HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-04-AC-min2/4/2016 AC Minutes
Minutes
Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC)
February 4, 2016
Place and time: Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m.
Members present. Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Kate Colburn;
Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine; Beth Masterman; Eric Michelson; Andrei Radulescu -Banu
Members Absent: Richard Neumeier
Others Present: Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member
The meeting was called to order at 7:40 pm.
1. Announcements: Mr. Michelson reported that the Massachusetts School Building Authority
(MSBA) informed Minuteman Technical High School that, in order to qualify for MSBA grant
funds, it had 120 days to submit its plan for rebuilding the school.
Mr. Parker reported that the Board of Selectmen, at their recent meeting, did not indicate when they
would ask the Moderator to take up Special Town Meeting (STM) 2016 -2, Article 2: Land Purchase
20 Pelham Road. It will not be brought up this Monday night but, it could be brought to the STM
as early as mid - February.
2. Reports to STM 2016 -1 and 2016 -2: Articles were discussed as follows:
• STM 2016 -1, Article 2: Amendments to the Regional School District Agreement of the
Minuteman Regional Vocational School District: Ms. Garberg and Ms. Masterman added
their support to this article, making this Committee's support unanimous.
• STM 2016 -1, Article 3: Appropriate for Hastings School Feasibility Study: Ms. Garberg and
Ms. Masterman added their support to this article, making this Committee's support
unanimous.
• STM 2016 -1, Article 4: Establish, Rename and Appropriate to and from Specified
Stabilization Funds: Ms. Garberg and Ms. Masterman added their support to this article,
making this Committee's support unanimous.
Mr. Parker reported that he would be traveling and would not be attending the Budget Summit or
the STMs, and that Ms. Masterman would be handling the publication and distribution of this
Committee's report.
A motion was made and seconded to approve this Committee's report to the STMs. The motion
passed. VOTE: 8 -0
3. Liaison Reports: Mr. Parker discussed continuing efforts to develop a memo from the
finance committee and selectmen's "chairs plus one" group to the School Committee. The memo
would serve as a framework for evaluating the effectiveness and suitability of school building
proposals from a system -level view. He noted that the memo would likely become an internal
working document, although Ms. Hai may choose to share it with the School Committee.
This triggered discussion about the magnitude of funds needed to address current and projected
school enrollment, the impact this would have on the typical taxpayer, whether the enrollment
increases will continue as projected, and housing policies that could impact enrollment. It was
generally agreed that the points in the framework memo must be formally addressed in order for
this Committee to create its reports on related Town Meeting articles.
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The Committee adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
The documents used at the meeting are listed below.
Respectfully submitted,
Sara Arnold
Recording Secretary
Approved May 2, 2016
Exhibits
Agenda, posted by Glenn Parker, Chair
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2/4/2016 AC Minutes