Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-08-23-AC-min 8/23/2016 AC Minutes-Open Session Minutes–Open Session Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee(AC) August23, 2016 : ParkerRoom,Town OfficeBuilding,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair;Kate Colburn; Alan Levine;Eric Michelson; RichardNeumeier;Andrei Radulescu-Banu, Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary;Mollie Garberg; Membership Note:There is one vacancy on the Committee which has yet to be filled. Others Present:Peter Kelley, Board of Selectmen (BoS); Joe Pato, BoS; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk, Capital Expenditures Committee; Pat Goddard, Director,Department of Public Facilities; Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member The meetingwas calledto order at 7:36pm. 1.Executive Session –Exemption 6 to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property: At 7:37 p.m., following a declaration that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town, a roll call vote of the Committee was taken on a motion to go into executive session to discuss a potential purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property under exemption 6 and to reconvene in open session. The motion was unanimously adopted; each member present having voted in the affirmative. VOTE: 6-0 The Committee returned to open session at 8:24 p.m. 2.Articles for Special Town Meeting (STM) 2016-5 The articles were discussed, as follows: Article 2: Land Purchase –171-173 Bedford St: This article was discussed during the Executive Session. Article 3: Supplemental Appropriation for Middle Schools –Additions and Remodeling: This article is a placeholder, dependent on the bid that is to be submittedin early September for renovations at Diamond and Clarke Middle Schools. Sub-contractor bidsindicate that the bid couldbe as much as $3.0 million less than the budgetedamount.It is likely that this article will be indefinitely postponed. Article 4: Supplemental Appropriation for School Facilities Capital Projects: This article is included to supplement previously appropriated fundsfor renovations and installing modular units forthe elementary schools. There was no response to the Town’s first effort to solicit bids for the project. The second such effort resulted in a bid that is approximately $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.The School Committee will vote on September 6 whether to request funding for five or six modular classrooms. 1 8/23/2016 AC Minutes-Open Session 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 suggested that incorporating the Hosmer House be included in the analysis. It was noted thata rebuilding ofthe current police station wouldbesubject to Historic Districts review. Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds may be availablefor eligible aspects of the project, if the station isn’t demolished. Article 6: Amend FY2017 Operating, Enterprise Fund and CPA Budgets: Mr. Addelson discussed his plan to increase the FY2017 CPA Debt Service Budget by $40,000 in order to retire a Bond Anticipation Noteissued last July for funding the Community Center renovation. The FY2017 MWRA water and wastewater assessments will also be revised under Article 6; Mr. Addelson will provide additional details on these changes at a later date. Article 7: Establishand Appropriate To and From SpecifiedStabilization Funds: Mr. Addelson reported that this is a “housekeeping” item.He reported that local aid receipts were $0.5 million more than anticipated. These funds, or some of them, could be allocated to the Capital Stabilization Fund by Town Meeting. Other funds may be allocated to the Transportation Demand Management Stabilization Fund as part of this article. 3.Liaison Reports Ms. Colburn reported that school enrollment, as of August 1, 2016,reached 7,031 for grades K-12; 157 additional students have enrolled since August 1, with 70 of those students going into the elementary schools. Mr. Michelson reported that on September 20, 2016 there will be a MinutemanTechnical High School district-wide referendum electionto request bonding approval for a new facility. The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in all of the member towns. All Lexington residents are being directed to vote at the Lexington Community Center. The short hours and limited polling locations are designed to save money on the election. The measure must pass by a district-wide simple majority for the district to take advantage of the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s planto subsidize the new building, assumingit meets all required thresholds.Any Town that does not support the referendum would beallowed to leave the district. Mr. Parker reported having attended theCenter StreetscapeDesign Review Ad hocCommittee meetingheld earlier in the day. That Committee is recommending herring bone sidewalks with straight edged bricks; their preferred lighting identifiestechnical aspects that include LED bulbs. The Committee adjournedat 9:17p.m. The documentsused at the meeting arelistedbelow. Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Approved September 1, 2016 Exhibits Agenda,posted by Glenn Parker, Chair 2