HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-01-19-CEC-minMinutes of the
Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
January 19, 2016
Location and Time: Town Office Building, Reed Room, 7:30 A.M.
Members Present: Jill Hai, Chair; David Kanter, Vice -Chair & Clerk; Elizabeth Barnett;
Rod Cole (remote participation beginning at 8:15 A.M.); Wendy Manz
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance
Documents Presented:
• Notice of Public Meeting for CEC Meeting, January 19, 2016
• FY2017 Town Manager's Preliminary Budget & Financing Plan ( "White Book "),
January 11, 2016
• Mr. Kanter's Review of the White Book for Counter Options Regarding Deferrals &
Funded Projects, January 18, 2016
• CEC Draft #2 Report to 8 Feb 2016 STMs 2016 -1 & 2016 -2
• Draft #4 CEC Minutes for the Meeting on January 12, 2016
• Draft CEC Minutes for the Meeting on January 14, 2016 (Summit IV)
Call to Order: Ms. Hai called the meeting to order at 7:30 A.M. with the four members in
physical attendance and she announced that Mr. Cole would be joining later by remote
participation because he is traveling on business and any votes taken during his
participation will be by Roll Call.
Discuss FY2017 Town Manager's Preliminary Budget & Financing Plan ( "White
Book ")
The Committee reviewed what would have been the projects to receive FY2017 funding,
but were proposed in the White Book for deferral and those for funding. The Committee's
own preliminary positions on them would, then, be provided to both the Town Manager and
the Board of Selectmen for consideration as decisions were being made how each might
appear in the FY2017 Recommended Budget & Financing Plan ( "Brown Book ") that is
scheduled to be released on February 29, 2016. Except for the following projects, no
members of the Committee took opposing preliminary positions to how the projects are
shown in the White Book. (The votes cited reflect changing a project's status in the White
Book.)
➢ To Fund Deferred Projects:
• Office of Land Use, Health and Development: Hartwell Avenue Area
Transportation Improvements ($75,000): This is addressing a serious
public- safety issue with the absence of a "safe and accessible pedestrian
crossing at the intersection of Eldred Street and Bedford Street. It was
understood any follow -on construction funding would likely be over $250,000.
Vote: 4 -0.
• Fire & Rescue: Fire HQ Exercise Room ($80,000): This directly contributes to
staff fitness and morale. Vote: 4 -0.
• Public Facilities: Public Facilities Mechanical /Electrical Systems
Replacement ($423,500): This funding request (CIP #939) included "This year's
funding request will supplement the $463,000 appropriated under Article 18D of
2015 Annual Town Meeting for the Town Offices Building upgrade to a central
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
January 19, 2016
HVAC system with energy recovery." The Committee wanted to know how much
of the new request would be needed to proceed with that upgrade program as
planned, so it deferred taking a position.
• Public Facilities: LHS Nurse Office and Treatment Space— Construction
(Mislabeled as "Design ") ($161,000): Vote: 1 -3. Mr. Kanter felt this
modest - cost - project was a public - health matter that justifies also, concurrently,
funding the construction so this project could be completed in the shortest period
of time practical without further action by Town Meeting.
• Public Facilities: Hastings Elementary Window Air Conditioning ($74,650):
The Committee noticed the absence of a School Committee position that it was
essential to provide this interim relief at that school. Vote: 0 -4.
• Public Works: Staging for Special Events ($60,000): The Committee noted
that the replacement of the old set of seating had been accomplished with
existing funds. Vote: 1 -3. Ms. Manz felt having the additional set was a
worthwhile addition for public events in the Town.
➢ To Defer Funded Projects:
• Economic Development: Parking Meter Replacement —Phase 2 ($230,625):
Vote: 1 -3. (Ms. Barnett felt further economic analysis of the benefit should be
done before proceeding further.)
• Economic Development: Grain Mill Alley Improvements ($ TBD): Even if the
objection by one of the abutters were to change to acceptance, the Committee
believes this project, even at what is understood potentially to be —$350,000, is
far too expensive and should be substantially scaled back — whether still
addressing the full length of the alley or downsized to just the portion owned by
the Town —and doesn't warrant FY2017 funding. Whatever revised project
scope might emerge, this project warrants a resubmission in the next cycle to
the Community Preservation Committee and to this Committee. Vote: 4 -0.
