HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-11-CEC-minMinutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC)
Remote-Participation Meeting
January 11, 2024
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Location and Time: Remote-Participation Meeting; 8:00 A.M.
Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice−Chair & Clerk;
Sandy Beebee; Mike Boudett (arrived at 8:03 A.M); Rod Cole; and Lisah Rhodes
Member Absent: Mr. Boudett (until 8:03 A.M.)
Others Present: Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Rosalyn Impink,
Lexington Budget Officer; Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation & Community Programs for
a short time.
Documents Presented:
• Notice of Public Remote Meeting/Agenda CEC Meeting, January 11, 2024
• The CPC Final, Aggregated, Report To The 2023 Annual Town Meeting, Released
May 1, 2023.
• Draft Warrant Report 1.5.4, January 9, 2024, as proposed to the Select Board, but in
which Mr. Kanter had highlighted in red the Articles proposed as being those CEC
members (Members) would address in their Report.
Call to Order
Mr. Lamb called this Remote (Virtual) Meeting to order at 8:00 A.M. As the Committee
members and the others joining this meeting had been previously advised of the special
conditions of this meeting, he passed on repeating them (i.e., the authority to not require a
physical presence of a quorum and other selected terms under the Open Meeting Law had,
by legislation on March 29, 2023, Governor Healey signed into law a supplemental budget
bill which, among other things, extends the temporary provisions pertaining to the Open
Meeting Law to March 31, 2025, pursuant to Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2023”.)
Mr. Lamb made a Roll Call of the Committee Members and found 5 Members present.
Mr. Lamb outlined that this meeting was primarily the many organizational steps as this
Committee began the long process of assembling its formal Report to the 2024 Annual Town
Meeting. He added that today there are Draft Minutes which have been distributed to the
Members and ready to be address for approved. He identified the Draft Minutes are for
November 2, 7, and 9, and for December 7, 8, & 14—which the first 5 of those contain some
Mr. Cole editorial adjustments that Mr. Kanter will incorporate—be Approved. He asked for
a Motion which Ms. Rhodes made, it was Seconded by Ms. Beebee, Mr. Lamb’s Roll Call
Vote was 5—0.
Mr. Lamb did a voice check with Ms. Battie. He advised her that no significant Recreation
matter was contemplated, but she was welcomed to attend. In that case, she chose to leave,
but remained available if needed. Mr. Lamb saw Mr. Boudett had joined and Mr. Lamb
received his vocal call. Mr. Lamb explained that Minutes vote to him, and Mr. Boudett agree;
Roll Call Vote became 6–0.
Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC)
Remote-Participation Meeting
January 11, 2024
Page 2 of 3
Mr. Kanter advised he had distributed last year’s that final, aggregated, Report to the 2023
Annual Town Meeting in case Members could use their front matter as a beginning as it is
common that some of each year’s write up was carried forward.
Returning to the organizational discussion of our 2024 Report, Mr. Lamb asked, regarding
the same responsibility for the front material used in 2024, if any Member objected—and
there were none. As a parallel, Mr. Lamb led the Members through the Draft Warrant 1.5.24
Mr. Kanter had annotated the Articles likely to be addressed by the CEC in its Report. The
Members agree, for the most part, the Member-assignments paralleled last years;
responsibilities taken for the others. Mr. Kanter will forward that Draft Warrant with Member
initials to identify responsibilities to all the Members.
Mr. Lamb then turned to future Committee meetings. After thorough considerations of
conflicts with individual Member’s own other plans and the desired deadlines through the
elements of each component of the Report, the time lines were set. Mr. Lamb raised the
question of having a presentation regarding both an Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) and the
Community Preservation Committee (CPC) about their funding plan over both the FY2025
and later years. The Members endorsed both presentations and encouraged both appear
together if practical. Mr. Lamb provided the following listing of future meetings (all Thursday
at 8:00 A.M unless one exception and just a deadline) and their associated purpose/deadline.
[Note: Following this meeting, an earlier query with CPC and AHT ultimately confirmed that
joint attendance of CPC and AHT was not available, so their separate scheduling is included
in the below.]
1/18 Meeting w/Community Preservation Committee
1/25 Meeting with Affordable Housing Trust
2/1 Meeting (placeholder)
2/4 (Sunday): Front Matter (Organization/Department) Drafts due to Mr. Kanter
2/8 Meeting to discuss Front Matter Draft
2/11 (Sunday): Back Matter (Articles) material due to Mr. Kanter
2/15 Meeting to discuss Back Matter
2/22 No meeting, school vacation week
2/29 Meeting to discuss Report, final substantial edits
3/5 (Tuesday) Meeting to finalize Report and Vote
3/7 Meeting (placeholder): Any last-minute changes voted, Report finished
3/11: Report published (deadline for release)
The Committee had several status discussions related to topics such as potential use of the
Town’s building and parking space at 173 Bedford Street. It had recently been the “swing
space”—currently for the Police Department—another future options such as the Schools
Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC)
Remote-Participation Meeting
January 11, 2024
Page 3 of 3
Central Office, or affordable housing being some. Ms. Rhodes provided information about
similar discussions, including at the School Board where they wanted to have managerial
control of the to-be-removed Old Harrington School and its space to be recreational fields
and whether the Schools Central Office belongs, ultimately in the new High School. At a
Select Board meeting, there remained similar issues without clear resolution.
Adjourn
At 8:41 A.M., a Motion was Made and Seconded to adjourn. Vote: 6–0
This Minutes was approved by the CEC at this meeting on January 18, 2024.