HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-11-BOS-min
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Selectmen’s Meeting
November 7, 2016
A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on Monday, November 7, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in
the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of the Town Office Building. Chairman Barry, Mr. Kelley, Mr.
Cohen, Mr. Pato, and Ms. Ciccolo, were present as well as Mr. Valente, Town Manager, and Ms.
Siebert, Recording Secretary.
Grant of Location Petition for National Grid
Ms. Barry recognized Dennis Regan, Permit Representative for National Grid. National Grid
seeks permission to install and maintain approximately 19 feet of 2 inch gas main on Byron
Avenue from the existing 2 inch gas main at House #15 southerly to House #11 for a new gas
service.
Mr. Cohen ascertained that the DPW has reviewed and approved the petition for the proposed
installation.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the petition.
Noise Bylaw Special Permit Request
DPW Director Pinsonneault asked the Board to consider a request to hold a Noise Bylaw Special
Permit Public Hearing in order to allow cleanup of the sidewalks in the Center area and along
Bedford Street. The requested work time is Mondays and Fridays beginning at 5 a.m. from
October 10 to November 26 and includes both sides of Massachusetts Avenue from Meriam St.
to Woburn St. The DPW also seeks permission to prepare Bedford St. from the bike path to
Mass. Ave. and along Mass. Ave. to Woburn St. for Patriots’ Day activities. The work period
requested is Monday through Friday April 9 to April 20, also beginning at 5 a.m. A Special
Permit is necessary in both instances because of heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic during
regular work hours.
If the Board is open to granting a Special Permit, staff will notify abutters and advertise the
Public Hearing via legal notice.
Mr. Kelley said the Selectmen have recently received a number of noise complaints from
Oakland St. residents due to cleanup activity in the Depot Parking Lot. He asked whether the
practice of starting in early morning hours is new. Mr. Pinsonneault said this has been the
practice for a number of years; he added that the location of the work has been along Mass. Ave.,
not in the Depot Lot. Using backpack blowers, workers move debris into the street where the
street sweeping machine can come by to pick it up.
Mr. Pinsonneault said the backpack blower models the DPW is using are noise-reduced but the
DPW remains sensitive to resident concerns and will continue to search for quieter-but-still-
effective options.
Mr. Kelley said that households with young children might be most affected by such early
morning noise and that, in any case, 5 a.m. seems too early to start.
Ms. Ciccolo said she, too, was surprised by the number of negative comments from residents and
agreed with Mr. Kelley that 6 a.m. is early enough for noisy work to begin. She said giving
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
neighbors a sense of what the limits of the disturbance would be—number of days of the year
affected, etc.—might help to calm anxieties.
Mr. Cohen asked if the work could be accomplished if started at 6 a.m. Mr. Pinsonneault said the
DPW would adjust as needed but starting later would mean taking more days to finish.
Dr. Mary Daly, 15 Oakland St, presented a petition to the Town from her neighborhood against
leaf-blower use occurring outside the limits of the Noise Bylaw (9 p.m. to 7 a.m.). Dr. Daly cited
research from several sources that shows excessive decibel levels contribute to poor physical and
mental well-being. She noted that the gas-powered leaf blowers used by the DPW have 1000
times the recommended decibel limit for healthful sleep. Increased efficiency, she said, comes at
a high price for those who withstand the noise.
Dr. Daly added that the DPW used the leaf blowers this fall from 5:00 -5:45 a.m. every Monday
and Friday without a Special Permit and it disturbed everyone in her household. Dr. Daly said
that leaf blower use was not a common practice until a few years ago, with the exception of one
or two days around Patriots’ Day. At that time, the Town called to alert abutting residents. Dr.
Daly noted that other towns have banned leaf blowers and that cost analyses exist, making the
case that the job can be done without resorting to leaf blower use.
Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock St. and Precinct 6 Town Meeting member, said although she is an
avid supporter of the DPW in general, she experiences a lot of DPW-related noise other than
leaf blowing at her Town Center residence.
Mr. Kelley asked Mr. Pinsonneault if curbside parking along the work area could be blocked off
during the work period. Mr. Pinsonneault said, based on comments, the DPW would step back
and take a look at a few things before returning to the Board for approval of the Special Permit
hearing. Ms. Ciccolo said she agreed with this approach, saying that without an alternative plan,
the question was not ready to be brought to the Public Hearing stage.
Ms. Barry said the Board would entertain holding a hearing but would first want to see alternate
recommendations for starting time, type pf equipment used, marking areas off as “no parking”,
etc.
Tax Classification Presentation
To present the issue, Ms. Barry recognized Assistant Town Manager for Finance Rob Addelson
and Chairman of the Board of Assessors, Gregory Johnson. In the audience, Director of
Assessing Rob Lent was introduced as well as members of the Board of Assessors, Ed Grant, and
Casimir Groblewski.
Mr. Addelson said the purpose of the presentation was to initiate the process of setting the FY17
tax rate which will take place over three separate meeting dates: November 7 (tonight);
November 21; and December 5. On November 21, the Board of Selectmen will conduct a tax
classification Public Hearing. On December 5, the Selectmen will take 4 votes: to establish a
Residential Factor; to determine whether to adopt the Open Space discount; determine whether
to adopt the Residential Exemption and, if so, by what percentage (now up to 35% from a
previous cap of 20% as a result of a recent change in the law as part of the Municipal
Modernization Act); and to determine whether to adopt the Small Commercial Exemption.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
At tonight’s meeting, the focus is on information contained in the Tax Classification packet:
Alternative Tax Rate Scenarios for FY2017 (Exhibit A); Historical Levy Summary (Exhibit B);
History of Average Single Family Assessed Value and Property Tax—FY1992 to Present
(Exhibit C); Preliminary Values By Class: FY2016 to FY2017 (Exhibit D); Town of
Lexington—Tax Rate Shift Options & Property Comparisons (Exhibit D-1); Tax Factors and
Tax Rates—Comparable Commercial Communities and Contiguous Communities ( Exhibit E);
Top 25 Communities by Total Assessed Value (Exhibit F); Tax Factors and Tax Rates for Aaa
and AAA Rated Communities (Exhibit G); and Adoption of Residential Exemption—Property
Tax Impact Analysis ( Exhibit H).
Before turning the presentation over to Mr. Johnson, Mr. Addelson noted that at the Special
Town Meeting in September, supplemental appropriations were approved financed with an
increase in the estimated New Growth for FY17. Since September, New Growth estimates have
increased by another $500,000 which, after Free Cash certification next July, could be put
toward the Capital Stabilization Fund that can then be used to address impending projects/debt
currently under discussion.
Mr. Johnson then took the Board through the information contained in the exhibits, noting that
the maximum allowable levy limit percentage of change between FY16 and FY17 is 4.4%; the
increase in residential valuation is 5.62%; the increase in Commercial, Industrial and Personal
Property classes (CIP) valuation is 3.6%; and the Proposition 2 ½ increment increase to the levy
total is 2.37%. Mr. Johnson showed tables within the exhibits of how different rate increases to
different property classifications would impact the various categories of taxpayers.
In the Residential category (noting that the average single family dwelling increased in valuation
from $887,355 in FY16 to $919,929 in FY17), the possibility of a 1.75 tax burden shift factor
from Residential to Commercial/Industrial would result in an increase of $381 or 2.94% (net of
New Growth) making the average tax bill $13,336.
Also, if the Town were to adopt an increase in exemptions in the Residential category (from the
previous cap of 20% to the new cap of 35% allowed by law), the resulting new residential rate
for non-exempt properties of higher valuation would be $21.18 per thousand dollars of
assessment, up from the current $14.50 per thousand.
At the end of Mr. Johnson’s detailed presentation, Mr. Pato thanked Mr. Johnson, his Board of
Assessors colleagues, and the Finance Department for their efforts and noted that the information
is used all year long. Mr. Pato then said, due to revaluation of residential property, shifting the
tax burden has not always alleviated the pain of residential tax increases as intended. This year,
the law has changed as to what the exemption percentage can be (from 20% to 35%); the Board
should examine what the effect across the population would be of raising the cap and how this
would affect properties assessed at a higher value. Mr. Pato said that he receives comments all
the time from senior citizens who are avidly looking ways to reduce their tax burdens. He
recommended that the table of adjustments be given to a study group composed of members of
the Tax Deferral and Exemption and the Appropriation committees.
Ms. Barry asked whether Mr. Pato intended that the study be done before setting the FY17 rate.
Mr. Pato replied it was not practical to expect such quick results but he would like to see the
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
study start soon so that a Board discussion using the study results can begin in early January
before the operating budget is set.
Mr. Pato asked why the Proposition 2 ½ Increment shown in Exhibit A is not 2.5%, as one might
expect. Mr. Addelson said the increment is a function of the increase in the levy limit before
adding in Exempt Debt.
In the same vein, Mr. Kelley pointed to Exhibit C which showed single family percentage tax
increase in FY16 as 6.27% and asked why that percentage is higher than 2 ½%. Mr. Johnson
replied that the percentage change refers to the difference between the average home valuation
and associated tax burden one year and the previous year. Mr. Kelley added that not only was
this the result of increased market value and Town valuation, it was also because of a shift in
burden (based on valuation) from the various CIP categories to the Residential category.
