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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-08-30-CEC-min Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting August 30, 2016 Location and Time: Town Office Building, Reed Room, 8:00 .. AM Members Present: Jill Hai, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Elizabeth Barnett; Wendy Manz Members Absent: Rod Cole Others Present: Charles Lamb, prospective CEC member; Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer; Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting Member; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Documents Presented: Notice/Agenda of CEC Public Meeting, August 30, 2016 Draft #1 CEC Report to September 21, 2016, Special Town Meeting (STM) 2016-5 Pending Final Minutes of the CEC Meeting, August 17, 2016 Call to Order: Ms. Hai called the meeting to order at 8:00 .. AM Introductions: Ms. Hai announced that Charles Lamb was attending the meeting in anticipation of rejoining the CEC in the near future. He would be filling one of the two positions recently authorized for this Committee, expanding it from five to seven members. The added membership will allow for formal reassignments of responsibilities after any new members are appointed. It was noted that Mr. Lamb might become this CommitteeÓs liaison to the TownÓs Department of Public Facilities and the Information Services Office. Ms. Hai also introduced Ms. Hewitt, who will be assisting the TownÓs Finance Office as staff liaison to this Committee. Preparation for STM 2016-5: Ms. Hai affirmed that this Committee is still working to th distribute by September 14 its report to the STM 2016-5 so that its meets the goal of having it available a full week before that STM. The Articles were discussed, as follows: Article 2: Land PurchaseÏ171Î173 Bedford Street: This Article supports the purchase of 171/173 Bedford Street (Ð171/173Ñ) and technical services related to use, initially, as swing space while the Fire Department Headquarters is replaced. (The dual addressing is used as both numbers are used in the site’s documentation—which this Committee will reflect using the slash.) A ÐBehind the ScenesÑ tour of the current Fire Headquarters for Town Meeting members who sign th up is scheduled for September 10. Ms. Hai reported that Fire Chief John Wilson supports the swingspace plans. Based on her conversation with him, she added with regard to 171/173: As it has separate entry and exit roads, vehicles would not have to back into the facility, reducing the impact on traffic at this site, versus the current. Installation of a temporary, wireless, on-demand, traffic signal will be required, but would not be a major infrastructure change. During reconstruction of the fire headquarters, two or three fire-department vehicles would be housed at the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building at 201 Bedford St., which is adjacent to 171/173, facilitating access to those vehicles. A heated tent would be installed at 171/173 to garage an ambulance and ladder truck. Page 1 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting August 30, 2016 During reconstruction of the fire headquarters, an ambulance and pumper would remain at the East Lexington Fire Station 24/7; currently those vehicles are only there during the day. The trailers currently used at the Fire Headquarters for staff facilities would not be needed at 171/173. 171/173 does not have a training hydrant. The large emergency generator at Fire Headquarters may be able to be moved to 171/173 which does not currently have an emergency generator. Regarding potential abutter concerns, there is no need to use sirens during normal sleeping hours; additionally, a significant number of the 10Î12 emergency runs per day that leave the Fire Headquarters already travel on Bedford Street, but there will be some increase in fire apparatus traffic for some neighborhoods. Ms. Hai noted that the financial modeling that had been done in the past for the myriad capital projects that are being pursued had included rebuilding the fire station headquarters, but had not included acquisition of land for swing space. The funding source has been identified as debt, but timing has not yet been determined. A bond anticipation note (BAN) would most likely be used to cover short-term financing until a debt-exclusion referendum authorizes a long-term funding process. Ms. Barnett asked whether use of the Public Services Building for swing space had been studied and what could be expected for maintenance/utility costs for the swing space once the new fire headquarters is completed. Mr. Addelson replied that the Public Services Building was not studied for swing space, but that the facility is currently in full use. Ms. Hai agreed to explore questions about the cost of the swing space once it is vacated, but it was noted that it may be used for other swing-space needs. There was a 3-1 initial vote in support of Article 2 with the understanding that the Chair and Vice-Chair can make non-substantive changes. Ms. Barnett was not prepared to