The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2022-02-16-AC-min RECEIVED02/16/2022 AC Minutes kdkk d �Mair, 225 Ipi7"i TOWN CLERK Minutes LEXINGTON MA Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) February 16, 2022 Place and Time: Remote Participation: in accordance with Section 20 of Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 "An Act Relative to Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency", communication took place via a Zoom teleconferencing session that was open to the public; 7:30 p.m. Members Present: Glenn Parker, Chair; Sanjay Padaki, Vice-Chair; Alan Levine, Secretary; Anil Ahuja; John Bartenstein; Eric Michelson; Meg Muckenhoupt; Lily Manhua Yan; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non-voting, ex officio) Member(s)Absent: None Other Attendees: David Kanter, Capital Expenditures Committee liaison; Deepika Sawhney, School Committee; David Pinsonneault, Department of Public Works (DPW) Director; John Livsey, Town Engineer; Mike Cronin, Department of Public Facilities (DPF)Director Mr. Parker called the meeting to order at 7:36 p.m., reviewed the authorization for meeting remotely, and stated that the meeting was being recorded for the purpose of creating minutes. Announcements and Liaison Reports Ms. Kosnoff reported that the Select Board (SB)plans to meet with the School Committee on Thursday, February 24 to discuss whether to call a second Special Town Meeting (STM)within the 2022 Annual Town Meeting (ATM)in order to present a warrant article for appropriating funds for a Lexington High School feasibility study. The funds are included in the budget and would be 100% debt financed. They also plan to discuss whether additional funds are needed to help the Town Manager's working group look at location issues associated with a new school, particularly those related to impacts on designated recreation land. It is expected that this meeting will help inform the SB before it takes a position on Article 25: Appropriate for Worthen Road Recreation and Education District Land Use Concept Plan (Citizen's Article). Discussion of Articles with Financial Implications for the 2022 ATM and 2022-1 STM • 2022 ATM Article 12: Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment: Mr. Pinsonneault and Mr. Livsey identified the projects in Article 12 that are being managed by the DPW and clarified associated details, including project locations and specific work to be done. Some examples of issues being addressed were identified. Comments included the following: ➢ The street improvement program has facilitated Lexington's improved road rating, which is now higher than most towns at around 88%. This program uses State Chapter 90 funds, which are for roadway work and are supplemented with tax levy appropriations. Chapter 90 funds alone would not be adequate for maintaining Lexington's roadway system, but it may be possible to "ramp down" the non- Chapter 90 funding once another eight miles of roadway is upgraded. ➢ The Battle Green Streetscape Improvements are to be completed before Lexington's 250th anniversary in 2025. A cost escalation contingency is included in the estimates to help address uncertainties associated with the current bidding environment. A roundabout, as opposed to a rotary, is being considered for the intersection of Bedford Street and Harrington Road; the SB is currently reviewing recently received public input. One telephone pole would need to be relocated, which would take some 1 02/16/2022 AC Minutes time. The stone dust sidewalks on the Battle Green will be replaced with a more suitable sidewalk surface as part of the Battle Green Master Plan work. ➢ Reconfiguring the parking area around the Town Office Building and the Police Station will be part of the Police Station Project, which is being managed by DPF. ➢ Parking spaces with charging equipment for electric vehicles have already been added to most of the center parking areas. They are not heavily used during the day. ➢ The Transportation Safety Group (working group)recommends the sequencing for new sidewalks. Installing a sidewalk on Burlington Street is currently scheduled for FY2027. It will be a particularly difficult project. In response to questions, Ms. Kosnoff reported that the term of debt for the Battle Green Streetscape project would likely be 10-15 years. The term for the police station could be 20- 30 years, with potentially different terms for different components, and 30 years is anticipated for the high school. • 2022 ATM Article 14: Wastewater System Improvements: Mr. Pinsonneault and Mr. Livsey explained that a 2013 study identified a program for upgrading or replacing (mostly replacing) nine of the Town's 10 pump stations, one per year. The cost of a new pump station has historically ranged from $800,000 to $1.2 million, based on its size. The lowest of the recently received bids for the work on the eighth station (Hayden Ave.)was approximately $1.7 million, about $400,000 more than the expected amount of$1.2 to $1.3 million. Although there is adequate funding from previous appropriations to cover that additional cost, it is necessary to increase the funding requested under this article for the ninth station (North St.). A grant that would cover part of the cost is also being pursued. It is not advisable to delay the replacements of either of these pump stations because of their current condition. Once the nine pump stations are replaced, annual replacements will not be necessary. If maintained properly they can last about 50 years. • 2022 STM-1 Article 2: Police Station Replacement: Mr. Cronin reported that construction development documents for a new police station should be ready in another 30 days. A value engineering process is taking place to reduce costs. Assuming an appropriation is approved at the 2022 STM-1, scheduled for March 28, a debt exclusion override in early June is anticipated. If this passes, the police department would be moved to 173 Bedford Street, which is scheduled to be ready by July 1, and the bidding process, which should take about six weeks, would begin. This is an aggressive schedule, but construction could begin in September. The Town has already appropriated $2.7 million for this project, and another $32.8 million, which is based on a recent estimate, is being requested. That includes $2.8 million in contingency funding, approximately $300,000 to move the Hosmer House to the other side of the property, and $500,000 for unexpected findings associated with soils. The Historic Districts Commission is holding a March 3 hearing, during which the Town's request to demolish the Hosmer House will be discussed. A demolition permit seems unlikely. The new police facility plans include a generator and"solar ready" components. The current radio tower on the Police Station will be replaced with a 120-foot structure that is five feet in diameter and will include antennas for servicing cell phones and for Town information technology communication, as well as for emergency services. This is a separate project that will be paid for and done by AT&T, which will lease the space below 80 feet. The new tower will not be on top of the new station. The massive size of the new tower presents 2 02/16/2022 AC Minutes siting challenges. A location behind the new police station, as well as several other locations, are being explored. Review Consent Agenda for the 2022 Annual Town Meeting Mr. Parker reported that the SB would like to include 2022 ATM Article 20: Appropriate for Prior Years' Unpaid Bills on the consent agenda, whether or not it is indefinitely postponed. After a brief discussion, it was agreed that this would be acceptable. Minutes of Prior Meetings A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2022 meeting, as edited. The motion was approved by roll call vote. VOTE: 8-0 It was agreed to begin voting on the articles at next week's meeting. A motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 9:45 p.m. The motion was approved. VOTE: 8-0 Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Approved: February 23, 2022 Exhibits • Agenda, posted by Mr. Parker • Town of Lexington ATM Warrant, March 7, 2022 3