Mr. Pato said it helps to think about the average home as not the same as last year’s average
home. The average skews higher due to newly built houses that are mostly of the high-priced
type. Mr. Addelson said that Exhibit D shows how the percentages change when the New
Growth that was included in Exhibit C is factored out. Once New Growth is factored out, the
average Residential single dwelling property tax increased 4.19% in FY17 over FY16 rather than
6.27% as shown in Exhibit C.
Mr. Addelson said that there are several reasons that a citizen’s tax bill would go up more than
2½%: debt exclusions; levy growth; and natural shift in home value as opposed to CIP value
growth. Ms. Ciccolo said one of the ideas that has helped her make sense of increases is that it is
the levy limit that cannot increase more than 2½%, not each individual tax bill; when
Commercial property values drop, the tax burden shifts to the Residential sector.
Ms. Barry thanked the presenters and said she looked forward to the next rate-setting session on
November 21.
Consider Town of Belmont’s Withdrawal from Minuteman Regional School District
Mr. Valente summarized the matter by saying that, since the Town of Belmont has petitioned to
leave the Minutemen School District, it is up to a majority vote of the other nine member
communities to allow or not allow Belmont to do so. If Lexington— as a member town—decides
not to call a Special Town Meeting to consider approval of the Belmont’s petition, it is
considered a tacit approval of the petition to leave.
Mr. Cohen and Mr. Kelley represented the Town at a recent meeting of member towns;
discussion of the petition resulted in consensus not to oppose the Town of Belmont’s withdrawal.
Mr. Valente said a survey of his counterparts in the other towns likewise showed a similar
consensus.
Mr. Pato noted that if it was barred from leaving, the Town of Belmont could not be required to
share in renovation costs for the new school because it had, as a Town, voted against doing so. If
it is allowed to leave, but continues to send students to Minuteman, fees will be assessed to
capture capital costs. There is, in other words, a financial incentive to letting the Town of
Belmont go.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 not to call for a Special
Town Meeting for the purpose of acting on the Town of Belmont’s petition to withdraw from the
Minuteman School District.
Approve FY2016 Board of Selectmen Annual Report
Referring to the almost-complete draft report in the meeting packet, Mr. Pato said the one
missing item is a Transportation subsection.
Mr. Cohen said he had a couple of small edits for Mr. Pato’s consideration which he will pass
along. Ms. Barry and Mr. Pato will work together to complete the Transportation section and
then send the final copy to members for their information.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the draft of
the Selectmen’s Annual Report as presented and amended.
Outdoor Skating Rink Request 2016-17 Season
Ms. Barry recognized presenters Lisa O’Brien, Doug Lucente and Charles Teague. This year, the
Lion’s Club in conjunction with a group of neighbors, asks for permission to erect a skating rink
at the corner of Massachusetts and Fletcher Avenues as was done last winter. With lessons
learned and feedback gathered from the first season, these aspects of the rink will be revised:
Rink size increased from 100’x 65’ to 100’x 85’;
Solar power and LED lighting;
Longer hours until 8 p.m. if lighting is appropriate;
Improved signage (Rink Open; Rink Closed, etc.);
Improved access and parking; ramps and mats added;
Weekly resurfacing by DPW paid for by the Lions Club;
More formalized snow clearing by volunteers.
The plan is to open the first week in January—weather permitting—and close before March 1.
Before comments, Ms. Barry reminded the Board that there is no formal vote of approval
required as the property in question is under the jurisdiction of the Town Manager. Mr. Valente
merely asks if the Board agrees with the proposed changes as listed above.
Ms. Ciccolo said the rink was an impressive project and it was exciting to see how successful last
year’s effort was. She asked if it was possible to open the rink between Christmas and New
Year’s. Mr. Lucente said the group would be happy to open the rink if the cold weather
cooperates. Mr. Pinsonneault said he thought the partnership between the group and the DPW
worked well last year. Given the nature of last year’s mild winter, the DPW had more time than
usual to attend to the rink. Ms. Barry said the rink was a great use of the property in the winter
she enjoyed seeing the kids being active outdoors. Mr. Pato asked if there would be the
opportunity for abutter input about the lighting. Mr. Lucente said the group would be renting and
testing out light fixtures to gauge effectiveness and level of light disturbance. There is little
electricity available on the site so LED or solar might be the solution.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
Appoint Office Manager—Board of Selectmen’s Office
Ms. Barry announced that successful negotiations have resulted in the hire of Donna McIntosh
for the position of Selectmen’s Office Manager/Executive Clerk to replace retired manager
Lynne Pease. Ms. McIntosh’s start day will be November 28, 2016.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to appoint Donna
McIntosh as Office Manager/Executive Clerk for the Board of Selectmen and also approved and
authorized the Chairman to sign the letter of appointment.
Establish Town Meeting and Town Election Dates
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to establish dates for the
Annual Town Election and Annual Town Meeting as follows: December 28, 2016 as the date to
close the warrant for citizen petition articles for the 2017 Annual Town Meeting Warrant;
Monday, March 6, 2017 as the date for the Annual Town Election; and Monday, March 20, 2017
as the date for the Opening Session of the 2017 Annual Town Meeting.
Board of Selectmen Appointments and Resignations
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to appoint Jennifer Melot
as a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee to fulfill a term vacated by Marita Hartshorn
that expires in September 2017; and to appoint Rita Vachani as a member of the Communication
Advisory Committee for a term to expire in September 2019; and to appoint Laurel Smith as a
member of the Council of the Arts to fulfill a term vacated by Susan Hammond that expires in
September 2018.
Further, on motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to accept the
resignations of Marita Hartshorn as a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee, of Ada Wong
as a member of the Center Streetscape Committee, of Douglas Holmes as a member of the
Energy Conservation Committee, and of Alan Seferian as a member of the Tax Deferral and
Exemption Study Committee.
Consent Agenda
Water & Sewer Commitments
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve three
commitments of Water & Sewer charges 1) September 16 Finals totaling $15,358.38; 2)
September Cycle 9 totaling $108,547.95; and 3) September Cycle 9/Bedford totaling
$206,268.77.
Water & Sewer Adjustments
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve adjustments to
the Water & Sewer charges recommended by the Water Sewer Abatement Board totaling
$61,129.36.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
Sign Employee Recognition Day Proclamation
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to sign a proclamation for
Employee Recognition Day which is on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 from 2:30 p.m. until
3:30 p.m. in the Cary Memorial Building. This proclamation recognizes employees that have
served the Town for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years.
Sign Eagle Scout Letters—Anthony Marge and Clay Oshiro-Leavitt
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to sign a letter of
commendation congratulating Anthony Marge and Clay Oshiro-Leavitt for attaining the highest
rank of Eagle in Boy Scouting.
Approve One Day Liquor License—Spectacle Management
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the one day
liquor license request from Spectacle Management to sell beer and wine in the lobby of the Cary
Memorial Building on Sunday, November 13, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. (Tower of
Power); on Sunday, November 20, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. (Michael McDonald);
and on Sunday, November 27, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. (Jim Brickman).
Approve One Day Liquor License—Munroe Center for the Arts
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve a one day
liquor license for Munroe Center for the Arts to serve wine on site at a social for board members
and tenants on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Approve One Day Liquor License—Brookline Bank/Lexington Council for the Arts
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve a one day
liquor license for Brookline Bank to serve wine at their ArtWalk Community Event on Thursday,
November 10, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at their 1793 Massachusetts Avenue location.
Use of Battle Green/Walk—Martin Luther King Day
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the Town
Celebrations Committee/MLK Subcommittee’s request for use of the Battle Green for the MLK
Day Commemoration that includes a Unity Walk from the Battle Green to the Cary Memorial
Building on Monday, January 16, 2017. The event will begin at the Battle Green at
approximately 11:00 a.m. and end at approximately 2:00 p.m. Staff has reviewed and approved
this request.
Ms. Barry noted that the next meeting of the Board of Selectmen is Summit II on Wednesday,
November 9, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building, 201 Bedford St,
in the cafeteria. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Selectmen is on Monday.
November 21, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
Executive Session
On motion duly made and affirmed by roll call vote, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to go into
Executive Session at approximately 8:30 p.m. under exemption 6 to consider the purchase,
exchange, lease of value of real property, Belmont Country Club Parcel, and to reconvene in
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 7, 2016
Open Session only to adjourn. Further, it was declared that than an open meeting may have a
detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town.
Further, on motion duly made and affirmed by roll call vote, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 at
approximately 8:30 p.m. to go into Executive Session to consider the purchase, exchange, lease
of value of real property, 20 Pelham Road, and to reconvene in Open Session only to adjourn.
Further, it was declared that than an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the
negotiating position of the Town
Ms. Ciccolo noted that she would not be participating in the 20 Pelham Road discussion due to a
conflict.
Following a return to Open Session, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to adjourn at
approximately 9:30 p.m.
