Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-29 SB-min Select Board Meeting November 29, 2023 A meeting of the Lexington Select Board was called to order at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, via a hybrid meeting platform. Mr. Pato, Chair; Ms. Barry, Mr. Lucente, Mr. Sandeen, and Ms. Hai were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk; and Ms. Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. FY2025 Proposed Budget – Land Use, Housing and Development Presentation Jim Kelly, Building Commissioner, presented the proposed budget for the Building & Zoning Department. Ms. Barry suggested sharing the Mechanical Inspector position with other nearby towns. In response to a question from Mr. Pato, Mr. Kelly explained that the Mechanical Inspector request is being driven by expansion of commercial development in Town, residential items, and new labs spaces. Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development, and explained that the Administrative budget is proposed to increase by approximately $9,500 - $7,500 of which is related to Zoom accounts. Karen Mullins, Conservation Director, presented the proposed budget. She explained that there is a slight increase in the budget from FY24 of 1.38%. This is for the contractual step increases only. Abby McCabe, Planning Director, presented the Planning Department’s budget. She explained that the proposal is for a level service funded budget. An increase is proposed in the contract services line item for $4,600, or 5.9% of the Planning Office budget. Last year, the Department needed to hire an outside consultant to complete an economic feasibility study, and there was not enough money in the contract services line item to do so. The intention is to increase the budget in this line item in case additional outside consultants are needed this year. Mr. Lucente asked about a Housing Director for the Division. Ms. Kowalski stated that much of the strategizing for this position is done collaboratively within the Departments. In the future, a dedicated position for this role may be needed. Mr. Sandeen asked how much effort it will take the Planning Department to support the new MBTA Zoning Bylaw. Ms. McCabe stated that the Planning Board has spent time updating its regulations for this item. The Department has not yet received any applications but is ready for them. The Department will likely hire a professional technical peer reviewer for these applications, but this will be paid for by applicants. Ms. Barry asked about the increase proposed to the catering line item. Ms. McCabe explained that more in-person meetings and workshops are expected this year. Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director, presented the Department’s budget. The overall Economic Development budget is proposed to increase by 4.10%. The major two expenses come from compensation, and marketing and membership dues and expenses. Lorraine Welch, Senior Economic Development Coordinator, explained that the Visitor Center saw a 13.8 increase in gross sales compared to the previous fiscal year, and visitors are spending an average of $23.97 per transaction. 4,096 tickets for the Liberty Ride trolley were sold, with the adult ticket being the most popular. Ms. Iyer noted that last year the Visitor Center made $10,000 and this year it made $86,000. Mr. Lucente suggested that the Liberty Ride budget may require a deeper dive. He was expecting to see th more in the budget regarding the 250 Celebration and how the Town will be supporting it. It was noted that there is a request for an additional $100,000 for TSG within the Planning Department budget, to help with resident requests as they arise. Building & Zoning Department Goals: 1. Continue the efforts to improve and administer the online permitting system, assisting contractors and residents to obtain their permits without delays. The ViewPoint Cloud permit system requires all building, mechanical, sheet metal, zoning, electrical, plumbing and gas permits to be applied for electronically. This permitting system allows applicants to do much of their work from their office or home, thereby saving time and money from having to visit the Town offices. 2. Create a new staff position for a mechanical inspector. With the ever-changing energy codes and sophisticated mechanical systems, the Town should have a staff inspector position with expertise in the mechanical codes, equipment, and installations. 3. Permit, inspect, monitor, and ensure code compliance for the two new high rise laboratory buildings in the Hartwell District, as well as the new buildings proposed at 97 Hayden Ave. These three new buildings alone will create an enormous workload on inspectors and will require an extraordinary effort on all to insure success. 4. Prepare the staff, residents, contractors and designers of the new Fossil Fuel Free Bylaw, a new law that prohibits/limits the use of natural gas and propane in new and existing homes and most commercial buildings. 