HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-04-08-CEC-minCapital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting, 4/08/09, 8:30am, Town Office Building, Room 111
Members Present: Ted Edson, Bill Hurley, Shirley Stolz, David Kanter, Charles Lamb (Chair)
Others: Pat Goddard (Director of Public Facilities), Glenn Parker (Liaison from the Appropriation
Committee), George Burnell (Selectmen), Rod Cole (School Committee)
[See below for those arriving later for a separate discussion item.J
Discussion of "Lexington Public Schools PK-12 Master Plan, March 12, 2009 Revised March 18~
2009 " MP
At issue: elementary schools (ES); crowding and infrastructure at the Lexington High School (LHS).
After the last debt exclusion, energy proj ects had been cherry picked, but not strategically planned so
they didn't achieve the building-wide goals. There are still modular classrooms in the Estabrook,
Hastings & Bowman ES, and the Diamond Middle School. Modular classrooms are bad because they
need more maintenance than standard classrooms and have higher utility costs. The MP looked at the
LHS classrooms and systems and built on the energy reports of the last few years. It also looked at how
to keep all of the ES going for the next decade.
Design Partnership of Cambridge Inc. (DP) (awarded the contract to do the MP and who had done the
Elementary School Master Plan Study in 2006) interviewed all the school principals. They also used
the GGD High School HVAC Systems Assessment of 2007-2008 and the 2008 Russo Bar roof
assessment of all school buildings. One of the conclusions of the MP is that there is overcrowding at
the LHS. BH: Is overcrowding only at LHS? [Yes, plus Middle Schools; especially without the
modular classrooms.]
HMFH Master Plan was 1997 had predicted growth, but did not go high enough in estimates. The
school population is bigger now than predicted in 1997. It had anticipated 1,842, but it is actually 2,012
now. The ES population is expected to decrease. The LHS population will continue at over 2,000 and
not drop below 1,900 for 6 or 7 years. The classrooms are undersized at LHS.
The schools administration also wants to improve access control at LHS. They asked DP to make a
plan to limit access points at the LHS. DP's site concept achieves much of that goal by adding a bridge
between two buildings and using new classroom construction (needed as part of the solution to the
overcrowding) to connect two buildings.
The MP includes $1M for the roofs at LHS (these were already in Pat's roofing plan for the next
10 years). There are also $3M of planned mechanical upgrades in the MP. Pat's roofing plan shows
$12M in roofs systemwide, which implies 5% of that per year ($600K/yr) in roofing work. The
alternative is to do periodic debt exclusions.
The $37M for LHS would be Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) eligible. Pat estimates
that we would receive about 40% of that in MSBA aid.
Rod Cole: How much for a new HS? [$150M, but no swing space available and no new land available.]
TE: How long would a $37M renovation last us?
PG: The electrical is in good shape. The mechanical systems, roofs, and capacity are the issues. So at
least 10 years based on existing assumptions. The estimated energy savings from the MP is $300K, so
it's probably a net improvement in operating cost given the new space proposed. The univents are very
loud (60db). The MP shows priorities; the priority 2 items are debatable.
DK: There are no priority 0's at LHS in the MP. [Pri 0's are routine maint.]
Elementary Schools
PG: We have a responsibility to have a safe and usable environment at the ES. He would work with
the Lexington Fire Department to determine whether different priorities are warranted than those in the
MP.
BH: A $56M Debt Exclusion would cover us for 10 years. That's roughly equivalent to two new ES.
Rod Cole: Equity issue for ES. Discussion of this.
PG: For the ES, need a minimum of $12.SM, and optionally up to $11M more (total $23M). The net is
$49-60M as one big package. The need is just as urgent for the ES as for LHS.
Others Joining the Meeting: Karen Mullins (Director of Community Development/
Conservation Administrator), Martha Wood (LexHAB), Karen Simmons (Director of Recreation)
Discussion of Potential Use of Busa Property~2009 Annual Town Meetin [,g~ATM]~, Article 13; 2009
Special Town Meetin [,g~STM]~, 6 May 2009, Article 6)
7 acres total.
Presentation of a few different conceptual plans for use of the property. Conservation has no interest in
the land, but does wish fora 200-foot wetlands-protection buffer, rather than just the 100-foot buffer
that's required by statute.
DK: Asks Karen Simmons if any of the plans meet Recreation's needs.
KS: Yes, there is at least one plan which is satisfactory. They are still working with abutters regarding
another, contiguous, land parcel-perhaps involving a land swap.
MW: LexHAB is happy with the plans as long as there are two lots for affordable housing-on which
they likely would wish to build more than just two units.
The negotiation team for the Busa land that is the subject of the instant Articles consists of Carl Valente
(Town Manager), Karen Mullins, Karen Simmons, Maryann McCall-Taylor (Planning Director),
Charlie Wyman (Conservation Commission), and Peter Kelley (Selectman). Any request before the
ATM or STM would only be for land acquisition, not development of it. Development funds would
come later.
At this point in time, it was estimated that there are about $170K in rollback ofreal-estate taxes on the
parcel because of the reduced assessment based on its agricultural use.
Adjourn: 10:20am
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on April 15, 2009.