A true record; Attest:
Kim Siebert
Recording Secretary
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Summit Meeting 2
Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Appropriation Committee
and Capital Expenditures Committee
November 9, 2016
A Summit was held on Thursday, November 9, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. in the Public Services
Building Cafeteria, 201 Bedford Street. Board of Selectmen (BOS) Ms. Barry, Chair; Mr.
Kelley, Mr. Cohen; Mr. Pato were present along with Mr. Valente, Town Manager; Mr.
Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Mr. Goddard, Director of Public Facilities; Ms.
Hewitt, Budget Officer; and Ms. Siebert, Recording Secretary.
Also Present: School Committee (SC) members: Mr. Hurley, Chair; Mr. Alessandrini, Vice
Chair (late arrival); Ms. Crocker (late arrival); Ms. Jay (late arrival); Ms. Steigerwald; Dr.
Czajkowski, Superintendent of Schools; Mr. Dailey and Assistant Superintendent for Finance
and Operations. Appropriations Committee (AC) members: Mr. Parker, Chair; Mr. Bartenstein,
Vice Chair; Ms. Colburn; Mr. Levine; Mr. Michelson; Mr. Neumeier; Mr. Radulescu-Banu;
Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) members: Ms. Hai ,Chair; Mr. Kanter, Vice Chair; Mr.
Cole; Ms. Manz; Mr. Lamb.
Ms. Barry called the BOS to order at 7:00 p.m. and introduced the Board members. Chairs of the
SC, CEC, and AC followed suit. It was noted that the School Committee did not yet have a
quorum as three members were competing in the Trivia Bee. The missing members arrived in
due course.
Procedure for Meeting Minutes
Ms. Barry explained that the BOS Recording Secretary would take the minutes for the Selectmen
and draft copies would be shared with the chairs of the SC, CEC and AC for review, prior to
approval by the BOS.
FY2018 Revenue Projections
Mr. Valente noted that all Summit 2 meeting materials can be found on the Town website.
Tonight’s Summit is the second of five that are typically held prior to Annual Town Meeting.
The purpose of Summit 2 is to review the Town’s FY18 revenue estimates. Mr. Valente gave a
brief review of Summit I held on October 6, saying that the Town’s overall financial position is
strong but we face a challenging number of large Capital projects. Summit I included a three-
year revenue and expenditure projection, which was based on maintaining current services on
both the Municipal and School sides. The projection included expenses associated with
anticipated increases in school enrollment.
FY18 revenues should be viewed with the understanding that the Board of Selectmen have
directed Town leadership to build an operating budget that does not ask for tax increases beyond
what Proposition 2 ½ allows.
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Budget Summit # 2 – November 9, 2016
Mr. Valente said that Mr. Addelson used the same methodology to produce these projections as
has been used in prior years.
Page 2 of the “Summit 2 FY2018 Revenue Projections” document titled “Overview: FY17
Estimated—FY18 Projected Revenue” shows Gross General Fund Revenues increasing 4.4%
over FY17. Mr. Valente said this increase was relatively stable when compared to the prior
year’s change of 2.4% over FY16 and the FY16 change of 6.4% over FY15.
Mr. Valente said that each year, a specific amount is recommended to be set aside for certain
purposes. For FY18, $14,420,371 is recommended which is $416,635 less than the set-aside of
the previous year. Net revenue growth (after revenues set aside for designated expenses) is 5%,
slightly lower than the last two fiscal years (5.7% in FY17 and 6.9% in FY16).
Page 3 shows “FY Revenues Set-Aside for Designated Purposes.” The list, according to Mr.
Valente, is much the same as in prior years. The differences include:
For Other Post Employee Benefits (OPEB), Mr. Valente and Mr. Addelson recommend a
set-aside of $1,829,721, an increase of $317,403 over the OPEB allocation for FY17;
$618,148 is recommended for the Unallocated category. As the budget process plays out,
these funds can be used to increase Capital and/or Operating budget line items as deemed
necessary;
In the Cash Capital category, $3,350,000 is recommended. This set-aside is intended to
minimize bonding and represents a $797,288 increase over FY17.
The Capital Stabilization Fund allocation recommendation is $5M. This Fund will be
drawn on to mitigate property tax increases resulting from the very aggressive Capital
program envisioned for the next 5 years. Mr. Valente said the FY18 set-aside is not as
robust as for prior years but it is still important to add to the account because the Town is
trying to reduce the debt service peaks from prior and future debt exclusions.
The amount recommended to be drawn from the Capital Stabilization Fund is $689,000.
$712,000 was drawn in FY17. These funds are used to serve the within-levy debt
incurred for borrowing for the LHS modulars.
The Street Improvement Program recommendation is $2,540,000 which represents
almost level funding compared to FY17 (Note: this figure is the correct figure, amended
during the meeting due to a typo).
Mr. Michelson (AC) asked where in the table the set-aside for Snow and Ice appears. Mr.
Addelson said the $300,000 for Snow and Ice is in the “Town of Lexington FY2018 Revenue
Projections” document on pg. 4. Since it is not part of tonight’s presentation, it was not included
in the shorter focus document.
Ms. Colburn (AC) asked if there are particular projects that are more appropriately paid for with
Cash Capital funds. Mr. Valente said that Cash Capital funds are generally spread over multiple,
lower dollar projects as opposed to being used for one large project. Using these funds takes
pressure off of the within levy debt service and allows the Town to live within the 5% debt
service growth per year that mirrors the 5% Revenue growth per year.
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Budget Summit # 2 – November 9, 2016
Mr. Bartenstein (AC) asked Mr. Valente to comment on the decision to increase the OPEB
allocation. Mr. Valente replied that the Board of Selectmen, working with the Appropriations
Committee, established a guideline to set aside between 35% and 100% of OPEB normal costs
each year. The level of funding in the table is an attempt to comply with those guidelines.
Ms. Hai (CEC) asked for additional information about the Tax Levy Support of Community
Center Programs line item on pages 3 and 4 and how this differs from Recreation Department
funding. Mr. Valente said that two years ago, when the Community Center opened, the CC
became part of the Recreation enterprise fund but at the time, the CC assumed a number of the
Senior programs that were either non fee-based or partially subsidized. The total subsidy at the
beginning was about $250,000 with the idea to wean the CC from the subsidy over time. As a
result, the tax levy support for the CC is projected to be $33,255 less in FY18 than it was in
FY17. Mr. Valente said that discussions are now taking place about CC user fees, so the length
of time the CC will be subsidized is, at this moment, unclear.
Mr. Valente said that Summit 3, in early December, will present the allocation of Revenues
which generally go into three categories: Shared Expenses (benefit, pension, debt service);
School Programs; and Municipal Programs. Each area will build its budget to fit within its
revenue allocation. Those budgets will then be presented to the assembled boards/committees in
early January.
Mr. Valente said the “FY18 Revenue Projections” document will be updated in small ways as
changes occur on how Reserve Funds are used and changes to the amount of income from
fees/charges. Larger adjustments would include growth in the Tax Levy and the final State Aid
amount. More significant changes tend to occur after Town Meeting, such as when State Aid is
finalized in late spring. Once State Aid and New Growth numbers are certified, surpluses flow to
the Town’s bottom line and become part of the Unreserved Fund / Free Cash balance.
Mr. Kanter (CEC) asked if, after the revised numbers come out, Special Town Meeting can
adjust the budget rather than automatically put the funds into Free Cash. Mr. Valente replied that
this was possible as long as STM takes place before the tax rate is set. This, in fact, happened
this past September when additional funds were appropriated at STM for the Capital
Stabilization Fund.
The Policy Issues on pages 6 and 7 focus on Capital projects. The cost of upcoming Capital
projects necessitates caution in how to manage the Operating budget so that programs and
services do not crowd out the ability to fund Capital needs.
One newly added Selectmen’s goal addresses pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety issues. The
Transportation Safety Group has a long list of projects ranging from simple safety fixes to
expensive sidewalk projects. One change in the FY18 budget is that an additional amount will be
allocated for neighborhood safety issues so that small projects do not have to wait for TM to
approve funding. Mr. Kanter (CEC) asked if this additional line item will fall within Operating
or Capital. Mr. Valente replied it would be under Capital in the form of a request from Planning.
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Budget Summit # 2 – November 9, 2016
A second newly added goal is related to Stormwater Management. The Town currently spends
$1M annually for stormwater capital projects. Since within-levy debt is approximately $6M per
year, spending $1M on Stormwater means that 15% is dedicated to this alone and new
regulations will necessitate an even greater level of funding in the future. Mr. Valente said the
Town is looking into whether as yet unidentified revenue source could be brought to bear to
mitigate the expense. Many communities across the country are dealing with the impacts of
stormwater and the associated regulations; the Town is researching models and practices that
might shed light on how to proceed.
Mr. Michelson asked what the source of funds is for the $1M currently spent on Stormwater
Management. Mr. Valente replied it is covered within Operating revenues and debt service,
which is supported by the Tax Levy. With the new regulations, the Town will be required to do
more street sweeping and catch basin cleaning. These expense increases will be seen in the
Highway Division of the DPW. There are also Capital projects coming that are Stormwater-
related.