5. Assist the Select Board to continue with their efforts to implement a stormwater permitting system for all new homes built, regardless of the lot size. The Board recently added smaller projects that trigger site plan review, and their next steps will be adding all the new home lots so that stormwater will not adversely affect the neighbors and town roads Administration Department Goals: 1. Support the Town's housing initiatives, including the Affordable Housing Trust, affordable housing, and potential buy-downs of MBTA Multi-family and Special Residential Development projects, and anticipated recommendations to the Housing Feasibility Study. 2. Direct the Department in supporting the Select Board's updated goals and the Planning Board's work plan, including LexingtonNext and other adopted Town plans related to the Department's work. 3. Assist the Town Manager in planning and executing on operations and delegated strategic actions in land use, housing, conservation, building, planning, preservation, and economic development. Conservation Department Goals: 1. Continue to enhance the conservation work flows and inspection checklists in the ViewPoint Cloud Opengov online permitting system, to streamline and reduce the complexities of wetland protection regulatory process as much as feasible. 2. Implement Year 2 recommendations of the Seven Year Action Plan of the 2023 Open Space and Recreation Plan in collaboration with Recreation and Community Programs and other applicable staff, boards, and committees. 3. Implement the Conservation Improvements, comprised of 20 acres of meadow preservation, as appropriated through the participatory budget process with ARPA funds. 4. Complete the Land Management Planning process for the Concord Avenue Conservation parcels and implement the various recommendations as approved by the Conservation Commission. 5. Implement the numerous conservation land management and stewardship prioritized projects, including Wright Farm Barn Stabilization (FY2023 CPA) and Conceptual Site Access Design and Parking (FY2021 CPA), Willard's Woods Accessible Improvements Construction ( FY2024 CPA), and Whipple Hill Trail Repair and Fire Access Construction (FY2024 CPA funding). 6. Plan for and acquire open space parcels as prioritized by the Conservation Commission. Planning Department Goals: 1. Implement various recommendations in Lexington Next, the Town's updated Comprehensive Plan, which will guide future land development and preservation activities over the next 5, 10-15 years, and beyond. 2. Assemble and support the Planning Board's Annual Work Plan to ensure alignment with Lexington Next. 3. Propose and adopt zoning amendments outlined in Lexington NEXT to promote various economic development and housing goals such as more affordable housing and maximizing commercial development. 4. Collaborate with members of the Land Use, Housing, and Development (LUHD) Department and other staff members to plan and execute short- and long-term planning initiatives. 5. Adopt and implement District Plans for Lexington's Transportation Demand Management Overlay Districts (TMOD) for South Lexington and Forbes Road - Marrett Street. Economic Development Department Goals: 1. Ensure long-term viability of Lexington businesses 2. Implement and complete the wayfinding project for East Lexington. th 3. Launch the Tourism Website with a 250 webpage. 4. The ED office will also be working on a store back improvement program for East Lexington to improve the stores to be more attractive and vibrant. Also work on Landscape design community outreach and implementation for East Lexington. Tourism Department Goals: 1. Generate a 10% increase in annual merchandise sales over the annual 3-year average th 2. Increase/improve trolley operations before the 250 year celebration th 3. Add new merchandise for the 250 Anniversary 4. Launch the new Destination Marketing Website and digital campaign Program Improvement Requests:  Mechanical Inspector  Conservation Land Chipping  Conservation Regulatory Assistant Hours  Full-time Assistant Visitors Center Manager FY2025 Capital Requests:  Transportation Mitigation  Eldred Traffic Calming and Hartwell Avenue Ped Crossing  Phase II – Town-wide Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan  Wright Farm Barn Preservation Rehabilitation (Step 3)  Cotton Farm/Community Center Connector (FY26)  Land Acquisition (FY26)  Simond’s Brook Conservation Area Trail Design & Engineering (FY26) DOCUMENTS - Presentation - LUHD Department FY2025 Proposed Budget, Presentation - Land Use, Housing & Development FY25 Budget The Board took a brief recess. 