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Home My WebLink About2016-02-08-STM1-STM2-min February 2016 Special Town Meetings February 22, 2016 Special Town Meeting #1 Moderator Deborah Brown called the 2016 Special Town Meeting#1 to order at 7:30 p.m., Monday, February 22, 2016 in Margery Milne Battin Hall in the Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue. A quorum in excess of 100 members was present. Special Town Meetings #1 and#2 were initially scheduled for February 8, 2016. Per Notice of the Town Moderator at 3:00 p.m. on February 8, 2016, under MGL Ch. 39, §10A, the meetings were recessed and continued until February 22, 2016 due to inclement weather. Town Clerk, Nathalie L. Rice, read the Warrant for Special Town Meeting #1 until waived. The Town Clerk read the Constable's Return of Service. The Moderator made announcements and called for the testing of the electronic voting units with the intention of using the voting units for the remainder of the 2016 February Special Town Meetings. 7:33 p.m. The Moderator declared Special Town Meeting#1 to be in recess. February 22, 2016 Special Town Meeting#2 Moderator Deborah Brown called the Special Town Meeting#2 to order at 7:35 p.m., Monday, February 22, 2016 in Margery Milne Battin Hall in the Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue. The Town Clerk, Nathalie L. Rice, read the Warrant for Special Town Meeting#2 until waived. The Town Clerk read the Constable's Return of Service. 7:35 p.m. Selectmen Joseph Pato moved to adjourn Special Town Meeting#2 until Monday, March 21, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margery Milne Battin Hall in the Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue. Motion Adopted. February 22, 2016 Special Town Meeting#1 Moderator Deborah Brown called Special Town Meeting#1 back to order under Article 1. ARTICLE 1: REPORTS OF TOWN BOARDS, OFFICERS, COMMITTEES 7:37 p.m. Jessie Steigerwald, Pct. 8, Chair, School Committee, moved the Report of the School Committee be received and placed on file. Unanimously Adopted. Ms. Steigerwald asked to have the Moderator recognized Patrick Goddard, Director of Facilities. 7:38 p.m. Mr. Goddard presented an overview of the MSBA process, schedule, costs and appropriation under Article 3, Appropriation for Hastings School Feasibility Study. February 22, 2016 Special Town Meeting#1, cont... 7:45 p.m. David Kanter, Pct. 7, Capital Expenditures Committee, moved the Report of the Committee be received and placed on file. Unanimously Adopted. 7:46 p.m. Glenn Parker, Pct. 3, Chair, Appropriation Committee, moved the Report of the Committee be received and placed on file. Unanimously Adopted. 7:47 p.m. Presented by Selectman Joseph Pato. ARTICLE 2: AMENDMENTS TO THE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREEMENT OF THE MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MOTION: That the Town of Lexington, acting consistent with Section VII of the existing "Agreement With Respect to the Establishment of a Technical and Vocational Regional School District" for the Minuteman Regional Vocational School District, accepts the amendments to said Agreement which have been initiated and approved by a vote of the Minuteman Regional School Committee on December 21, 2015 and which have been submitted to the Selectmen as a restated "Regional Agreement" bearing the date of December 21, 2015. 7:47 p.m. Mr. Pato asked the Moderator to recognize Mr. David Horton, Pct. 8, Chair, Minuteman Regional High School District Committee. Mr. Horton moved Article 2. He then presented an overview of changes to the Minuteman High School Regional Agreement, and discussed per-pupil costs and capital costs for a new Regional High School. 7:56 p.m. Selectman Norman Cohen made a brief statement and reported unanimous support of the Board. 7:58 p.m. Jessie Steigerwald, Pct. 8, Chair, School Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 7:58 p.m. Glenn Parker, Pct. 3, Chair, Appropriation Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 7:58 p.m. David Kanter, Pct. 7, Capital Expenditures Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 7:59 p.m. Steven Heinrich, Pct. 3, questioned whether communities which leave the Minuteman Regional High School consortium and subsequently send students to the school would be responsible for a portion of capital costs for construction of the new High School. Mr. Horton responded. 8:03 p.m. Selectman Joseph Pato read Section 10(b) of the new agreement related to new students or students from communities who have left the Minuteman Regional High School District. 