• Conservation: Wright Farm [Barn] Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study
($35,000): Vote: 0-4. The funding, however, is to be conditional on the
purchase of the previously approved 2nd parcel at the Wright Farm (241 Grove
Street) being consummated before the 2016 Annual Town Meeting and that the
barn it includes has remained a viable candidate for the planned renovation.
Also, it is important to add "Barn" to the title to properly constrain the scope to
the intended structure, rather than being interpreted to apply to either or both of
the Wright Farm parcels.
• Traffic Safety Group (TSG): Transportation Mitigation ($30,000): Vote: 1 -3.
Mr. Kanter felt that as this funding is for D &E, the project should be transferred
to DPW. While the TSG and /or the Planning Department) can be up -front
players, the expertise for drafting and evaluating the resulting RFPs /RFQs and
then managing the execution of those efforts are in the Engineering Department.
There are many cases in Town where there is a stakeholder who has proposed
work, but the assignment of responsibility for execution belongs with the
department that has the expertise.
• Library: Cary Memorial Library Internal Reconfiguration Project ($850,000):
Mr. Kanter felt this project should be removed from the funding tables as it is to
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
January 19, 2016
be entirely privately funded —and especially as there is no intention to come to
the Town for support —at least in FY2017.
• Recreation & Community Programs: Granite Forest at Lincoln Park ($30,000):
The Committee believes this is project should remain totally privately funded.
Vote: 4 -0.
• Public Facilities: School Traffic Safety Improvements ($25,000): Requested
Funding Source is shown here as "GF Debt ", but it appears on Page XI -18 as
"Free Cash ".
• Public Facilities: Munroe School Roof ($298,000): The funding, however, is to
be conditional on the Town being fully reimbursed for the cost. The Committee
would like to see the licensing agreement with the Munroe Center for the Arts
revised to explicitly hold the Center responsible for making the Town whole on
all the costs for the project. Vote: 0 -4.
• Public Works: Center Streetscape Improvements ($2,700,000): The funding,
however, is to be conditional on there being a value- engineering analysis done
first on the design elements. In any case, the Title should include "Phase 1 ".
Vote: 0 -4.
• Public Works: Minuteman Bikeway Wayfinding ($120,000): Vote: 1-4.
Ms. Barnett felt this should proceed only after coordination with Arlington and
Bedford.
• Public Works: Implementation ($390,000): Expect this will be shown as
"Comprehensive Watershed Stormwater Management Study and
Implementation" as it is later.
Mr. Cole joined the meeting using remote participation.
• Public Works: Antony Park Construction ($60,000): The Committee believes
this is project should remain totally privately funded. Roll -Call Vote: 5-0.
• Public Works: Munroe Center for the Arts Parking Lot ($220,000): As with the
Library project, Mr. Kanter felt this project should be removed from the funding
tables as it is to be entirely privately funded.
• General Government: Pelham Road Property Acquisition ($ TBD): In the
absence of information on the progress of the negotiations with the seller, the
Committee deferred taking a position.
• Non - Governmental Projects: Lexington Arts and Crafts Society— Parsons
Gallery Lighting Renovation ($24,280): While not challenging its eligibility under
the Community Preservation Act, the Committee considers this particular interior
renovation for a private entity is not a worthwhile use of the funding under that
Act and creates a bad precedent. Vote: Roll -Call Vote: 5-0.
Approval of Minutes:
A Motion was made and seconded to approve Draft #4 CEC Minutes for the Meeting on
January 12, 2016, as changed. Roll -Call Vote: 4-0 -1 (Mr. Cole abstained as he did not
attend that meeting.)
A Motion was made and seconded to approve Draft CEC Minutes for the Meeting on
January 14, 2016 (Summit IV), as presented. Roll -Call Vote: 5 -0
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
January 19, 2016
CEC Reporting to the February 8, 2016, Special Town Meetings: The Draft #2 was
reviewed and comments provided by the members. Also included was a discussion with
Mr. Cole regarding his preliminary positions on the Multiple Schools Construction Projects.
Mr. Cole ended his remote participation.
Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 9:28 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 4 -0
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on February 23, 2016.
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