Mr. Bartenstein (AC) asked if these regulations could be called “Unfunded Mandates.” Mr.
Valente agreed they could as there is no Federal funding attached to the requirement.
Mr. Kanter (CEC) commented that he welcomed a review of the OPEB policy.
School Committee Update on Facility Plan
Lexington Children’s Place (LCP)
School Committee Chair Mr. Hurley said that the SC has been considering its options for
relocating the LCP integrated pre-school program. To that end, the SC hired DiNisco Design to
help narrow down which of five options would be best. Now that the SC has chosen from the
five, DiNisco will present more concrete design and construction cost calculations.
Mr. Hurley said the original estimation for LCP was in the neighborhood of $10M but the
projected costs are far higher:
Concept A: Renovate/Addition at Harrington Elementary= $25M
Concept B: Renovation at Old Harrington=$19M
Concept C: New Facility on Harrington Site=$20.7M
Concept D: New Facility on Laconia St. = $18M
Concept E: Renovation at Pelham Road= $18.3M
At the School Committee meeting last Monday night, a final vote was not taken but consensus
supported Concept E: Renovation at Pelham as the first choice and Concept C: New Facility at
Harrington Site as the second choice. It was noted that the Pelham Rd option did not include the
cost of a new road/exit-entrance from Marrett Road (estimated at $3M-$4M) or the cost of
purchasing the property. Replying to a question from Mr. Kanter (CEC), Facilities Director
Goddard said that the Fire Chief has not yet been asked if a new road will be required for the
Pelham site. If the Pelham option is chosen, the Fire Chief will be asked to make an assessment.
The cost estimate for the new road is based on a DPW analysis.
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Mr. Michelson asked how classrooms currently occupied by LCP will be repurposed and what
the cost estimates for that work might be. Mr. Goddard said New Harrington was evaluated in
the summer of 2015 at which point DiNisco placed a value on the work there of $250,000. At
the Old Harrington School, costs would not be significant.
Ms. Colburn (AC) asked if the 5 LCP classrooms at Old Harrington and the 4 LCP classrooms at
the New Harrington would be used for regular education classrooms. Mr. Hurley said once a new
Hastings School was ready for occupancy, the 5 classrooms at Old Harrington, though not ideal,
might be used for any small amount of overflow. Superintendent Czajkowski said the 4 New
Harrington LCP classrooms would yield 2 regular education classrooms because the remaining
space would be used for the art programs.
Ms. Colburn asked if this meant there would be an additional 7 elementary school classrooms
available if LCP moved to another location. Dr. Czajkowski replied that the Old Harrington
space would probably not be used as anything but overflow space because of the disadvantages
of separating students from their cohort. Mr. Hurley added that this additional space might be
used as temporary swing space.
Ms. Colburn asked why there was a $5M difference between the estimates DiNisco presented
last year and this year for Harrington site work. Mr. Goddard said last year’s estimate did not
include a traffic analysis; because so many programs take place on the Harrington site, there is
an urgent need for more parking and that work would entail removal of current surfaces,
improvement of stormwater collection and underground storage systems, as well as an expansion
in the number of parking spaces.
Ms. Colburn said there had been hesitation to use the large Laconia St. site for a single purpose.
Is there a similar concern about using the 8 acres at Pelham St for one thing? Mr. Hurley said the
main disadvantage of the Laconia St. site was its isolation. Pelham is in the center of things and
connected to other Town facilities.
\[At this point in the meeting, School Committee members began to arrive from the Trivia Bee.\]
Mr. Radulescu-Banu (AC) asked if renting space for pre-K could be a better option than
building/renovating. Mr. Hurley said location would be a big factor and long-term rental (30-40
years) is not a viable solution, although it might be good temporarily. Mr. Alessandrini (SC)
added that, with a rental, you would not have control over what would happen if the lease was
not renewed.
Mr. Radulescu-Banu (AC) asked how long any of the proposed options would satisfy the need.
Mr. Goddard said the life cycle of renovate-as-new construction would be similar to that of new
construction.
Ms. Hai (CEC) asked, if some of the vacated classroom space at New Harrington was used for
Art, would that put Art space at, below, or above par relative to Fiske? Secondly. Ms. Hai asked
if Art spaces were taken over by classrooms, would there be a need to increase core spaces in the
buildings. Mr. Goddard said the analysis that was done on moving LCP out of the Harrington
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showed that “right-sizing” the school to 24 classrooms obviated the need to increase core square
footage.
Mr. Hurley (SC) said the School Committee is trying to prioritize its list of needs within the
context of Town needs. The big questions are what should be done and what should the sequence
be?
Ms. Colburn (AC) asked whether some of the aspects of the Pelham $18.3M “renovation-as-
new” price tag could be altered or deferred. Mr. Hurley replied that there could be some phasing
or deferral but it would be unwise to spend some money now for small fixes that would in any
case require additional funding to be completely addressed. Phasing or sequencing is something
DiNisco will provide recommendations about.
Dr. Czajkowski said there are currently 6 LCP classrooms split between the New Harrington and
the Old Harrington. The program has been relocated several times. Now, staff and students go
between the two Harrington buildings and those logistics present challenges. These LCP spaces
were not designed with special needs in mind. Dr. Czajkowski said she and the SC intend to
advocate for what is best for the child and for the program. She noted that when early
intervention is successful, funds are saved later on. In terms of capacity, there is one more
classroom that could be used before the current LCP space is maxed out.
Mr. Levine (AC) asked if the LCP project will be added to the large Capital list that already
includes the Hastings School and Fire Department debt exclusions. Mr. Hurley replied that the
School Committee is looking for feedback and advice from the other Boards/Committees. At this
point, there is no concrete plan for how to proceed.
Mr. Radulescu-Banu (AC) asked if the property recently purchased from Liberty Mutual on
Bedford St could be used for LCP classrooms after it was no longer needed for Fire Station
swing space. Mr. Goddard said there was 16,000 sq. ft. on two floors in the building but
accessing the second floor is not ideal for students with physical disabilities.
High School HVAC (and as it relates to a future High School Renovation)
Mr. Hurley said the question in this instance is, given the condition of the LHS HVAC, could the
system be maintained until a new/renovated building is constructed or, alternately, would a
$20M fix still be viable in a new/renovated building.
The current plan is to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) to the Massachusetts School Building
Authority (MSBA) for LHS in 4 years, at about the same time as the new Hastings is ready for
occupancy. Cost guestimates for a new high school —derived by comparison to building projects
in other communities—are between $250M to $300M.
The SC has deliberated how to proceed, weighing need against cost. With input from Facilities
Director Goddard, the School Committee reached consensus, without yet taking a final vote, to
maintain the current HVAC system. Subsequent to that decision, there has been discussion with
CEC about how to fund heat and air conditioning upgrades in the teacher planning area of the
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Budget Summit # 2 – November 9, 2016
LHS Humanities building. Mr. Goddard said the $650,000 in fees for the HVAC design were
depleted because work was halted when it became clear that the full price tag would be higher
than anticipated. Therefore, the remainder of that allocation—about $300,000—could be used to
evaluate which LHS areas are in the most need. There are also residual design funds from other
projects that are potentially available. A proposal will come before the SC at a later date.
Ms. Steigerwald (SC) commented that SMMA had at one time given the SC four options for how
to handle the cost of LHS construction over time. One of them was an additional three-story
building behind the current band/music area that could be connected to the existing building.
This building could be designed as a new Science wing to replace existing antiquated space and
in a phased process. Ms. Steigerwald recommended that a task force/study group be formed to
consider this question before the decision about the HVAC is made. If the community won’t
support a new LHS, it would change how Ms. Steigerwald feels about proceeding with the
HVAC.
Mr. Kanter (CEC) asked if Mr. Goddard believes he can maintain the HVAC system for the time
necessary. Mr. Goddard said it is very expensive to replace an entire system all at once; he
knows there will be some breakdowns, but he feels his department has the talent and skills
sufficient for the task. The expense can be handled within the Operating budget for the next 5-10
years.
Mr. Levine (AC) said he was shocked at the $20M price tag and wondered if it was worthwhile
to explore— with engineering experts— a $5M-$10M alternative that might result in an 80%
improvement. He added that it seemed grossly premature to make decisions about the HVAC
based on an SOI that would be submitted in 4 years. Mr. Levine said it was imperative that more
data be gathered for alternatives for the HVAC in case the maintenance-only approach does not
work and replacement becomes necessary.
Mr. Hurley (SC) said he did not disagree with Mr. Levine but noted that LHS is now up to 2200
students and projected to continue to grow. Overcrowding during times like lunch adversely
affects the school environment. If space needs are not acknowledged, it would be tantamount to
the Town putting its head in the sand. Unless space constraints are addressed, the School
Committee will be faced with choices such as eliminating programs, offering some AP courses
online only, going to double sessions—options that are not likely to find favor in the community.
Mr. Hurley asked Mr. Goddard to comment on Mr. Levine’s suggestion. Mr. Goddard confirmed
there are options less expensive than the $20M HVAC overhaul but they would not perform as
well. He said Town leaders would need to decide what combination of performance and price is
acceptable.
