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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-15-CPC-min RECEIVED 0 ''10 I Feb,, "W1am Minutes for The Community Preservation Committee 12/15/22 at 4:00 pm TOWN CL,ERK Remote Zoom Meeting LEXINGTON MA Meeting ID#979 69914014 Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa (Chair), Jeanne Krieger (Vice Chair), Kevin Beuttell, Bob Creech, David Horton, Lisa O'Brien, Bob Pressman, Mark Sandeen, Melinda Walker Other Attendees: Carolyn Kosnoff(Assistant Town Manager-Finance), Mike Cronin (Director, Public Facilities), Cristina Burwell (Munroe Center for the Arts (MCA) Executive Director), Steve Poltorzycki (MCA Board Member), Brian Healey (MCA Architect) David Kanter (Capital Expenditures Committee), Sandhya Beebee (Capital Expenditures Committee Liaison), Melissa Battite (Director, Lexington Recreation Department), Christine Dean (Lexington Recreation Department), Karen Mullins (Conservation Director), Amber Carr (Conservation Coordinator), Jeff Howry (Archaeologist), Philip Hamilton (Chair, Lexington Conservation Commission), Sarah Morrison (Executive Director, LexHAB), Mark Manasas, Chet Webster, Anne Grady, Charles Hornig Administrative Assistant: Christopher Tierney Ms. Fenollosa called the meeting at 4:01 Discussion of Possible Debt Financing: Carolyn Kosnoff joined the Committee to discuss the Committee's finances before final votes were taken. Ms. Kosnoff noted that the only real changes from the previous presentation were a change to the cost of Willard's Woods overall cost being reduced from $1,306,673 to $1,211,675, a change in the total project cost for the MCA to $6,635,191, and updating the unbudgeted reserves along with a reduction in the Stone Building project from $100,000 to $400,000 as a result of the project being phased. Ms. Kosnoff also stated that the Committee's policy is to leave funds in the 'Unbudgeted Reserve' account and after these changes in cost there would be approximately$1,500,000 remaining in that account. This is about as low as the Committee would want to go in case of unexpected costs arising. Ms. Kosnoff also discussed the different lengths of bonds and how debt financing would affect the Committee's financing in the years to come. For the Munroe Center for the Arts project, a five-year bond would make sense while the Stone Building project would be better served by a ten-year bond, even though that would increase interest payments overall. Mr. Pressman discussed the Stone Building project. He suggested that the question of debt financing of the Stone Building project was not before the Committee for a vote today. Ms. Kosnoff agreed. Mr. Pressman also discussed cost elements of the project. Ms. Kosnoff replied that the Committee wanted some sense of post design costs and that the Committee would not vote for a design project in a vacuum, since design would lead to construction. Mr. Sandeen 1 asked if the Capital Expenditures Committee had any opinions on the matter; Mr. Kanter stated that the Committee had concerns about pricing and phasing but that they would be discussing the phasing at a later date. Mr. Sandeen then asked about their position on the near term, and Mike Cronin stated that the cost of design for the Stone Building was originally $1,000,000 in a worst-case scenario. Ms. Kosnoff stated that the next phase has$200,000 for design work and $4,900,000 for construction, and again stated that shorter term projects are better for debt financing as it would keep interest payments to a minimum. Ms. O'Brien asked if this design was for the entire project. Mr. Cronin stated that since the decision was made to phase the project there will need to be new bids for each phase, including design work. After a motion was duly made and seconded the Committee conducted a roll call vote (9-0) to support utilizing debt financing to fund the projects selected by the Committee. Willard's Woods Site Improvement: Karen Mullins and Amber Carr returned to give a final update on the Willard's Woods proposal. The new request will come in at $1,211,675 and includes designating trails as Universally Accessible (UA). The wet meadow boardwalk has been removed from the proposal, and the Department will attempt to finance that portion of the project with grant funding. Mr. Sandeen asked if the trails would be designated with