support it until a formal space study looks at using the Public Services Building for swing space for the fire headquarters. Article 3: Supplemental Appropriation for Middle SchoolsÏAdditions and Remodeling: This Article is a placeholder, dependent on the General Contractor bid that is to be submitted in early September for renovations at Diamond and Clarke Middle Schools. Sub-contractor bids indicate that those bids could be as much as $3.0 million less than the amount budgeted for them. It is likely that this Article will be indefinitely postponed. Article 4: Supplemental Appropriation for School Facilities Capital Projects: This Article is to supplement previously appropriated funds for renovations and installing modular units for the elementary schools. An initial solicitation for bids, which called for delivery before the start of this fallÓs School Year, produced no bids. A second solicitation was issued with a delivery date next spring, a base scope of five modular th units, and an add alternate for a 6 modular unit, and two bids were received. The selected bid has a price that is about $1.4 million more than previously appropriated for the project if six modular units are to be installed. Installing five units reduces the additional amount required to about $860,000. Mr. Addelson said that he is comfortable that $520,000 in unused funds from the previous appropriationÏ Page 2 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting August 30, 2016 primarily for the new Hastings Elementary SchoolÏcould be used to offset either modular-units shortfall because the wording of the Motion for that appropriation allowed flexibility and included the elementary-school modular units. Article 5: Appropriate Funds for Police Station Feasibility Study: This request for $65,000 would be a first step toward replacing the police station. It was generally agreed that the study should: (1) revise and update the most recent space-needs analysis for the Police Station, and (2) evaluate 171/173 as a permanent location for the police station along with, alternatively, at or adjacent to its current location by potentially including the Hosmer House along with the lot of land on which it currently stands. There was a 4-0 initial vote in support of Article 5 with the understanding that the Chair and Vice-Chair can make non-substantive changes. Article 6: Amend FY2017 Operating, Enterprise Fund and Community Preservation th Act (CPA) Budgets: Ms. Manz reported that she will be attending the September 6 Community Preservation CommitteeÓs meeting. She does not expect what she learns at the meeting to substantially change her draft material for this CommitteeÓs report that was distributed at this CEC meeting. There was a 4-0 initial vote in support of Article 6 with the understanding that the Chair and Vice-Chair can make non-substantive changes. Ms. Barnett left the meeting at approximately 8:45 .. AM Article 7: Establish and Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization Funds (SFs): Mr. Addelson reported that this Article is both a ÐhousekeepingÑ item (regarding the Transportation Demand Management SFÏwhich is not a Capitalrelated action) and it also includes a significant decision regarding the Capital SF. He reported that the StateÓs Local Aid was about $1.5 million more than anticipated at the 2016 Annual Town Meeting. Most of these funds could be proposed to the STM for appropriation to the Capital SF. There was a 3-0 initial vote in support of the Capital-related portion of Article 7 with the understanding that the Chair and Vice-Chair can make non-substantive changes. th September 9 was targeted for obtaining final approvals of this CommitteeÓs report to STM 2016-5Ïstill with permission granted for the Chair and Vice-Chair to address nonsubstantive adjustments to the report. In any case, distribution of the report should be th practical on or before September 14. Public Safety Building Feasibility It was noted that the 2010 Donham & Sweeney ArchitectsÓ Study had projected approximately $16.0 million for a new fire headquarters and the current estimate is $19.8 million, reflecting inflation. An additional $1.0 million for the design work would result in $20.8 million needed in FY2018. Similar costs have been used for a new police station. Site-acquisition costs have not been included in any of these estimates. Future Meetings: In addition to next Tuesday morningÓs meeting that has been posted st and the planned meeting next Friday morning, a meeting on September 21, the night of the STM 2016-5, will be posted for 7:00 ..,in case it is needed. PM Page 3 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting August 30, 2016 Approval of Minutes: A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Pending Final Minutes for the August 17, 2016 meeting (which included an Executive Session), as Vote: 3–0 presented, and also the public release of those Minutes. Adjourn: Vote: 3–0 A Motion was made and seconded at 8:55 .. to adjourn. AM These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on September 6 , 2016. Page 4 of 4