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Minutes of the
Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 6, 2016
Location and Time:
Town Office Building, Reed Room, 7:30 ..
AM
Members Present:
Jill Hai, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Rod Cole;
Wendy Manz
Members Absent:
Elizabeth Barnett
Others Present:
Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance (arrived at
approximately 8:45 ..); Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary
AM
Documents Presented:
Notice/Agenda of CEC Public Meeting, September 6, 2016
Draft #2 CEC Report to September 21, 2016, Special Town Meeting (STM) 2016-5
Mr. ColeÓs draft of Committee language under Article 4 for the CEC Report to
STM 2016-5
Draft #3 Minutes of the Lexington CEC Meeting, August 30, 2016, with Ms. Hai edits
Call to Order:
Ms. Hai called the meeting to order at 7:32 ..
AM
Preparation for STM 2016-5:
During a page-by-page review of the Draft #2 CEC Report to
STM 2016-5, changes were made to better reflect this CommitteeÓs positions and to more
clearly define the issues. Comments included the following:
Article 2: Land PurchaseÏ171Î173 Bedford Street: It was noted that the recently
released Letter of Intent regarding the purchase of that property by the Town of
Lexington identified a selling price of $4.3 million. It has not been determined
whether a debt-exclusion referendum for this purchase would include renovation
costs required to prepare the facility for fire-department swing space while the fire
headquarters is replaced. Ms. Hai agreed to ask Pat Goddard, Director, Department
of Public Facilities, about the funds needed for renovations and how long it would
take to renovate the facility for use as swing space.
Mr. Cole added his support for this Article, changing this CommitteeÓs vote to 4Î1.
Article 3: Supplemental Appropriation for Middle SchoolsÏAdditions and
Remodeling: It is anticipated that this Article will be indefinitely postponed because
the original appropriation is expected to cover the project cost after final negotiations
on the construction-contract bid price. The difference in these amounts is yet to be
known.
A Motion was made and seconded to support indefinite postponement of this Article.
Vote: 4–0
Article 4: Supplemental Appropriation for School Facilities Capital Projects: The
Committee included Mr. ColeÓs draft language in the discussion. The selected bid for
this project is approximately $1.4 million more than previously appropriated for the
project if six modular units are to be purchased and installed. Purchasing and
installing five units reduces the additional amount required to about $860,000. It is
anticipated that the School Committee will request additional funding to support six
units.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 6, 2016
In prior conversations with Mr. Addelson, $520,000 is available from a previous
appropriation. While that appropriation was primarily for the new Hastings
Elementary School (Hastings), the wording of its Motion allowed flexibility for all the
identified usesÏwhich included the elementary-school modular units. Committee
members express concern about the potential need for those funds to meet
Massachusetts School Building Authority feasibility-study requirements for Hastings.
(Later in the meeting, Mr. Addelson reported that this should not an issue, and this
will be discussed with Mr. Goddard. This Committee made it clear that it supports
the funding of six units and prefers that there be no risk in having adequate funds for
the project.
A Motion was made and seconded to support adequate funding for six modular
Vote: 4–0
units.
Article 5: Appropriate Funds for Police Station Feasibility Study: Ms. Hai reported
that there have been many changes in police-department requirements since 2010
when the last space-needs study was done for the Police Department Headquarters.
She will discuss with Mr. Goddard whether the proposed request of $65,000 under
this Article is sufficient to ensure the now-proposed study can be robust enough to
fully address all the current and projected needs at that Headquarters. She reviewed
for the Committee examples of space shortages, noting as one example, that
storage space requirements just for evidence have expanded considerably since
2010. Additionally, Police Chief Mark Corr supports inclusion of a welcoming
common area in the police station that can serve a variety of needs.
Mr. Cole added his support for this Article, changing this CommitteeÓs vote to 5Î0.
Article 6: Amend FY2017 Operating, Enterprise Fund and Community Preservation
Act (CPA) Budgets: Ms. Manz reported that she will be attending the Community
Preservation CommitteeÓs (CPCÓs) meeting being held later in the day at which the
CPC will address not only its position on the requested funds, but also which
element of the Community Preservation Fund should be the source. This Committee
noted that the CPCÓs policy has been generally first to use available, applicable,
reserve funding before using unbudgeted or undesignated funds.
Mr. Cole added his support for this Article, changing this CommitteeÓs vote to 5Î0.
Article 7: Establish and Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization Funds
th
(SFs): As discussed at this CommitteeÓs August 30 meeting, the StateÓs Local Aid
receipts for Lexington are expected to about $1.5 million more than anticipated at
the 2016 Annual Town Meeting. Of the currently anticipated actions under this
Article, the only one on which this Committee needs to take a position would be an
appropriation to the Capital SF. (Any request for funds to go into the Transportation
Demand Management/Public Transportation SF is not Capital-related.)
Mr. Cole added his support for this Article, changing this CommitteeÓs vote to 5Î0.
Approval of Minutes:
The Draft #3 Minutes for the August 30, 2016 meeting were
reviewed. Suggested edits were made.
A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #3 Minutes for the August 30, 2016
Vote: 3–0–1
meeting, as annotated and revised during the meeting.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 6, 2016
Review of STM 2016-5 Related Questions:
Mr. Addelson arrived in time to review
outstanding questions that had been identified during the meeting; it was agreed that most
of the questions should be directed to Mr. Goddard. Mr. Addelson confirmed that the
difference between the bid and the appropriated amount for the Middle Schools project is
not yet available.
Mr. Cole departed at 9:01 ..
AM
There was a brief conversation about whether there is an existing footpath between
171173 Bedford Street and the Department of Public Facilities.
Adjourn:
Vote: 3–0
A Motion was made and seconded at 9:03 .. to adjourn.
AM
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on September 21, 2016.
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