Dr. Czajkowski said there were 120 new registrations at the high school over the summer and
enrollment growth across the system is the underlying factor in all of the school building
projects: a new Estabrook; a new Hastings; 10 classrooms added to the two middle schools. Due
to growth, the aging high school physical plant needs more than a band-aid, especially the
Science labs. An SOI for LHS must wait because Lexington is already in the loop for MSBA
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Budget Summit # 2 – November 9, 2016
re-imbursement for other projects but the discussion should start now about how to proceed. If
Hastings goes forward with an SOI in 2017, the earliest an SOI could be submitted for LHS is
2019. Now is the time for Town leadership to discuss the game plan so the project is ready for
wider public discussion when the time is right.
Ms. Colburn asked if the SC is contemplating doing a study to get a firmer idea about options,
cost, and sequencing. Mr. Hurley said LCP needs to be addressed first but a group will be formed
with various stakeholders to examine the range of options for the high school.
Consent Agenda
Use of the Battle Green—Vigil/Public Witness to Observe Transgender Day of
Remembrance
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 to approve the
request from First Parish Church to use the Battle Green on November 20, 2016 from 12:00 until
12:45 for a Vigil/Public Witness to Observe Transgender Day of Remembrance. Fifty people are
expected to be in attendance. Staff have reviewed and approved this request.
Executive Session
On motion duly made, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 by roll call vote at 8:40 p.m. to enter
Executive Session under exemption 6 to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real
property, 20 Pelham Road, with all Boards and Committees present, and to reconvene in Open
Session only to adjourn. Further, it was declared that an Open Meeting may have a detrimental
effect on the negotiating position of the Town.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 to adjourn at
approximately 9:30 p.m.
A true record; Attest:
Kim Siebert,
Recording Secretary
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Selectmen’s Meeting
November 21, 2016
A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on Monday, November 21, 2016 at 7:08 p.m. in
the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of the Town Office Building. Chairman Barry, Mr. Kelley, Mr.
Cohen, Mr. Pato, and Ms. Ciccolo were present as well as Mr. Valente, Town Manager and Ms.
Siebert, Recording Secretary. This meeting followed an Executive Session that began at 6:30pm.
Two Statements from the Board
First, Ms. Barry said that, following the recent Presidential election, it is important to recognize
the Town of Lexington as committed to inclusiveness, diversity and respect within our
community, our country and this world.
Second, in a firmly worded statement on the subject of the Center Streetscape project, Chairman
Barry said that recent conversations in the community suggesting a less than transparent process
are unfounded. The Board of Selectmen remains committed to an open process with clear steps
and public access to meetings and documents. Ms. Barry urged residents to be sure they are
dealing with facts instead of rumors.
Public Comments
Elaine Ashton, 32 Cliffe Avenue, Precinct 1 Town Meeting member, spoke to the dangers to
pedestrians and cyclists during the many dark winter hours and distributed reflective objects and
personal safety reflectors to the Board. She recommended that language about wearing /using
effective reflective materials be included in Lexington’s Complete Street policy.
Selectmen Concerns and Liaison Reports
Mr. Pato thanked Ms. Barry for her opening remarks and added that all of the committee
meetings he has attended since the election have included conversations about the potential for
civil rights harassment.
Mr. Kelley said he has concerns that the community that the removal of brick and replacement
with cement, all with good intentions, has had a negative cumulative impact on the Center.
Specifically, Mr. Kelley said, the recent decision to move a crosswalk in front of the Library—a
good idea in itself—meant that another stretch of brickwork would be lost.
Ms. Barry referred to the last Selectmen’s meeting during which Mr. Pato expressed an interest
to form a committee to study how a residential real estate exemption would affect the tax bills of
those who do not qualify for the exemption. She therefore asked her colleagues for permission to
empower Mr. Pato to form a three person committee composed of a Selectman, a member from
the Appropriations Committee, and a member of the Tax Deferral and Exemption Study
Committee. Any recommendations from this group would not impact tax rates now under
consideration for the coming year. The Board assented to this course of action.
Ms. Barry reminded the community that the holiday lighting ceremony will be held at Depot
Square on Friday, November 25 at 6 p.m. The lighting is made possible through citizen
donations.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 21, 2016
The Board is beginning the Town’s budget process with three daytime meetings next week—
Tuesday, November 29, 1:00 p.m.; Thursday, December 1, 1:00 p.m.; and Friday, December 2,
8:30 a.m. The meetings are open to the public and they will be simulcast on LexMedia and taped
for future, on-demand viewing.
Town Manager Report
Mr. Valente asked Chairman Barry to recognize DPW Director Pinsonnault who, in turn
introduced the Town’s new Highway Superintendent, EricGitschier.
Citizen’s Academy Graduation
Claire Goodwin, Management Analyst from the Town Manager’s Office, presented the
th
participants of Lexington Citizen’s Academy, a 9-week program— now in its 8 year— in which
residents meet once a week in the evenings to learn about local government, specifically, the role
each department plays in serving the public.
The goal of the program is citizen engagement, a key priority identified by the Board of
Selectmen. The program is designed to connect residents with Town staff and to encourage
participation on committees/boards and as Town Meeting members.
Each member of the Board of Selectmen posed a question to the soon-to-be graduates, after
which a photograph was taken and the participants congratulated.
Tax Classification Hearing
Ms. Barry opened the Public Hearing at approximately 7:40 p.m. and introduced Assistant Town
Manager for Finance Rob Addelson; Rob Lent, Town Assessor; Greg Johnson, Chairman of the
Board of Assessors; Ed Grant and Cas Groblewski, members of the Board of Assessors.
Mr. Addelson said this hearing is the second of three in the process to establish the Fiscal Year
2017 tax rate. It is proposed that the Board of Selectmen will set the rate at its December 5
meeting at which time it must take a total of 4 votes:
Establish a residential factor;
Determine whether to adopt the Open Space Discount;
Determine whether to adopt a Residential Exemption, and if so, by what percentage (up
to 35% under new law)
Determine whether to adopt the Small Commercial Exemption.
The purpose of this Public Hearing is to consider tax rate setting options and to take public
comments on tax classification. As an aside, Mr. Addelson said the values that were submitted to
the State Department of Revenue by Mr. Lent have been reviewed and approved. This opens the
way to set the tax rate and to submit all the necessary documentation to the State for approval.
Mr. Johnson continued the presentation by focusing on two of the exhibits contained in the
meeting packet: Exhibit A and Exhibit D1. Having presented the material extensively during the
first meeting, Mr. Johnson highlighted just two areas: first, the alternative tax rate scenarios for
FY17 and, second, the tax rate shift options and property comparisons.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 21, 2016
Exhibit A shows the FY16 maximum allowable levy limit as $163,993,744; for FY17 it is
$170,277,714— a 4.4% increase. Mr. Johnson pointed to the New Growth Increment of
$3,309,344, also shown in Exhibit A, 60% of which is based on Residential new growth. The
remainder of the exhibit shows the cascade of tax rate scenarios using different factors for the C-
I-P and Residential categories and how each rate affects percentage of levy share; tax levy; tax
rate; and percentage changes from FY16 to FY17. This exhibit is inclusive of New Growth.
Exhibit D1 shows the break out of all the classes of properties: residential, four types of
commercial, and industrial. Again, the cascade demonstrates how different tax rate shift options
from 1.65 to 1.75 would affect each classification of property. All numbers shown in this exhibit
are net of New Growth.
Mr. Johnson noted that whatever the shift scenario, the Large Office Building and Town-wide
Retail categories would see tax decreases. Office Condominiums and Medium Office Buildings
could increase or decrease, depending on the shift rate. TIF properties have been included in the
Industrial Lab category for ease of comparison, Mr. Johnson said.
The Board had no comments at this time and no one from the public rose to speak to the issue.
Ms. Barry closed the Public Hearing at 7:56 p.m. The third and final Public Hearing will take
place on December 5.
Update—Integrated Building Design Process for Town Facilities
Ms. Barry introduced the Chair of Sustainable Lexington, Mark Sandeen, who presented
preliminary recommendations for updates to the 11 year old Sustainable Building Policy.
Because there are so many building projects on the horizon, it is a good time to review and
update the policy to ensure that Lexington takes advantage of best design and energy
management strategies.
The current building policy was adopted in 2005 at which time all new Town buildings over
5,000 sq.ft. and all renovations were required to conform to LEED Silver standards. School
buildings also fall under the separate but similar Competitive High Performance (CHP)
standards. While the LEED Silver initiative Lexington undertook in 2005 was considered to be
bold, building codes have since surpassed those benchmarks and the Town has not yet adopted
new standards or defined a process by which to do so. Mr. Sandeen said the current integrated
design process does not include particular requirements for achieving specific outcomes in the
categories of health, energy, or resilience.
Mr. Sandeen proposed a new goal for public buildings that would garner all the available health
benefits as well as 28 out of 33 points for energy efficiency.