UA signage; Ms. Mullins said that they would. Mr. Sandeen then asked if the Department had settled on the width of the trail at 10 feet. Ms. Mullins answered that there are different widths at different sections of the trail; Ms. Mullins also explained that the width of the trails near the entrance to the fire pits is 8 feet but reiterated that the main section of the trail would be 10 feet wide, which is a decrease from its original 12-foot-wide configuration. Mr. Creech asked about which trail was the most heavily used and if Ms. Mullins had an estimate of people who visit the site annually. Ms. Mullins stated that she didn't have that information on hand. LexHAB Property Acquisition: Sarah Morrison returned to discuss a change in scope for the $400,000 request for property acquisition. The original property that was to be purchased with CPA funds will be purchased using ARPA funding, and as a result LexHAB was asking to use the CPA money as a pre-funding to acquire other properties when the opportunity arises. This pre- funding is similar to the proposed Affordable Housing Trust and would allow LexHAB to compete with developers. Ms. Morrison also stated that LexHAB is in the process of transitioning into a 501(c)(3) from a quasi-municipal entity but also mentioned that the transition process would take anywhere from 1 to 2 years and that the only way to increase the stock of affordable housing at this time would be by purchasing existing properties. Ms. Fenollosa mentioned to Ms. Morrison the opinion from Town Counsel about LexHAB entering into a grant agreement with the Town. Ms. Morrison acknowledged this point and mentioned that LexHAB would provide documentation about what these funds will be used for --future purchases of real property only. Mr. Horton asked if LexHAB had ever considered developing the Leary property and where that project would fit into their plans. Ms. Morrison stated that LexHAB would request CPA funding for the development of the Vine St. (Leary) property and that design work for this development had already been completed. Mr. Creech mentioned that the $400,000 will be used for a down payment but asked where the rest of the purchase 2 price would come from. Ms. Morrison stated that LexHAB has several options, including further ARPA funds, obtaining a mortgage from a bank or returning to the Committee to request further Community Preservation funding. Munroe Center for the Arts: The MCA returned with another update on the cost of the project. Cristina Burwell stated that MCA cost projections had undergone serious revision and hard work since last presented to the Committee. Ms. Burwell also mentioned that the scope of the project was beyond the Munroe Center's capabilities, and if not for CPA support the Munroe project could not move forward. Brian Healy, the project's architect, stated that he and Mike Cronin reworked the numbers to be as realistic as possible. The new total request is for $6,635,191, down from $8,493,497. Mr. Healy also described the new scope of the project, including accessibility modifications, HVAC and renovations to the bathrooms on the lower level which are currently unsuitable in their current state. Mr. Pressman asked if the new projections included interest on debt, should the project be debt-financed. Mr. Healy said that they did not. Mr. Sandeen asked if there was an estimate of the new debt associated with the project; Ms. Kosnoff stated that the figures would be approximately$900,000 spread over 5 years, should that be the length of the bond. After a motion was duly made and seconded, the Committee conducted a roll call vote (7-0-2) to recommend the project to Annual Town Meeting. At this point the Committee conducted a Public Hearing on the 2022 Needs Assessment, after which regular Committee business continued. (See separate minutes for Public Hearing) Archaeology Study: Jeff Howry, an Archaeologist, returned to answer any remaining questions from the Committee about the Archaeology Bylaw Baseline Study. Ms. Walker stated that she was concerned about the lack of a Town institution that would receive funding. Ms. Walker also asked Mr. Howry about what would constitute an "undisturbed site." Mr. Howry stated that he had contacted Dave Pinsonneault and assured the Committee that the study would be a Town project so it would go through the proper