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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-25-AC-min 2/25/2016 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) February 25, 2016 Place and time- Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7 30 p.m Members present Glenn Parker, Chair, John Bartenstem, Vice Chair and Secretary; Kate Colburn, Alan Levine, Beth Masterman, Eric Michelson, Richard Neumeier, Andrei Radulescu-Banu Members Absent Mollie Garberg Others Present Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member The meeting was called to order at 7 40 pm 1 Announcements. Ms Masterman apologized for the distribution problems associated with this Committee's report to the Special Town Meeting (STM) 2016 #1 It was her understanding that the copies had been delivered to the Police Station on February 8t1i but because of the snowstorm the delivery was not made Mr Michelson reported that all 16 member communities in the Minuteman Technical High School distnct had approved a new agreement, as discussed at previous meetings As a result, six of the seven communities that had verbally said they planned to leave the district if the new agreement was approved have started the process for doing so They will pay for some residual funding to fulfill their obligations The project to renovate/rebuild the Minuteman Technical High School building must be presented to the Town Meetings in the current 16 communities While all 16 must vote on the project, the six that are leaving the distnct will not incur the new capital obligations If all 16 approve the project, it would move forward. If all 16 do not approve, the district can choose to hold a district wide referendum on the question. If a majonty approve the referendum, the project would move forward. Another STM is likely because Lexington does not currently have an Article in any Warrant for supporting the renovations/rebuilding project. 2. Report to the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) and STM 2016#2. Mr Parker distributed a draft table listing the Articles on which this Committee will be taking a position and commenting in its report. For most of the Articles, he identified an author and a reviewer for the text. Starred Articles indicate those which he believes this Committee could recommend for an ATM Consent Agenda. There was discussion of adding the following Articles to the list based on their having a potential financial impact • ATM Article 34. Amend General By-laws—Guns. Mr Neumeier agreed to research whether there is any potential compensation liability associated with banning guns in Lexington. • ATM Article 40. Amend Zoning By-Law—Accessory Apartments. Like Article 42 (Two Family Homes), this article has the potential for increasing the school population, which has a financial impact. It was noted that Charles Hornig, Planning Board member, has raised questions about discnmination against families with children if a potential increase in school age children is advanced as a reason for opposing by-law changes Advice from Town Counsel is being sought. 1 2/25/2016 AC Minutes Mr Parker reported that proponents for ATM Article 16 Appropriate for Advice and Analysis— Getting to Net Zero, have volunteered to attend an Appropriation Committee meeting and answer questions There was a review of the list and the assignments Changes were made 3 Funding of School Capital Articles, Debt Exclusion Referendum Strategy: With respect to the anticipated debt exclusion referendum, tentatively scheduled for May 3rd, totaling approximately $80 million for various school-related capital projects, Mr Bartenstem suggested that consideration be given to using funds from the Capital Stabilization to lower the amount borrowed, as opposed to saving those funds for use at a future date to "shave" the required principal and interest payments There was a brief discussion about how the Capital Stabilization Fund might be used to help offset the financial impact on the taxpayers It was noted that debt exclusion question(s) request support for project(s), not an amount of money The actual cost to the taxpayer isn't known until a bond is issued for the project(s) 4 Future Agenda Items. Mr Parker commented that there are only three more meetings of this Committee prior to Town Meeting. It was agreed that future agendas should include • Pat Goddard, Director, Department of Public Facilities, to discuss capital projects, • A draft memo, discussed at previous meetings, relating to school projects and offering suggestions to the School Committee, • The structure of a debt exclusion referendum The Committee adjourned at 9.28 p.m The documents used at the meeting are listed below Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Recording Secretary Approved March 23, 2016 Exhibits 1 Agenda, posted by Glenn Parker, Chair 2 Table listing ATM Articles, assignments, and suggested consent agenda items, prepared by Mr Parker 2