2. FY2025 Proposed Budget – Department of Public Facilities Presentation Mike Cronin, Director of Public Facilities, presented the Department budget. The Department’s FY2025 level-service All Funds budget is increasing by $776,273 or 5.29%. The General Fund budget is increasing by $751,201 or 5.34%. The primary driver of this increase is utilities and overall rising costs, especially in cleaning and maintenance supplies. Compensation is increasing by $202,369 or 2.99% due to contractually obligated step increases. Overall Utility costs are currently increasing. Staff are working to refine projections further but anticipate a significant increase in electricity due to rising supply rates. Revenues from building rentals have picked back up since the town has recovered from Covid. There are many in-person events and revenues are expected to return close to normal. In response to a question from Ms. Hai, Shawn Newell, Assistant Director of Public Facilities, explained that a majority of the equipment that is used on the School sites, which is DPF’s responsibility, is that of the on-call contractor. The contractor is mostly relied upon to mow the grass. Mr. Lucente asked if there is a plan to move smaller scale buildings in Town off natural gas. Mr. Cronin stated that as equipment fails, it is being replaced electrically. Mr. Cronin reviewed the proposed FY25 capital requests. In response to a question from Ms. Barry regarding the East Lexington Fire Station project, Mr. Cronin explained that this is being pushed out due to the fact that the architect was just selected for the project. The Board discussed the requests at hand and available CPA funds. Mr. Malloy explained that CPC will choose to fund certain requests and then the Board will need to determine if other projects will move forward or not. If the decision is to move these projects forward, they will need to be funded through the General Fund. Departmental Initiatives:  DPF Goals for FY2025 include to support the day-to-day operations of all Town buildings, to support the School Master Plan, to review and refine the 20-year capital plan information and incorporate it into a viable capital plan, and to implement other capital and priority projects. Program Improvement Requests:  AV Technician Grade 4from 35 to 40 hours/week FY2025 Capital Requests:  Public Facilities Bid Documents  Public Facilities Interior Finishes  Public Facilities Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Replacements  Municipal Building Envelopes and Associated Systems  School Building Envelopes and Associated Systems  School Paving and Sidewalks  Lexington High School Construction Project  Pine Meadows Clubhouse Renovation  East Lexington Fire Station  173 Bedford Street Renovation  Cary Memorial Library Renovation Project.  Central Administration Building Demolition  Clarke HVAC Replacement and Electrification  Solar Assessment Lincoln Fields  Cary Memorial Library Upper Floors HVAC Renovation  Stone Building Renovation and Addition DOCUMENTS: Presentation - Department of Public Facilities FY2025 Proposed Budget The Board took a brief recess. 3. FY2025 Proposed Budget – Cary Memorial Library Presentation Koren Stembridge, Director of Cary Memorial Library, presented the Library’s budget. She noted proposed increases in the travel, supplies, small equipment, and books/audio materials/materials lines. She also noted that the Adult Services contract has not yet been settled, leading to unknown final salary numbers at this time. th Mr. Lucente asked about integrating some of the 250 Celebration activities into the Library. It was noted that some of the Library’s budget will be put toward the celebration. Departmental Initiatives: 1. Books, information, and so much more We continue our 150-year-long tradition of providing books and other materials that reflect the needs and interests of Lexington residents. Though much has changed since our doors first opened in 1869, our essential function remains the same - to bring the world of information and ideas to you. 2. At the intersection of learning, making, and play In recent years, educational research has increasingly shown that we learn best through experience - by making mistakes and trying again. In furthering this effort, we are expanding these types of learning opportunities, giving you more chances to build, create, and play. 3. A place that works for everyone We value the rich diversity of our community and our commitment to equitable service for all is unwavering. Efforts to identify and remove barriers to access are ongoing - we are a work in progress. 4. With opportunities for human connection In a world where technology is ever-present, we are committed to fostering human interactions. Sometimes that is as simple as providing comfortable chairs for a serendipitous meeting between old friends. Other times it takes the shape of an elaborate event with community partners and hundreds of guests. Large and small, these moments, shared among neighbors, strengthen the social fabric of Lexington. 5. And a future as bright as our past With more than half a million visitors each year, Cary Library is a cherished community asset. and a source of civic pride. Stewardship of this resource includes multiple aspects - from preservation to transformation. Program Improvement Requests:  Full Time Teen Services Librarian DOCUMENTS - Presentation - Cary Memorial Library FY2025 Proposed Budget The Board took a brief recess. 