Sustainable Lexington has been working with the Public Facilities Department, the Permanent
Building Committee, the Energy Conservation Committee, the financial committees and
members of the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen to determine which areas of the
policy should be updated. The group would like to increase standards for improved indoor
environmental quality— shown to positively affect cognitive performance— as well as to
improve energy management for School and Town buildings. Mr. Sandeen would also like to
increase building resiliency by maximizing onsite renewables.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 21, 2016
Included in the meeting packet is a letter from the Lexington Board of Health recommending that
all buildings be designed to limit CO2 to 600ppm or less, consistent with the Mass Department
of Health guidelines.
Mr. Sandeen noted that the Hastings School site is quite close to Route 128. Facilities Director
Pat Goddard has identified some filtration standards used in California schools located near
freeways that will be recommended for all school buildings, including Hastings.
Mr. Sandeen said the new policy will recommend a 30% reduction of energy for new buildings
compared to the latest code standards with a 50% reduction seen as a stretch target. For
renovations, 28% is the target because it is harder to achieve aggressive energy efficiency goals
with retrofit construction. Mr. Sandeen added that the option to use electricity from renewable
sources should be considered, perhaps generated on site, so that no fossil fuel is used to power
the building.
On the subject of resilience, Mr. Sandeen and his committee recommend building designs that
can withstand power outages up to five days duration in extreme weather events such as ice
storms. At the time of design, building resilience would be determined by level: Level 1 is the
highest priority such as Police, Fire and Public Services; Level 2 would be a Town Shelter where
electricity and heat/cooling are assured for residents as well as cooking facilities and internet
connectivity; Level 3 is for peak demand management and generation back-up during normal
operations; and Level 4 is asset preservation to maintain building/structural integrity.
Besides early engagement in public building design, Mr. Sandeen recommended that the
sustainable building policy be reviewed and updated every three years, which mirrors the State’s
building code update cycle.
Ms. Ciccolo said she was excited to hear such progressive and forward-thinking concepts and
values discussed, particularly with regard to health standards and building filtration systems. If
built properly, municipal buildings are used for 70+ years and the Town owes it to the occupants
to ensure high quality environmental standards, she said.
Ms. Barry said that Mr. Sandeen would come back to the Board of Selectmen after further
discussion with multiple stakeholders but noted that time is short to finalize the policy before the
Hastings School and Fire Department design phases are underway.
Lisa Fitzgibbons, 59 York St, a member of Mothers Up Front, said the organization supports
updating the Town’s sustainable building policy as Mr. Sandeen recommends. Due to the
challenges of climate change, health considerations for teachers, staff, and students, plus the
expected longevity of the buildings, Ms. Fitzgibbons said it is imperative to regularly update and
improve building design standards.
Ricki Pappo, 16 Blossomcrest Rd, spoke as a representative of Lexington GWAC. She said that
the subjects of health and energy were big focal points at a recent Sustainability Fair. She
thanked Ms. Ciccolo for her supportive comments and added that the climate landscape is
changing very rapidly and Lexington should stay ahead to the extent possible with its forward-
looking approach. She also supported Mr. Sandeen’s recommendations.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 21, 2016
Ed Ganshirt, 48 Fletcher Ave, asked if monetization of the buildings has been considered so that
they are self-financing. As with solar panel leasing, benefits could be returned to the Town from
power generation. He also recommended that public buildings be designed for long term
durability.
Jerry Wax, 1 Winthrop Rd, said he applauded Mr. Sandeen’s presentation for its cogent grasp of
climate change and the need to design public buildings acknowledging emergency response
standards. He noted that grants are available from FEMA to help with integrating an overall
emergency management plan. Mr. Sandeen said he would look into this opportunity.
Ms. Barry thanked Mr. Sandeen and the Sustainable Lexington Committee for their work and
said she looked forward to moving the policy along at a meeting in the near future.
VHB Report on Mass Ave Traffic Calming Options
David Kucharsky, Assistant Town Planner and Chair of the Transportation Safety Group, Laura
Castelli, Project Manager from Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) Mark Shannon, VHB Director
of Highway Engineering made a presentation on how a proposed traffic signal and other changes
at the Woburn St/Mass. Ave. intersection might affect the Winthrop Road neighborhood traffic.
Prior to this presentation, a traffic analysis including vehicle counts was conducted by BETA
Group, Inc. and an intersection improvement design was developed, details of which were
presented to the Board of Selectmen on March 9. 2016. Following that meeting, the Selectmen
directed VHB to make three additional evaluations:
Determine the travel patterns of vehicles who make a right turn from Woburn St onto
Mass. Ave. currently during the morning peak hour and assess the likelihood they would
use Winthrop Road under the future geometry;
Determine the operational traffic impact to Winthrop Road with the increased traffic;
Determine the effects of this operational impact and whether the proposed mitigation is
sufficient to lessen the impact.
In addition to these areas of study, the Town asked VHB to review existing travel patterns and
determine how much of the traffic on Woburn St. was cut through between Mass. Ave. and
Waltham St. during the morning peak. To do this, VHB conducted another vehicle count that
reviewed turning movements at four locations: right turns from Woburn St. to Mass. Ave.; right
turns from Grant St. onto Mass. Ave.; left turns from Mass. Ave. to Waltham St.; and through
movements along Waltham St. southbound at the intersection of Worthen Rd.
Ms. Castelli said that the morning peak time traffic study (7:15-8:15) yielded useful information
about vehicle origination and destination and aided understanding of how many drivers would
potentially use Winthrop Road as an alternative to avoid the light-controlled intersection.
The Origin Destination (OD) findings were that 1) 120 vehicles currently use Winthrop Road
(southbound) during the morning peak hours; 2) OD data indicate up to 111 additional vehicles
could potentially use Winthrop Road (southbound) if the intersection was signalized; 3) Vehicles
from Grant St. are not anticipated to affect the traffic volume on Winthrop Rd. since it is unlikely
vehicles would backtrack to get to Winthrop Road.
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 21, 2016
Lexington High was determined to be the primary destination for most of the vehicles navigating
from Woburn St. to Waltham St. during the peak morning hour. Therefore, an impact analysis
was done that yielded the 111 vehicle count that would potentially use Winthrop Road rather
than the intersection.
The additional Winthrop Rd. traffic, an increase of 1-2 cars per minute Ms. Castelli said, is not
expected to cause operational delays. VHB’s analysis does show a slight reduction of speed—on
the order of 1-2 mph. The one measure where a significant difference was seen was in the area of
vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Currently, there are 60 VMT per hour on the roadway during the
peak hour today; if all 111 cars were to divert to Winthrop Road. during the peak, vehicle miles
would increase to 115 VMT in the same time period. Vehicle miles relate to road
maintenance/wear and tear.
Mitigation measures for the Winthrop Road neighborhood would reduce travel speeds and
possibly discourage cut-through traffic but there is no guarantee that drivers would refrain from
using Winthrop Road. Additionally, some of the mitigation measures—speed bumps, speed
tables, turn restrictions, and/or stop signs—might irritate Winthrop Road neighborhood residents.
The next step in the process is to meet with residents, present the plan, and gather feedback about
the various mitigation options— all of which, Ms. Castelli said, carry pros and cons.
Mr. Kelley said he does not like the idea of a traffic light at Woburn St. at all. He believes other
options exist that would keep the focus on safety yet not be as traumatic to the community.
Ms. Ciccolo said that in the March presentation there was data about the existing speeding
th
currently going on in the Winthrop Road neighborhood. Ms. Castelli said that the 85 percentile
speeds are slightly in excess of what posted speeds are.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if VHB studied the number of vehicles taking a left turn off of Winthrop onto
Waltham, specifically if queuing currently occurs and if queuing would occur if the light was
installed at Woburn St. Ms. Castelli said if people used Winthrop regularly, there would be a
queuing impact because it is a difficult left turn to make, especially in the morning peak. Today,
at that time, there are two to three cars waiting to turn but no lengthy queues were observed.
Mr. Pato asked if a time-delay green signal for southbound through traffic from Woburn Street to
Winthrop Road had been modeled. Ms. Castelli said this would not be possible on the Woburn
Street. approach because of the volume of traffic during the morning peak. Even with the traffic
signal in place, BETA Group still projects lengthy queues on Woburn Street. A reduced green
time would not reduce the queue and might exacerbate the problem. Mr. Pato pointed out that if
the queue was not of concern, a reduced green might be of interest and Ms. Castelli agreed.
Ms. Barry said all Lexington neighborhoods experience problems with cut-through traffic. The
Town should be looking at a plan to keep traffic where it belongs— out of the neighborhoods—
and not make it easier to move more vehicles through town.
Ms. Barry clarified that the Board would not be taking a vote this evening because the
presentation was merely an update.
John Flynn, 1 Hunt Rd, said the questions at hand are more basic than understanding the impact
of cut-through traffic. They are, instead, would the traffic signal increase overall citizen safety?