channels in terms of oversight. Mr. Howry then described the construction of mills in East Lexington as an example of an undisturbed site and that his definition of the term is not about disturbance/non-disturbance per se but is about the removal of artifacts from the site. Mr. Pressman commented that the Committee has received two opinions from Town Counsel and that the study does not meet the definition of preservation. Additionally, Mr. Pressman stated that he believed that this would create a significant stumbling block to develop further affordable housing. Mr. Creech stated that there is a value in finding what is out there in terms of historical artifacts. Ms. O'Brien asked if the Committee had ever awarded a grant to an individual applicant before; Ms. Fenollosa stated that this would be the first time. Ms. Walker commented that she could not see the value of artifacts as a Town resource. Ms. Walker also commented that she was disturbed by the second opinion from Town Counsel, stating that the two opinions seemed to contradict one another. She also had questions about 3 who would receive the money? Who would complete the physical part of the project? Would the individual who received the grant be placed in charge of overseeing the project? Ms. Fenollosa commented that both opinions of Town Counsel were reviewed and approved by the Town's principal attorney Mina Makarious and that any possible ambiguity stemmed from Counsel's opinion that the idea could work, but that it was not certain one way or the other. Charles Hornig asked about why a project that was called a bylaw is actually a study. Ms. Fenollosa stated that the project request was for site analysis and is now called a Historical Analysis Sensitivity Study. Mr. Pressman stated that he was not concerned about granting money to an individual but rather the scope of this project and the suggested areas and that this would create an additional hurdle for housing. After a motion was duly made and seconded the Committee conducted a roll call vote (1-8) to not support the motion and send it to Town Meeting. Vote to Recommend FY24 CPA Funding Requests to ATM: After motions were duly made and seconded the Committee conducted roll call votes to approve dollar amounts for FY24 funding. The CPC issued votes on the projects as follows: a. Stone Building Design and Unexpected Repairs-$400,000 (8-1) b. Munroe Center for the Arts-$6,635,191 (7-0-2) c. Hancock-Clarke Barn Restoration-$118,419 (9-0) d. Lexington Archaeology Historical Analysis Study-$65,000 (1-8) e. Archives and Records Management-$35,000 (9-0) f. First Parish Church Clock Restoration-$12,000 (8-0-1) g. East Village Follen Church Clock Restoration-$9,600 (9-0) h. Willard's Woods Site Improvements-$1,211,675 (9-0) i. Whipple Hill Trail Repair and Fire Access-$300,000 (9-0) j. Lincoln Park Field Improvements including Lighting-$2,475,000 (7-2) k. Park and Playground Improvements, Bridge School-$285,000 (9-0) I. Park and Playground Improvements, Justin Park-$155,000 (9-0) m. Public Grounds Irrigation Improvements-$80,000 (9-0) n. Transforming Trees into Art: Birds of New England-$22,000 (6-3) o. Affordable Housing Trust Pre-funding-$1,500,000 (9-0) p. LexHAB Property Acquisition Pre-funding -$400,000 (9-0) q. LexHAB Rehabilitation/Preservation and Installation of Solar Panels-$345,125 (9-0) r. Projected Debt Service-$1,788,900 (9-0) s. Administrative Budget-$150,000 (9-0) Review Draft of 2022 ATM Warrant: After a motion was duly made and seconded the Committee conducted a roll call vote to approve the draft of the Warrant to the 2023 Annual Town Meeting (9-0). 4 Minutes: After a motion was duly made and seconded the Committee conducted a roll call vote (9-0) to approve the minutes dated 12/8/22. Committee Business: The Committee will meet again in the new year to prepare for Annual Town Meeting. After a motion was duly made and seconded the Committee conducted a roll call vote to adjourn the meeting (9-0) at 6:41. Respectfully Submitted, Christopher Tierney Administrative Assistant Meeting Materials Community Preservation Fund Balances dated 12/15/2022 Community Preservation Debt Projections dated 12/15/2022 Willard's Woods Final Design and revised CIP Archaeology Study Presentation Munroe Center for the Arts Cost Estimate dated 12/15/2022 Draft Warrant Minutes Dated 12/8/2022 APPROVED 02/09/2023 5