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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-15-CEC-min Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting December 15, 2022 Page 1 of 2 Location and Time: Remote Meeting; 8:00 A.M. Members Present (remote participation): Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice−Chair & Clerk; Sandy Beebee; Mike Boudett; Rod Cole (joined at 8:03 a.m.); & Lisah Rhodes Members Absent: None Other Present: Jim Malloy, Lexington Town Manager; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Katharine “Kat” Labrecque, Lexington Budget Officer; Glenn Marker, Chair, Appropriation Committee Documents Presented: • Notice of Public Meeting/Agenda CEC Meeting, December 15, 2022 • This Committee’s Spreadsheet of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024–FY2028 Capital Improvement Projects/Programs (CIPs) with General Comments (the Spreadsheet) Reflecting All Pending General Comments and CIP−Specific Comments By This Committee. Call to Order Mr. Lamb called this Remote (Virtual) Meeting, which had been posted as such, to order at 8:00 A.M. As the Committee members and the others joining this meeting had been previously advised of the special conditions of this meeting, he passed on repeating them (i.e., the authority to not require a physical presence of a quorum and other selected terms under the Open Meeting Law had, by legislation Governor Charles D. Baker signed on July 16, 2022, their expiration extended to March 31, 2023.) Mr. Lamb advised that materials provided electronically to the Committee or presented at the meeting, would be available upon request and are those listed in the Minutes as Documents Presented. Any votes during this meeting would be taken by a roll call. Further, this meeting would be recorded to assist in preparing Minutes, and the recording would be deleted once the Minutes are approved. By individual conversations to them, Mr. Lamb accomplished a roll-call attendance and determined five members are present. (Mr. Cole soon arrived so all members were then present.) Discussion of the Spreadsheet Feedback Provided by this Committee to the Town’s Town Manager and his Finance Department Staff Mr. Lamb opened the discussion by suggesting it would be welcomed if Mr. Malloy leads off the discussion as the Spreadsheet had been supplied prior to this meeting so its contents could be considered before Mr. Malloy “locks-up” his FY2024 Preliminary Recommended Budget & Financing Plan” (known as the “White Book”). Mr. Malloy accepted the lead, but he said that as some elements on the Committee’s inputs were more applicable to the operating side, he asked that Ms. Kosnoff address those first— which she then did. Ms. Kosnoff acknowledged and welcomed the broad range of Spreadsheet comments and other matters dealing with operating matters (e.g., how presentations of CIPs data and other elements could be enhanced). She will look forward to finding how at least some of them can be implemented, but acknowledged that the preparers are already under great pressure to generate the CIPs in the time and duration prescribed to do it. She would also look into how Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting December 15, 2022 Page 2 of 2 the process can be improved within the capabilities of the data storage and CIP presentation. Mr. Lamb acknowledged that challenge had been formally discussed by this Committee. It offers to join a discussion with the Finance staff of that and other matters next year well before the guidance regarding preparation of the CIPs to the Departments/Offices is issued. Mr. Malloy then went at great length to discuss with the Committee, and respond to its questions and matters raised in its Spreadsheet, the current broad range of fiscal, policy, and execution matters that he, his Senior Staff—along with Select Board positions—will continue to be drivers since the CIP presenters had created their initial CIPs. Those, after consideration of their latest postures, will drive how his White Book will be modified. Mr. Lamb thanked Mr. Malloy and his representatives for their attendance and contributions to our knowledge. As for the Spreadsheet format, with its General Comments, in preparation for this meeting, Ms. Kosnoff advised that both elements were welcomed as effective, useful, inputs to them— as it had been the year before. Mr. Boudett had follow-up questions regarding spending any money for the Stone Building when there is no currently-known, ultimate, occupant. Mr. Malloy explained how that building, if ever planned for occupancy—which is the goal—would need an annex with an elevator, etc., upgrade to be handicap accessible and doing at least the initial, fundamental, design, in FY2024 would likely be cost effective. Mr. Malloy closed with, saying in part, there are a lot of moving parts here, it’s a lot of money, and he is pretty optimistic that the Capital Stabilization framework is going to shave off the peak of that High School debt mountain—that we’ve been looking at the charts for the last several years—and going to make that project, as all the other projects, a lot more doable in the coming years. Mr. Lamb said he felt the same way looking at the spreadsheet Mr. Malloy produced prior to the Police Station debt exclusion and how we could spend out the Capital Stabilization Fund vis-à-vis the High School. He thought that was a fine piece of work; and thanked him—and Mr. Malloy said thank you for that opinion. And Mr. Lamb thanked Mr. Malloy, Ms. Kosnoff, and Ms. Labrecque for all their work toward today’s meeting. Member Concerns Mr. Lamb said he had sent calendar invitation for every Thursday morning (8:00 a.m.) in the coming January as placeholders. He asked us to reserve them and also mentally hold the Thursday mornings (8:00 a.m.) in February also as placeholders. We will cancel any of them if there is no need. Adjourn A Motion was Moved and Seconded at 9:02 A.M. to adjourn. Roll-Call Vote: 6–0 This Minutes was approved by the CEC at its meeting on April 24, 2023.