What is the problem the Town is trying to solve at Woburn St. and are the pros worth the
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Selectmen’s Meeting – November 21, 2016
extensive list of cons that also include additional safety risks? Mr. Flynn said that as far as he
knows, the only formal vote that was taken by the Board was in October 2014 when it voted to
extend the design phase commitment from the 25% point to 100%. In Mr. Flynn’s opinion, the
Board should reconsider the October 2014 vote and open a big picture discussion so that a public
process can take place. Mr. Flynn agrees there was good public dialog at a June 2015 public
meeting but since that time, there has been only piecemeal information coming out about the
process, often with no opportunity for public comment. Abutters, he said, should not be the only
people in the community included in the discussion.
In response, Ms. Barry said the Board of Selectmen have not deliberated in private about this
matter, as Mr. Flynn inferred.
Danit Netzer, 17 John Poulter Rd, thanked the Board for having a discussion in such a way that
allows public comment. But, she disagreed with the VHB findings showing that of the 111
vehicles turning at Waltham Street, only 29 continue down Waltham St. Ms. Netzer believes
many of the cars are taking a left turn on Worthen Road and then cutting through Kendall Road.
She cited a very big problem in that area in which 20-30 cars line up on Kendall Road., making
their way to Route 2 or taking a left on Marrett Road to avoid the busy Marrett Road/Waltham
Street intersection. She asked that an analysis of this situation be conducted and included in
VHB’s findings.
Ms. Netzer added that VHB’s statement that there are sidewalks on Winthrop Road—and
therefore there are no safety issues for pedestrians—is misleading because the side streets off of
Winthrop Road that cars use to cut-through have no sidewalks and a lot of pedestrians such as
students, elderly and dog walkers use those side streets.
On a final point, Ms. Netzer said her neighborhood has just been redistricted by the School
Department and more school buses are now coming through. She asked that the Board carefully
consider the impact of adding more cars to the problem.
Marion Krupka, 40 Winthrop Rd., said the volume and speed of traffic on her street has
increased dramatically over the nine years she’s lived there. She said is it difficult to turn left into
the high school— at peak and at other times—because of the heavy volume of cars coming down
Waltham St. She expressed concerns about home values and impacts to quality of life resulting
from mounting traffic problems.
Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock St. and Precinct 6 Town Meeting member, said she does not
understand the safety issue that the Town is trying to solve. She asked for an articulation of the
balance between the problem of Woburn/Mass. Ave. and the problems that will result from the
traffic signal solution.
John Rosenberg, 64 Bloomfield, asked Ms. Castelli about conflicting descriptions of turn
restrictions between the written and verbally presented materials. Ms. Castelli said the Town is
able to make that determination but VHB would generally say the turn restriction off Mass. Ave.
would be most effective for the morning hours and the restriction off Waltham Street would be
best for the evening peak. This is, however, open for discussion. Mr. Rosenberg said he is struck
by the memory of asking BETA Group in 2015 about non-structural solutions and was told that
BETA was forbidden to consider them. BETA also said it did not study any traffic changes
because it was beyond their brief. Because non-structural mitigation was not on the table, a
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signal was proposed— yet, ironically, non-structural solutions are now proposed to mitigate the
problems the signal will cause.
Mr. Rosenberg asked the Board how the signal at Woburn Street would be integrated with the
work of the ad hoc Center Streetscape Design Review Committee. Ms. Barry said that the ad hoc
Center Streetscape Committee has submitted its Tier I report and the Board awaits reports on
Tiers II and III. As before, Ms. Barry emphasized that the Board of Selectmen has not taken any
votes or positions on any part of the Center Streetscape material because to do so would
undermine the process of the ad hoc committee. However, the traffic signal is not part of what
the ad hoc committee is studying. The committee’s charge can be accessed on the Town website
for clarification.
Xiaopeng Gong, 47 Winthrop Road., said his children walk to school—one to Clarke Middle
School and one to LHS—and the traffic on Worthen Road. is really bad. He added that the peak
hour window should be wider than 7:15-8:15 a.m. As someone who uses Kendall Road to
circumvent the traffic on Waltham Street, he has seen a noticeable increase in volume of cars
doing the same circumvention maneuver he does.
Gerry Paul, 43 Highland Ave. and Precinct 4 Town Meeting member, said he walks every day
through his neighborhood to the Center. Looking back at the beginning of the discussion about
the Woburn Street/Mass. Ave. intersection, he said the charge given to BETA Group was too
narrowly focused on the intersection. Mr. Paul said he and a group of residents has done some
research and formed the opinion that three sets of pedestrian flashing lights—like those on
Spring St.—would be effective if placed 1) near the Police Station and the Baptist Church; 2)
near the bike path; 3) and further down Mass. Ave. at the Muzzey Condominiums. They would
not have the negative side effects that a traffic signal would pose. He asked that this solution be
considered. He added that the neighborhood is happy with the recently reconfigured
Highland/Winthrop Road intersection and if something has to be done to address cut-through
traffic, it should be done in any case; installing the light would only makes matters worse.
Bill McKenney, 5 Winthrop Road, said the plan as presented would be great for moving traffic
through Winthrop Road. but it does nothing to address quality of life issues for the people living
in the neighborhood. Mitigating traffic at Mass. Ave. and Woburn Street does not eliminate
traffic—all the plan does is move cars through faster and encourage more drivers to choose this
as a faster route. His children bike on Winthrop Road. but not without risk since cars can reach
50 mph.
Vicky Blier, Precinct 9 Town Meeting member, said that it sounded to her as if there are already
traffic problems in the Winthrop Road. area and the neighborhood should seriously consider the
mitigations. Ms. Blier said the traffic light at Woburn Street is something of a red herring.
Warren Kerper, 6 Winthrop Road, said that there are new developments going up on the town
line at Woburn St. and Lexington St. The VHB study probably did not account for these
additional residents but there would be a traffic impact from this population growth. He said that
mitigation strategies might work but because the neighborhood is on a hill, things like bumps and
tables would have to be located carefully because the road can get icy. When he commutes daily,
he takes a left turn out of Winthrop Road onto Mass. Ave. and while it is not always easy to do
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so, it is also not impossible. Mr. Kerper said if the No Parking rules already in place were
enforced, turning would be even easier because sightlines would be improved.
Ms. Barry thanked the residents for their comments and emphasized that the Board of Selectmen
is listening to what they have to say. She added that they read every email they receive and that
they hold open office hours throughout the week.
Harbell Street Betterment/Acceptance
A petition signed by 8 out of 15 abutters has been submitted requesting this road be improved
and accepted by the Town. John Livsey, Town Engineer, and Michael Sprague, Staff Engineer,
presented details.
Mr. Sprague said that over the past year, his department has been in contact with Mr. Daniel
Hess, a direct abutter of Harbell St who initiated the petition and acceptance process. The
estimate of cost to bring the road up to Town standards prior to acceptance is $147,000. One of
the abutters that did not sign the petition is considered exempt, a status agreed to by those who
did sign. After street betterment, there are several other necessary steps culminating in
approval/disapproval by Town Meeting.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if the cost of betterment will be borne entirely by the residents or if the Town
will contribute to the project. Mr. Livesey said the cost would be covered entirely by the
residents but the Town would make the initial payment and be reimbursed by the abutters over a
period of time. The cost per resident would be approximately $10,000.
Ms. Ciccolo noted that some of the abutters said they did not want the width of the road
increased. Mr., Livsey said the Town minimum is 18 feet; currently, the road ranges in width
from 16 to 20 feet so there would be some areas that would undergo minor widening but
otherwise the improved road would be consistent with what is there today. The width in some
areas might be reduced.
Mr. Kelley asked what the right-of-way is on the current layout because he is interested in the
relationship between the dimensions of Balfour and Harbell streets. Mr. Livsey said he believed
the right-of-way is 40 feet and that Balfour Street does taper down in that area. Resident Daniel
Hess said there is no navigable connection between the two streets, only a 20 foot walkway
where Balfour Street dead ends.
Ms. Barry asked if the abutters who have not signed the petition were contacted. Mr. Hess said
he reached out to 14 of the 15 abutters. One of the abutters was exempted, as noted above. One
abutter—the fifteenth— is a house under construction and Mr. Hess was unable to speak with
anyone associated with the property.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if the largely undeveloped parcel of land on the street would become a target
for development if Harbell Street becomes a public way. Mr. Hess said there are no plans to
develop the land; he believes documentation exists prohibiting development, although he has
never seen it.
Speaking to the process, Mr. Cohen said that, eventually, once all necessary steps are followed,
there will be a warrant to accept the road and bond the money to construct the street. If the article
passes, the cost of construction and borrowing will be put on the applicable residential tax bills
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and the amount can either be paid at once or over time. The article requires a 2/3 vote of
approval at Town Meeting.
Mr. Pato asked if there is active opposition to the betterment and acceptance. Mr. Hess said some
people had concerns and some people expressed indifference. Mr. Livsey said he received a call
today from one of the abutters who then sent him an email with 29 questions, however the
questions did not equate to opposition to the project. Mr. Livsey will respond to the questions.
Ms. Ciccolo ascertained that the abutters had not yet received communication from the Town
about a potential project. Mr. Livsey said that the intent to layout phase of the project does not
require abutter notification but the next meeting on January 9, 2017 would require notification,
delivered by the Town Constable.
