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Minutes of the
Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 13, 2016
Location and Time:
Town Offices Building, Parker Room; 7:30 ..
AM
Members Present:
Jill Hai, ChairDavid Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Rod Cole (by phone at
;
approximately 8:20 ..); Charles Lamb; Wendy Manz
AM
Members Absent:
None
Others Present:
Carl Valente, Town Manager; Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for
Finance; Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer; Suzie Barry, Chair, Board of Selectmen (BoS);
Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting Member; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary
Documents Presented
:
Notice/Agenda of CEC Public Meeting, December 13, 2016
CEC Review of FY2018–FY2022 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) as of
12 Dec 2016, prepared by Mr. Kanter
Lexington Children’s Place (LCP) Location-Options Presentation to Budget
Summit III (December 1, 2016)
Call to Order:
At 7:32 .., Ms. Hai called this Committee’s meeting to order.
AM
Ms. Hai announced that she had authorized Mr. Cole to join the meeting later by remote
participation as he was out of Town.
Review of FY2018–FY2022 CIPs:
It was noted that based on conversations with
department heads, some updated and/or new CIPs are being prepared. Also, that the
Committee is still awaiting identification by the Community Preservation Committee of any
non-Town applications to it for use in FY2018 of the Town’s Community Preservation Fund
that that committee has voted to recommend to Town Meeting so this Committee can then
schedule presentations to it of those projects.
Using the CEC Review document as of December 12, 2016, that lists the current CIPs, this
Committee’s preliminary positions on them, and any conditional basis or comment, there
was a discussion that focused on those CIPs without full, unconditional, support of this
Committee. The primary purpose of the discussion was to provide feedback to the Town’s
Senior Management Team on this Committee’s preliminary positions on those CIPs for two
purposes: (1) For consideration as the Town Manager builds his FY2018 Preliminary
Budget & Financing Plan (the “White Book”), and (2) As advance notice of the advice on
those CIPs this Committee is likely to present to the Budget Summit IV scheduled for
January 12, 2017.
The following reflect significant, additional, information beyond what was already identified
in that Review document.
CIP #1033, Affordable Units Preservation: Mr. Valente said he would provide
information on this CIP if an Executive Session, using Exemption 6(to consider the
purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property), were included at this
th
Committee’s January 10 meeting. The Committee agreed to include that in its
Agenda for that meeting.
CIP #835, Visitors Center: Ms. Hai and Ms. Manz reported having met with Dawn
McKenna, Chair, Tourism Committee, and proponent for this project. It was noted
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 13, 2016
that Ms. McKenna may request a citizens’ warrant article if the BoS do not include
the proposed FY2018 funding in its Recommended Budget.
CIP #1034, Purchase Parking Lot for Community Center: Mr. Valente said he would
also provide information on this CIP at the Executive Session, again Exemption 6, of
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this Committee on January 10.
CIP #321, Center Streetscape Improvements: Ms. Barry noted that the BoS would
not discuss this project until they receive a report on all the components from the
Center Streetscape Design Review Ad hoc Committee. The report is due to be
presented at a January 11th BoS meeting.
CIP #327, Automatic Meter Reading System: Mr. Valente explained that this funding
request is to determine whether a radio system can be used for meter reading.
Based on the results, staff can prepare a financial analysis as requested by this
Committee. The Committee questioned whether the described scope of the FY2018
funding was needed to make that determination. Mr. Valente or Mr. Addelson would
ask the Department of Public Works to clarify the process.
CIP #528, Hydrant Replacement Program: Ms. Hewitt reported that she had just
received an updated CIP, which she would be forwarding after this meeting.
CIP #883, Bikeway Bridge Renovations: Mr. Valente reported that for this project to
be Community Preservation Act eligible, it must be extending the structural integrity
of the bridge. He agreed to revisit the question of eligibility with Town Counsel.
CIP #940, Westview Cemetery Building: Some members of this Committee will be
touring the existing building and discussing the proposed new building to increase
understanding of the project.
CIP #966, Community Center Sidewalk: Mr. Valente reported that the Town has
reached a general agreement with the Scottish Rite on a sidewalk plan, and
preliminary plans are being developed.
CIP #893, Recreation Site Assessment of Potential Land Acquisition: Mr. Valente
said he would also provide information on this CIP at the Executive Session, again
th
Exemption 6, of this Committee on January 10. He said this is likely to be an
FY2019 project.
CIP #980, Bedford St. at Eldred St. Safety Improvements: The Committee not that,
informally, the Lexington Police Chief had determined that the safety issues were
such that this project should move forward now.
CIP #1019 Hartwell Area Transportation Mitigation Overlay District (TMOD) Plan
Update: Mr. Valente reported that TMOD funds may not be used for this project.
CIP #561, Townwide Roofing Program and CIP #562, School Building Envelopes
and Systems Program: This Committee would welcome a discussion, perhaps in
June, about capital versus maintenance programs.
CIP #522, Street Improvements: Mr. Valente reported that the Town is incorporating
pedestrian and bike safety into its street-improvement program along with
considering the condition of the pavement.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 13, 2016
In response to questions regarding capital program-style projects, Mr. Addelson said that
most of them are not funded from debt. If all the appropriated funds for a project in a given
year are not used, those funds are used the following year before new funds for the project
are used, assuming the scope is the same.
Ms. Hai reported that, following the previous-evening’s Summit that was held to address
this Committee’s concerns about the basis for determining the placement of a new
Lexington Children’s Place (LCP) facility, Mary Czajkowski, Superintendent of Schools, has
requested a written list of this Committee’s questions regarding that decision. Ms. Hai
asked each member to provide her with their input this afternoon and she will prepare and
forward a consolidated list.
It was noted that if the Schools Central Offices were to be removed from the old Harrington
School building, continued use of any part of that building for the LCP would require
bringing it up to code because the building’s primary purpose would shift from office to
school use.
Ms. Hai reviewed previous discussions about the Town traditionally using two guiding
principles when issuing debt:
No more than 20-year terms;
No more than a 5% annual increase in debt service for debt within the tax-levy limit
of Proposition 2½.
A year ago, the BoS agreed to consider 30-year debt for some of the large projects.
Mr. Addelson reported that he is modeling both 20- and 30-year options. In support of
20−year terms, Mr. Lamb noted that he considers that most of the Town’s facilities have a
20-year life span and longer terms could tie the hands of future boards and committees.
Mr. Kanter concurred with the future impacts of using 30-year bond terms, but did not
accept the basis used by Mr. Lamb for the 20-year life span of Town facilities. The impact
on different groups of residents was discussed.
Adjourn:
A Motion was made and seconded at 8:51 .. to adjourn. Roll-Call Vote: 5–0
AM
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on January 10, 2017.
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