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Home My WebLink About2017-03-09-AC-min03/09/2017 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) March 9, 2017 Place and time: Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m. Members present: John Bartenstein, Chair; Alan Levine, Vice -Chair & Secretary; Ellen Basch; Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Andrei Radulescu -Banu; Sanjay Padaki; Lily Manhua Yan; Jian Helen Yang; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non- voting, ex officio) Members Absent: None Other Attendees: Ed Bouquillon, Superintendent- Director, Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School (Minuteman Tech); Kevin Mahoney, Assistant Superintendent of Finance, Minuteman Tech The meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm. 1. Announcements and Liaison Reports Mr. Michelson introduced representatives from Minuteman Tech who discussed factors that have influenced the school's budget and have resulted in an increase in Lexington's per student assessment for FY2018. It was noted that the school is downsizing now that the district has been reduced from 16 to 10 communities. The current building accommodates 1000 students; the new building that is scheduled to open in September 2019 is designed to accommodate 620 -650 students. Vacated teacher positions are not being filled. The primary factors for this year's extraordinary increase in Lexington's assessment (21.6 %) are: increased assessment due to 4 additional Lexington students (as per State determined calculations); revised assessments due to there being only 10 member towns (instead of 16 in prior years); and additional assessments due to revenue shortfall (distributed across all member towns). Dr. Bouquillon noted that a recent legislative change requiring prospective out -of- district students to first spend at least one year in the sending town's vocational program has had a negative impact on out -of- district applications. Lexington's assessment in future years will be dependent on a number of factors including the number of students that attend the school, the number of out -of- district students, etc. 2. Approve Report to the Special Town Meeting -1 (STM -1) Mr. Levine reported that he would add language to the text of the report with updated information about the Town's impending purchase of 20 Pelham Road. Mr. Michelson agreed to handle the logistics of getting the document printed. A motion was made and seconded to approve the STM -1 report with the identified edits. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 3. FY2018 Budget Issues and Report to 2017 Annual Town Meeting on Financially Related Warrant Articles Mr. Bartenstein reported that he had a list of articles proposed by the Board of Selectmen for the Town Moderator's Consent Agenda. If a single committee member did not support an article's 1 03/09/2017 AC Minutes inclusion it would not be included. The following articles were reviewed in preparation for votes on their merit and /or whether to support inclusion on the Consent Agenda. • Article 6: Appropriate for Senior Services Program: Mr. Bartenstein noted low participation and available carry -over funds for this program. He suggested that support be closely evaluated a year from now, after the Town has an opportunity to take steps to increase participation. ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 6. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 6 on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 10: Appropriate for the FY2018 Community Preservation Committee Operating Budget and CPA Projects: Mr. Radulescu -Banu reviewed items (a) -(c), (e) -(k), (o) -(p); Mr. Neumeier reviewed items (1) -(n). It was agreed to postpone taking a position on (d) Affordable Units Preservation — Pine Grove Village /Judges Way until more information is available. Concern was expressed that the plans for item (h) Stone Building Feasibility Study were not clearly defined. It was noted that item (j): Center Streetscape Improvements would be indefinitely postponed (IP'd). ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 10 items (a) through (p) except (d), (h), and (j). The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 10 item (h). The motion failed. VOTE: 3 -6 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 10 item (j) as an item to be IP'd. The motion passed. VO I'E: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 10 items (o) and (p) on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 11: Appropriate for Recreational Capital Projects: ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 11. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 11 on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 12: Appropriate for Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment: Mr. Padaki reviewed items (a) through (x). It was noted that (a) Center Streetscape Improvements and Easements would be IP'd. It was agreed to postpone the vote on (q) Highway Sign Machine because of unanswered questions. ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 12 item (a) as an item to be IP'd. The motion passed. VO I'E: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 12 items (b) through (x) except (q). The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 12 (v): Transportation Mitigation on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 13: Appropriate for Water System Improvements and Article 14: Appropriate for Wastewater System Improvements Mr. Bartenstein reviewed both articles. ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Articles 13 and 14. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Articles 13 and 14 on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 2 03/09/2017 AC Minutes • Article 16: Appropriate for Public Facilities Capital Projects: Ms. Basch reviewed items (a) through (j). It was agreed that there were unanswered questions regarding (b) Lexington High School Air Conditioning — Teacher Planning Offices and Library. Mr. Michelson said that he could not support (a) School Building Envelopes and Systems Program; (c) Municipal building Envelopes and Systems; or (f) Public Facilities Mechanical/Electrical System Replacements for the Consent Agenda, although they were included on Mr. Bartenstein's draft list. ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 16 items (a) through (j) except (b). The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 19: Appropriate for Advice and Analysis - Getting to Net Zero: After discussion, it was generally agreed that more information is needed on this article. • Article 22: Appropriate Bonds and Notes Premiums to Pay Project Costs: It was noted that this article would likely be IP'd. ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 22 on the Consent Agenda if it is to be IP'd. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 23: Rescind prior Borrowing Authorizations: ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 23. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 23 on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 25: Appropriate to Stabilization Fund: It was noted that this item would be IP'd. ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 25 as an item to be IP'd. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 25 on the Consent Agenda, assuming it would be IP' d. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 • Article 26: Appropriate from Debt Service Stabilization Fund ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support Article 26. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 ➢ A motion was made and seconded to support inclusion of Article 26 on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 4. Minutes A motion was made and seconded to accept the Minutes, with edits, for March 2, 2017. The motion passed. VOTE: 9 -0 5. Next Meeting Mr. Bartenstein reported that the next meeting is on Tuesday, March 14. Bob Cunha, from the Retirement Board, and Carl Valente, Town Manager, plan to attend the meeting to discuss Article 30: Adjust Retirement COLA Base for Retirees. 6. Adjourn The Committee adjourned at 10:18 p.m. The documents used at the meeting are listed below. 3 Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Approved: March 15, 2017 Exhibits 03/09/2017 AC Minutes • Agenda, posted by John Bartenstein, Chair • FY18 Minuteman Budget, PowerPoint slides prepared for AC, March 9, 2017 • Fiscal Year 2018 Proposed Budget, Prepared for Minuteman Tech School Committee, January 31, 2017 4