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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-08-23-AC-min 8/23/2016 AC Minutes-Open Session Minutes —Open Session Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) August 23, 2016 Place and time- Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7 30 p.m Members present Glenn Parker, Chair, Kate Colburn, Alan Levine, Eric Michelson, Richard Neumeier, Andrei Radulescu-Banu, Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent John Bartenstem, 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 meeting was called to order at 7 36 pm 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 dunng the Executive Session. • Article 3 Supplemental Appropnation for Middle Schools —Additions and Remodeling This article is a placeholder, dependent on the bid that is to be submitted in early September for renovations at Diamond and Clarke Middle Schools Sub-contractor bids indicate that the bid could be as much as $3 0 million less than the budgeted amount. It is likely that this article will be indefinitely postponed. • Article 4 Supplemental Appropnation for School Facilities Capital Projects This article is included to supplement previously appropnated funds for renovations and installing modular units for the 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 appropnated 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 that a rebuilding of the current police station would be subject to Historic Distracts review Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds may be available for 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 Note issued 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 Establish and Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization 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 Minuteman Technical High School district-wide referendum election to 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 distract-wide simple majonty for the district to take advantage of the Massachusetts School Building Authority's plan to subsidize the new building, assuming it meets all required thresholds Any Town that does not support the referendum would be allowed to leave the district. Mr Parker reported having attended the Center Streetscape Design Review Ad hoc Committee meeting held earlier in the day That Committee is recommending herring bone sidewalks with straight edged bricks, their preferred lighting identifies technical aspects that include LED bulbs The Committee adjourned at 9 17 p.m The documents used at the meeting are listed below Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Approved September 1, 2016 Exhibits Agenda, posted by Glenn Parker, Chair