4. FY2025 Proposed Budget – Recreation & Community Programs Presentation Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation & Community Programs, presented the Recreation & Community Programs budget. She explained that the FY25 operating budget request is $3,644,015 and reflects an increase of 2.18% compared to FY24. The increase is due to a number of items. Personal services are increasing by 6.38% due to recent minimum wage mandates, the overall competitive market for applicants, and the increased number of seasonal part time staff as compared to FY 24. Second, expenses are decreasing by 3.37%, primarily due to the financial restructuring of contracted services that are offered in the summer. Third, the proposed indirect contribution of $318,520 to the General Fund shows an increase of 8.1% compared to FY24. There has been a steady return in new growth for drop-in programs, both indoor and outdoor, including the Community Center averaging 4,000 visits per week. Melinda Spencer, Administrative Manager, explained that the Administrative Division budget request for FY25 reflects an increase of 15.85%. Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, explained that the proposed FY25 Recreation Division budget reflects an overall decrease of 5.37% or $82,146. This decrease is primarily due to the financial restructuring of the contracting services that are offered in the summer. Compensation reflects an increase of 6.97% or $59,279, which is due to increases in wages for seasonal part time staff to remain competitive in the market. Ms. Battite explained that the Pine Meadows budget request reflects an increase of 4.13%. Christine Dean, Community Center Director, explained that the budget request for the Community Center Division reflects an increase of 4.78% or $31,676, which is primarily due to the increased participation in contractual programs, services, and supplies, as well as the addition of a $5,000 line item for an equipment rental to fund the seasonal installment of an outdoor event tent at the Community Center. Ms. Battite reviewed the Program Improvement Requests and Mr. Coleman reviewed the Capital Requests. There was discussion regarding the Lincoln Park fitness equipment request. Ms. Battite explained that Staff continues to work on funding for this item in collaboration with the Lincoln Park Subcommittee. In response to a question from Ms. Barry regarding the event tent proposed for the Community Center, Ms. Dean explained that there was ARPA funding approved for a permanent tent structure in multiple locations in Town, including the Community Center. Staff received information and quotes on this proposed item, but the quotes came back quite high for what was needed. Thus, a temporary tent is now being proposed. Mr. Sandeen asked about the golf user charges. Ms. Battite explained that Staff continues to consider raising greens fees but does not want to raise the fees to a point that the Town is charging more than comparable community courses with a nine-hole green. Mr. Pato asked that Staff consider alternatives to synthetic turf before expanding it in Town. Departmental Initiatives: 1. Implement the Key Findings of the 2021-2022 Comprehensive Study of Athletic & Outdoor Recreation Facilities and the 2023 Lincoln Park Master Plan in the development of the operational and capital improvement planning for the future needs of the community. 2. Actively participate in the planning and preparations for the 5-year impact on the community with the permanent and temporary loss of outdoor recreation facilities at the Center Recreation Complex. 3. Maintain and sustain the financial stability of the Recreation Enterprise Fund. 4. Continue the growth and implementation of the department's therapeutic, adaptive, and inclusive recreation programming. 5. Support Town-wide cultural and historic events and initiatives such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Program Improvement Requests:  Community Center/Department of Public Facilities  Full-time Recreation Coordinator FY2025 Capital Requests:  Pine Meadows Improvements  Pine Meadows Equipment  Strategic Plan Update  Park Improvements – Athletic Fields  Lincoln Park Field Improvements  Park and Playground Improvements  Park Improvements – Site Amenities  Outdoor Pickleball Court Construction  Lincoln Park Fitness Stations Equipment  Park Improvements – Hard Court Surfaces DOCUMENTS - Presentation - Recreation & Community Programs FY2025 Proposed Budget The Board reflected on the PIRs it heard from Departments. The Board discussed interest in the Mechanical Inspector PIR and the potential funding for this item, including use of permit fees. The Board also discussed the PIR for the Community Center facility. Mr. Malloy stated that this year the Police and Fire Department contracts are making the budget process difficult. The increases provided in FY24 for the two departments were funded from the Town Manager’s salary adjustment account. He needs to sit down with Staff to consider trimming items within the budget in order to fund some of the PIRs. All of the PIRs are good but will need to be prioritized. There was discussion regarding CPC funding. It was noted that the placeholder at this time is $8M. There are other projects that could be eligible for CPA funds, but this will need to be discussed by the CPC. The entire Library project could likely be funded through these funds. Mr. Pato suggested that the Town may want to reevaluate some of the base services and explore new priorities the community has and how they relate to the past priorities. ADJOURN Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 4:31 p.m. A true record; Attest: Kristan Patenaude Recording Secretary