8:05 p.m. Joel Adler, Pct. 1, questioned whether passage of Article 2 precluded Lexington from leaving the district in the future if desired. Mr. Horton responded that Lexington could only withdraw after a specific process. He stated that the Town would still be liable for the debt incurred for the construction of the new High School. 8:07 p.m. With no further discussion, the Moderator called the question. 8:08 p.m. Following electronic vote tallying, the Moderator declared Article 2 Adopted on a vote of: Yes No Abstain 143 3 3 February 22, 2016 Special Town Meeting#1, cont... 8:08 p.m. Presented by Jessie Steigerwald, Pct. 8, Chair, School Committee. Article 3 APPROPRIATE FOR HASTINGS SCHOOL FEASIBILITY STUDY MOTION: That the Town appropriate $1,500,000 for the purpose of paying costs of a feasibility study relating to the Maria Hastings Elementary School located at 7 Crosby Road, in Lexington, Massachusetts, including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto, and for which the Town may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority ("MSBA"), said amount to be expended under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee; that to raise such amount the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $1,500,000 under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, or pursuant to any other enabling authority. The Town acknowledges that the MSBA's grant program is a non-entitlement, discretionary program based on need, as determined by the MSBA, and any costs the Town incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA shall be the sole responsibility of the Town, and that the amount of borrowing authorized pursuant to this vote shall be reduced by any grant amount set forth in the Feasibility Study Agreement that may be executed between the Town and the MSBA. 8:08 p.m. Ms. Steigerwald moved the questions and asked the Moderator to recognize School Committee member, Margaret Coppe, Pct. 9. After brief comments, Ms. Coppe reported unanimous support of the Committee. 8:09 p.m. Selectman Peter Kelley reported unanimous support of the Board of Selectmen. 8:10 p.m. David Kanter, Pct. 7, Capital Expenditures Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 8:11 p.m. Glenn Parker, Pct. 3, Chair, Appropriation Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 8:12 p.m. Iang Jeon, Pct. 1, questioned the derivation of the $1.5 million cost for the study, and its contract fees. Patrick Goddard, Director of Facilities responded. 8:15 p.m. Dawn McKenna, Pct. 6 spoke in support of the project. 8:15 p.m. David Kaufman, Pct. 6 inquired whether the new Hastings School would be designed in excess of LEED standards. Mr. Goddard responded. 8:21 p.m. Paul Lapointe, Pct. 2 questioned the"deliverables" for the project. Mr. Goddard responded. 8:22 p.m. With no further discussion, the Moderator called the question. 8:22 p.m. Following electronic vote tallying, the Moderator declared Article 3 Adopted by the necessary two-thirds on a vote of: Yes No Abstain 144 0 4 Presented by Selectman Suzanne Barry. ARTICLE 4: ESTABLISH, RENAME AND APPROPRIATE TO AND FROM SPECIFIED STABILIZATION FUNDS MOTION: a) That $40,644.52 be appropriated to the Transportation Demand Management/Public Transportation Stabilization Fund, and to meet this appropriation $40,644.52 be transferred from the TDM special revenue account; and February 22, 2016 Special Town Meeting#1, cont... b) That $39,644.50 be appropriated to the Traffic Mitigation Stabilization Fund, and to meet this appropriation $39,644.50 be transferred from the Traffic Mitigation special revenue account. 8:23 p.m. Selectman Barry moved the question and after a brief presentation, reported unanimous support of the Board. 8:25 p.m. Jessie Steigerwald, Pct. 8, Chair, School Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 8:25 p.m. Glenn Parker, Pct. 3, Chair, Appropriation Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee. 8:25 p.m. David Kanter, Pct. 7, Capital Expenditures Committee, reported unanimous support of the Committee for section (a). 8:25 p.m. With no further discussion, the Moderator called the question. 8:25 p.m. Following electronic vote tallying, the Moderator declared Article 4 Adopted by the necessary two-thirds on a vote of: Yes No Abstain 145 1 1 8:27 p.m. Selectman Joseph Pato moved to dissolve the February Special Town Meeting#1. Motion Adopted. A true copy. Attest: Nathalie L. Rice, Town Clerk