ TBD; Building generator to allow Library to operate as a cooling center @ $TBD. Further information will be obtained about these requests at a later date. Land Use, Health, and Development (LUHD): Depot Lot—fund the architectural design and engage private developer @ $700,000; ongoing support for Lexington Health Department (contract tracing, food inspections, health nurse @ $281,000; COVID-related clinical and Board of Health infrastructure items @ $5,000; Community COVID testing events (2) @ $150,000; PP&E for Health Department and related LUHD staff @ $25,000; Develop proposal for Municipal Affordable Housing Trust & development corporation @ $20,000; vaccine storage coolers @ $3,500; EV Buses (at least 2)—Liberty Ride Bus $40,000-$70,000 maintenance and driver compensation @ $250,000; Visitor Center website rebuild @ $25,000; Bike node/technical assistance grant—expand downtown initiative to increase ridership to East Lexington—bikeway, wayfinding, lighting @ $TBD; Women and minority businesses promotion and retention (MAPC) @ $30,000; financial support for Visitor Center and Liberty Ride @ $100,000; replace parklet @ $75,000; add/improve accessible ramps @ $21,600; Small business assistance @ grant-based TBD @ $250,000; funding for spring time Discovery Day @ $6,000; Store back/store front improvement plan @ $TBD; Hire a Tour Services Coordinator @ $TBD annual. Mr. Lucente noted that some communities are using ARPA funds to seed housing trusts. He asked Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development, to look into this possibility. Ms. Hai and Mr. Pato added their approval for looking into this approach. Mr. Pato said that before the Depot Lot project is moved ahead, community consensus should be reached because of the many competing interests in the Center. Ms. Kowalski said that without visual plans, the concepts can be more difficult to discuss. Regarding some of the health-related requests, Ms. Kosnoff said they would potentially be eligible for CARES Act or FEMA funding if they are submitted before the program deadlines. Mr. Lucente said these health initiatives should be a high-priority, given community needs and the reasons the funds were established. He asked who would have final authority on how these funds are used. Mr. Malloy said that the Select Board would authorize and approve fund uses. Mr. Sandeen stated that federal guidance identifies health improvements as one of the primary purposes for the use of ARPA funds and suggested that some of the ARPA funds be used to purchase and install air quality monitors for continuous indoor air quality monitoring of Lexington’s municipal offices and classrooms. Health Director Joanne Belanger she would put this matter before the Board of Health for possible inclusion on their list of priorities. Economic Development Director Sandhya Iyer said she was very supportive of improved broadband services such as the IT Department has proposed, but also for residents who more and more are working from home, not only for the municipal, schools, and business entities. Ms. Hai believes economic development is a priority for fund use. Ms. Iyer said that Lexington has been working with Arlington and Bedford on the Massachusetts Downtown initiative but it is not necessary to use the same bike share company. 5 Mr. Sandeen supported many of the other economic development proposals such as the storefront/storeback improvement plan and suggested including a grand re-opening day combined with the Re-Discovery Day. He also supported enhancement of bicycle programs and suggested that the Town choose to link into one of the larger bicycling networks used by our neighboring communities to take advantage of the network effect. Ms. Iyer said that the bike share program may be harder to establish in Lexington because many residents already own bicycles. However, something to try might be to have some bikes available for rent for tourists through the Visitors Center. Mr. Sandeen suggested that the bike share feasibility study also consider the needs of workers commuting to Lexington from places like Alewife Station as the Town considers which shared bike network to support. Police Department: Certification and policy review @$20,000-$25,000; Lifepak AED devises @ $22,000; PPE Equipment—re-usable N95 high quality masks/respirators @ $80/each; Comfort dog and training @ $20,000; address speed violations @ $12,000-$15,000; Police reform trainings @ $ 54,000 per year for three years; designated staff person for training accreditation @ $160,000 annually. Interim Chief of Police McLean said he wants to remove the first request (Certification and Policy Review) because the cost has escalated as much as four times since the submitted request. Mr. Lucente noted that the community strongly supports Police reform training. Mr. Sandeen said that he appreciated the Chief’s proposal to purchase reusable N95 masks as they are more effective and costs are saved by being able to reuse them. Recreation: No touch bottle fillers to replace water coolers (3) @ $24,000; nor touch building toilets and faucets @ $ TBD; Outside shelters for programming @ $80,000-$160,000; sustainable financial aid efforts @ grant basis $ TBD; Broadband infrastructure to the pool, Old Reservoir, Lincoln Field @ $12,000-$225,000; replace lost revenue, credits fir cancelled programs still being carried @ $900,000; instant fitness equipment for Community Center (outdoor)—add pour in place surface for $70,000 @ $70,000. Ms. Barry asked if the outdoor shelters would be sun shelters or tent-type structures. Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programming, said these shelters were conceived to be permanent but temporary tents might be suitable as well. Mr. Sandeen asked about the value of providing broadband infrastructure at Lincoln Fields, the Old Reservoir, and the pool. Ms. Battite said that staff must use paper and pen at these sites because there is no connectivity to the department. Schools: COVID compliance team @ $140,000 (related to CARES Act and FEMA funding, not ARPA); from School Department memo: Curriculum review and development for advancement in diversity, equity, and inclusion @ $400,000/yr. for 3 years. Ms. Kosnoff noted that if the COVID compliance funding through FEMA and CARES runs out, it is possible that ARPA might pick up a continuation of the program. Sustainability: Rebate program for incentive for sustainable home improvements @ $200,000-$500,000; add solar to affordable housing (LexHab,LHA) @ $100,000; bike racks @ $7,200; participatory budget set-aside @ $500,000; electric vehicles (Liberty Ride; school bus, etc) @ $300,000; Town Manager’s Office: Improving communication (sandwich boards, two mailings) @ $11,000; Lawn games, Adirondack chairs to encourage community-building @ $3,000; DEO training @ $50,000; temporary staff to manage ARPA projects and reporting @ $40,000 annually for 3 years. 6 Ms. Hai suggested hiring a grant writer in the short term to help process all the funding requests and necessary reporting. Mr. Sandeen said that adding solar energy systems to affordable housing stock seems to be an appropriate one time use of ARPA funds. He also suggested that providing technical support for homeowners may be much more helpful in encouraging residential solar energy system installations than rebates alone. Committee/Community Requests: LCA, Symphony, Munroe Center, small business, sustainability fund for cultural sector @ grant basis $ TBD; Lex Retailers Association, Discovery Day, Halloween Walk, Holiday tree lighting, Taste of Lexington @ $TBD. Ms. Hai said that answering the question of how to open up the conversation about funding with the community is still pending. She asked the Board to comment on their priorities and impressions. Mr. Lucente said that immediate economic stabilization and recovery are at the top of his list and he believes this is the purpose of the funding. With disruption in the Town Center about to occur due to the Center Street initiative, he worries about adequately mitigating the double-whammy impacts of both COVID and the construction. He thinks a survey of the community is a good idea but asked who would conduct the outreach, administer the survey, and collate the results. Mr. Pato agreed that immediate economic assistance for businesses and residents was the highest priority. Housing and capital projects are two more of his top concerns. Making outdoor spaces where the community can engage, particularly in the Center— and potentially using the backs of the stores instead of the fronts— seems like a potentially good idea. He does not believe the priority should be to use funds to offset expenses that would otherwise be in the budget. Ms. Hai said economic vitality, resilience for businesses and residents, community engagement and housing are uppermost in her mind. She supported the small business grant concept. Ms. Barry concurred and noted that some of Lexington’s small businesses are in peril. She added that the public health lessons learned over the course of the pandemic should not be forgotten. Taking a bold step toward creating more affordable housing is important and public outreach about how to use the funding should be done. She asked for more information about the proposed water tower. Mr. Sandeen said public health should be a top priority, including monitoring of indoor air quality. He applauds the proposal to use ARPA funds to jumpstart funding for the affordable housing trust. Revitalizing the Center and adding a residential component also has great appeal. Mr. Sandeen agreed ARPA funds should not be used for regular ordinary budgetary needs but instead we should use ARPA funds to provide stability to commercial retailers and small businesses in town. Next steps: Mr. Malloy and Ms. Kosnoff will take the Board’s feedback and devise a plan for how to engage with the public for further input. A timeline for moving forward will come back before the Board. ACTION ITEMS: Ms. Katzenback to send fund-use procedurals to Select Board members; Health Director Joanne Belanger to engage BOH re: continuous indoor air quality monitoring DOCUMENTS: ARPA Federal Funding—Presentation; ARPA Funding Initial Request’ School Dept ARPA Request; MAGIC—ARPA Presentation; Munroe Center for the Arts Request; Lexington Retailers Association request; Lexington Council for the Arts Request; Lexington Symphony Email; Bicycle Pedestrian Plan for the Town of Lexington; Depot lot Feasibility Study Request ADJOURN 7 Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 by roll call to adjourn the meeting at 10:09 p.m. A true record; Attest: Kim Siebert, Recording Secretary 8