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Home My WebLink About2023-03-29 SB-min Select Board Meeting March 29, 2023 A meeting of the Lexington Select Board was called to order at 6:00p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in the Select Board Meeting Room of the Town Office Building. Hybrid participation was offered as well via the webinar meeting platform. Ms. Hai, Chair; Mr. Lucente, Vice Chair, Mr. Pato, Ms. Barry, and Mr. Sandeen were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. PUBLIC COMMENTS Jamie Frankel, 29 Mason Street, expressed concern regarding the construction occurring at 69 Pleasant Street. He discussed items such as the noise decibel level, the historic house on the property, and that the construction has changed the topography of the site. Ivka Kalus, 55 Pleasant Street, stated that the 69 Pleasant Street project is destructive and distressing to many in the area. She stated that, for the past three months, residents have experienced 1-3 blasts per day, and incessant jackhammering and rock breaking noise for then hours per day that regularly exceeds 85 decibels. This is leading to physical and mental health problems. She stated she feels this is being made worse by the apparent lack by any Town body to mitigate some of the most egregious effects of this development and improve the situation for the hundreds of Lexington residents that are being harmed. Paul Bowie, 6 Ross Road, spoke about the teacher’s contract. He stated that teachers should be paid a salary commensurate with their responsibilities and the commitment they’ve made to families. SELECT BOARD MEMBER CONCERNS AND LIAISON REPORTS 1. Announcement: The Massachusetts Cultural Council unanimously voted to create a new state designated cultural district along three miles of Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington. 2. Select Board Member Concerns and Liaison Reports Ms. Hai encouraged the Board to consider writing letters to ask the State House delegations to support several bills including, one establishing a new Municipal and Principal Public Safety Building Authority; one allowing a permanent option for remote and hybrid public meetings, including a mechanism to allow municipalities to call for remote or hybrid representative Town Meetings; one allowing for publication of legal advertisements in online-only newspapers and other media; and allowing for fines and proactive removal by municipalities for items such as double poles and other infractions by utilities. th Ms. Barry asked for two items to be placed on a future agenda, including funding for the 250 anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, and a report regarding a recent meeting about the Minuteman High School. DOCUMENTS: Mass. MunicipalAssociation 2023-2024 Legislative Package TOWN MANAGER REPORT 1. Town Manager Weekly Update Mr. Malloy explained that he attended the Mass Recreation Park Association's annual awards banquet. He congratulated Kate DeAngelis, who was awarded Physical Therapist of the Year; the Public Works Department, which received an award for the Community Project of the Year for the Center streetscape; and the Michelle Ciccolo, who was awarded Public Official of the Year. Mr. Malloy noted that the Munroe Center for the Arts Project is currently estimated at $6.6M. However, an updated estimate of $8.2M was recently received. Mike Cronin, Director of Public Facilities, will work with the architect to reduce this project back to the original $6.6M estimate. DOCUMENTS: Weekly Update 3-24-23 CONSENT AGENDA 1. Town Manager Committee Appointments  Historical Commission: o David Kelland - Alternate Member o Robert Rotberg - Full Member 2. Town Manager Committee Reappointments  Board of Assessors: o Cas Groblewski o Greg Johnson  Board of Health: o Wendy Heiger-Bernays o Susan Wolf-Fordham  Conservation Commission - Kevin Beuttell  Historical Commission: o Susan Bennett - Full Member o Dianne Pursley - Full Member  Youth Commission - Shannon DeGuglielmo To reappoint Casimir Groblewski and Gregory Johnson to the Board of Assessors for a term set to expire April 30, 2026; Wendy Heiger-Bernays and Susan Wolf-Fordham to the Board of Health for a term set to expire April 30, 2026; Kevin Beuttell to the Conservation Commission for a term set to expire March 31, 2026; Susan Bennett and Diane Pursley to the Historical Commission for a term set to expire March 31, 2026 and Shannon DeGuglielmo to the Youth Commission for a term set to expire April 30, 2026. DOCUMENTS: C.Groblewski, G.Johnson, W.Heiger-Bernays, S.Wolf-Fordham, K.Beuttell, S. Bennett, D.Pursley, S. DeGuglielmo 3. Select Board Committee Reappointment  Registrars of Voters - Gordon Jones III To reappoint Gordon Jones III to the Registrar of Voters for a term to expire on March 31, 2026. DOCUMENTS: Board of Registrars Nomination - Gordon Jones VOTE: Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the Consent Agenda. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. 2023 Annual Town Meeting – Select Board Article Discussion and Positions Regarding Article 10i, the Krieger proposed amendment, Ms. Hai, Ms. Barry, and Mr. Lucente were nos. Mr. Pato and Mr. Sandeen were yeses. It was noted that the Recreation Committee voted unanimously to oppose this amendment. Regarding Article 10i, the Kern proposed amendment, Ms. Hai, Ms. Barry, and Mr. Lucente were nos. Mr. Pato and Mr. Sandeen were yeses. It was noted that the Recreation Committee voted to accept the amendment with a non-binding resolution. Regarding the natural grass amendment, Ms. Battite explained the cap to the landfill would need to be pierced, or a large amount of topsoil would need to be built up on top of the fields at the same time. David Pinsonneault, Public Works Director, explained that natural grass would add a cost to construction. From a maintenance standpoint, he stated that he would anticipate this adding approximately $60,000 per field into the operating budget each year. DOCUMENTS: Art 10i Krieger amendment, Art 10i Kern Amendment, Article 10i Kern revised amendment, Art 10b HimmelAmendment, Moderators Proposed 2023ATM schedule (as of 3-28-23), Select Board Working Document - Positions 2023ATM 2. Approve Open Space and Recreation Plan VOTE: Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the 2023 Updated to the Open Space and Recreation Plan as presented. DOCUMENTS: Memo from Recreation, Activitas Letter – Update, 2-27-23 Presentation 3. Review and Approve 2022 Town Manager Performance Evaluation Ms. Hai noted that the final Performance Evaluation for the Town Manager for the period April-October 2022 is attached and has been reviewed with him. The Select Board is being asked to review and vote the annual Town Manager Performance Evaluation, to be placed in his personnel file. VOTE: Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 to accept the Town Manager Performance Evaluation and to place it in Mr. Malloy’s personnel file. DOCUMENTS: J. Malloy TM Review Period April 1 2022 through September 30 2022 (20230315) 4. Discuss Noise Complaints at 69 Pleasant Street As the Board needed to adjourn its meeting to attend the Annual Town Meeting session, this item was not taken up and will be scheduled on a future agenda. DOCUMENTS: Noise Bylaw, Article 27 of 2020 - Noise Bylaw ADJOURN VOTE: Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 7:21pm. A true record; Attest: Kristan Patenaude Recording Secretary