HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12-07-AC-min 12/07/15 AC Minutes
Minutes
Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee
December 7, 2015
Place and time- Town Office Building, Dawes Room, 6 30 p.m
Members present Glenn Parker, Chair, John Bartenstem, Vice Chair and Secretary; Kate Colburn,
Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine, Andrei Radulescu-Banu, Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio)
Members Absent Beth Masterman, Eric Michelson, Richard Neumeier
Others Present: Carl Valente, Town Manager, Bob Pressman, Town Meeting Member
The meeting was called to order at 7 39 p.m.
1 Update on Special Town Meeting (STM)#1 Article 2. Appropriate for School
Facilities Capital Projects. Mr Parker reported that it is anticipated that Dawn McKenna, Town
Meeting Member, will present an amendment to this article that would remove funding for the
design and purchase of modular units for elementary schools If this amendment fails and the main
motion subsequently fails, the Board of Selectmen are prepared to submit an amendment that would
essentially be equivalent to Ms McKenna's amendment. This is contingency planning for a
scenario that is not expected. Should this transpire, this Committee would be asked to comment on
the BoS amendment. In this event, it is likely that Town Meeting would recess to allow the finance
committees time to determine the positions they would take
2. Update on STM#1 Article 4. Appropriate for Engineering Study-20 Pelham Road.
Mr Parker reported that the motion for Article 4 is requesting $150,000 for design and engineering
for a second access road to the 20 Pelham Road property that the Town is negotiating to purchase
The estimate for the feasibility portion is approximately $66,000, the balance would be for final
designs There was considerable discussion about the need for the $150,000 at this time, pnor to
knowing whether the property would be purchased, and pnor to knowing how the property would
be used if the property is purchased. There were suggestions that only the feasibility portion should
be funded at this time
Mr Valente joined the meeting to review the logic for the full request, making the following points
• The feasibility portion is complex, partially because of the area's topography and current
road locations It would include finding a second access road, most likely through the Community
Center property, to Marrett Road and would likely include locating a sidewalk from Marrett Road to
the Community Center It would also include ensuring safe access to the property from
Massachusetts Avenue (Mass Ave ), the current configuration of the Mass Ave./Pelham Road
intersection is particularly problematic if 20 Pelham Road were to be used for a school
• It is preferable to have one contract for the different stages of the project.
• Having the entire appropriation available avoids delays in pursuing the project.
• The results of the feasibility study might influence the Town's desire to purchase the
property but would not be likely to influence the negotiated price
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12/07/15 AC Minutes
Mr Bartenstem noted his concern that the Town should be cautious about spending funds too
readily, particularly given the amounts that will be requested in the near future to build and renovate
schools He suggested that he could support $30,000 for a feasibility study and that additional
funds could be requested at subsequent Town Meetings when requests to purchase the property are
presented.
A motion was made and seconded to support Article 2, as currently worded, for the $150,000 The
vote was 3-3 [Subsequently, at the Special Town Meeting, Mr Neumeier joined the Committee and
added a vote in favor, making the final vote 4-3 in support.]
3 Announcements. Mr Levine recommended that Committee members review a spreadsheet
he recently distributed that identifies override and debt exclusion requests since 1989 It can be
used for entering anticipated override and debt exclusion requests
The meeting was adjourned at 7 18 p.m
The documents used at the meeting are listed below
Respectfully submitted,
Sara Arnold
Recording Secretary
Approved January 19, 2016
Exhibits
1 Agenda, posted by Glenn Parker, Chair
2 Multiple School Project Costs Worksheet, updated November 18, 2015
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