Mr. Kelley asked if the betterment charges were calculated by linear foot. Mr. Livsey said there
are two methods: by linear foot or by parcel. The last few betterments done in Lexington have
been per parcel, which is what he recommends if all the parcels are already built out.
Mr. Pato said he intends to support the project but he also wants to hear from the whole
neighborhood about what the concerns are.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to move ahead with the
notice of intent to lay out Harbell Street as a town way from Paul Revere Road, a distance of 645
feet, more or less, to the end of Harbell Street.
Update Charge—Tax Deferral and Exemption Study Committee
Co-chairs of the Tax Deferral and Exemption Study Committee, Vicky Blier and Pat Costello,
said the charge of this committee was recently reviewed by Deputy Town Manager Linda Vine
who proposed a more complete charge and description. The committee agreed with the changes.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the revised
charge of the Tax Deferral and Exemption Study Committee and to designate the members as
Special Municipal Employees.
Abate Property Taxes 171-173 Bedford Street
Mr. Valente said the seller of 171-173 Bedford Street is responsible for FY17 property taxes only
until the date of purchase by the Town. Under MGL Chapter 59 section 72A, the Board of
Selectmen may request, in writing, that the Board of Assessors abate the unpaid property taxes
from the sale date to the end of the fiscal year.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve and authorize
the Chairman to sign the request that the Board of Assessors abate the unpaid property taxes for
171-173 Bedford Street, from the date of purchase by the Town to the end of the fiscal year.
Preliminary Cemetery Fee Analysis
Claire Goodwin, Town Management Analyst, and Director of Public Works Dave Pinsonnault
presented information about burial and grounds maintenance fees in advance of proposed Capital
improvement initiatives at Westview Cemetery to determine if the fee structure should be
changed to increase revenue.
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Ms. Goodwin said that in January of 2016, TBA Architects conducted a program study of the
existing building at Westview and concluded the cost to renovate the current building would be
$2.74M and the cost to construct a new building would be $3.040M.
The second purpose of the analysis was to examine the impact of the future expansion of the
cemetery. The Town has approximately 6 years before the current section is full but the cemetery
has usable, undeveloped land into which it can expand.
Ms. Goodwin provided some background on the cemetery fee structure: when a plot is sold, the
revenue is split—45% goes to a special revenue Town account and 55% goes to the Trustees of
the Public Trust. Cemetery fees and service rates have not changed since 2005.
Three different fee adjustment options were considered that would affect how the Town serviced
the project debt.
Option 1: Adjust 2017 cemetery rates by 2 ½ % annually over 2005 rates and by 2 ½% annually
every other year beginning in FY2019.
Option 2: Adjust 2017 cemetery rates to the average among Lexington’s comparable
communities and 2 ½% every other year beginning in FY2019.
Option 3: Adjust 2017 cemetery rates to cover the estimated debt service for a new/renovated
equipment/administration building and maintain a minimum of $100,000 in the Sale of Cemetery
Lots account (an approx. 47% increase) and a 2 ½ % increase every other year beginning in
FY2019.
Ms. Goodwin showed a chart that demonstrated how each rate option succeeded or failed to meet
the Towns goals. It was noted that of the three options, Option 1 was unable to meet the goals
while Options 2 and 3 achieved them.
The suggested next steps for this initiative were The Town could:
Explore other alternatives than the three options identified;
Decide if the current scope of the project is optimum;
The Board is encouraged to make a site visit to the cemetery administration building.
Ms. Barry asked how many people a gravesite holds. Mr. Pinsonnault said most sites hold two
full bodies or four cremains. He believes the numbers are fairly evenly split between two
options. Ms. Barry wondered if, given a general increase in cremation, the Town might consider
building a columbarium and including space for services since people are not using churches as
much as they used to.
Looking at Option 2, Mr. Pato said it more than covered the Town costs. He asked if there is a
motivation to bring in this level of revenue. Mr. Valente said Ms. Goodwin also looked at the
cemetery’s operating costs that are intended to be covered by the Trust fund. With interest rates
so low for so long, the Trust balance is no longer generating sufficient amounts to cover
operating costs.
Ms. Ciccolo said she had originally thought something between Option 2 and Option 3 was
advisable but is now leaning toward Option 2.
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Ms. Barry asked Mr. Pinsonnault what would happen to the current building if a new cemetery
building was constructed close to Westview St., as envisioned. Mr. Pinsonnault said it would
open up the area for additional plots, essentially swapping out unsold graves sites near Westview
St. for the space the building now occupies.
Mr. Kelley said Ms. Goodwin’s analysis is well done and valuable. He agreed with Ms. Barry
about including additional space for bereavement services and said he is convinced that a new
building—rather than a renovation—is the right approach, although $3M seemed high. He would
be in favor of setting rates closer to the actual cost of operation and supports something closer to
Option 2. He added that he applauds addressing facilities need in this enterprising way and
suggested a similar exercise be conducted for the Visitors’ Center.
Mr. Cohen also agreed with the approach and the innovative identification of revenue sources.
Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock St, wondered if a bigger differential between resident and non-
resident fees had been considered, since Lexington residents might warrant a more favorable
rate. She suggested the 55% that goes to the Trust might be re-examined since it is not keeping
up with expenses.
Mr. Cohen asked if Lexington sells gravesites to non-residents. Mr. Pinsonnault replied that the
site would have to have been purchased when the person was a resident. A non-resident burial
fee is charged at the time of interment.
Approve and Authorize Chairman to Sign Letter Regarding Doppler Weather Radar Antenna at
Hanscom
Mr. Valente said the Board was contacted by NBC/Universal with a request to construct a
Doppler Weather radar tower at HAFB but the response period of 30 days was too brief for the
Board and Town staff to submit questions/comments. A meeting with the Development Review
Team and the applicant was held in early October, after which site plans, photographs and other
materials were forwarded to the Town. In response to that information, a letter has been drafted
to be sent to Charles Strickland III, Installment Management Flight Chief at Hanscom, that
addresses four areas of concern: Public Notice/ Outreach; Lexington Public Safety
Communications Equipment request; Historic Preservation; and Property Tax Status of
Equipment and Structure.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve and authorize
the Chairman to sign the draft letter to the Air Force regarding the proposed Doppler Weather
Radar Tower.
Board of Selectmen Appointment and Resignations
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to appoint Malcolm
Crawford as a member of the Greenways Corridor Committee to complete the term vacated by
Paul Knight, expiring September 2018; to reappoint Nick Afshartous and Lee Minardi as
members of the Noise Advisory Committee with terms expiring September 2019; and to appoint
Frederic Johnson as liaison to the Center Streetscape Ad Hoc Committee for a term to expire
when the report is complete;
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And further, on motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to accept the
resignation of Paul Knight from the Greenways Corridor Committee and Cristina Burwell from
the Lexington Council for the Arts;
The Historic Districts Committee
The Board filled two of the four Associate Member vacancies with candidates submitted by the
Historical Society, the Cary Library Trustees and the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society. Ms.
Barry noted that two names were submitted by LACS but one was a repeat of a submission from
the other groups. Therefore, the Board anticipates receiving an additional nomination from the
Lexington Arts and Crafts Society in the near future at which time the final two appointments for
Associate Member can be made.
Each Selectman voted for two choices. The nominee with the greatest number of votes will serve
for the longer term and the nominee with the next greatest will serve for the lesser term.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to appoint Paul
O’Shaughnessy to fill the unexpired term of Robin Leavitt (12/2018) and to appoint Donna
Hooper to fill the unexpired term of Nancy Shepard (12/2019) as Associate Members of the
Historic Districts Commission.
Consent Agenda
Water & Sewer Commitments
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the
Commitment of Water & Sewer Section 1 for $2,923,850.77; the Commitment of Water &
Sewer Section 2 for $3,245,990.97; and the Commitment of Water & Sewer Cycle 9 for
$298,270.57.
Approve Use of the Battle Green—Lexington Minute Men
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the use of the
Battle Green on Sunday, December 11, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. by the Lexington
Minute Men, in collaboration with the Lexington Historical Society and Lexington’s Visitors
Center, for a re-enactment of the Lexington Tea Protest of 1773. There will be a first musket drill
(non-firing) at 10:00 am. At 12:15 p.m. there will be a second musket drill (and firing
demonstration). The Minute Men will conclude by firing one volley for every Lexington man
lost (total of 10) on April 19, 1775.
Approve One-Day Liquor Licenses—Spectacle Management
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the request by
Spectacle Management for a one-day liquor license to sell beer and wine in the lobby of the Cary
Memorial Building on Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 8:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. (Reduced
Shakespeare) and on Saturday, December 10, 2016 from 7:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. (Eileen Ives).
Executive Session
On motion duly made and by roll call vote, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 at 10:00 p.m. to
enter Executive Session under Exemption 6 to consider the purchase, lease, or value of real
property, Montessori School property purchased from Belmont Country Club; and under
Exemption 3 to discuss strategy with respect to potential litigation related to property at
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430 Concord Avenue; and under Exemption 6 to consider the purchase, lease or value of real
property, 20 Pelham Road; and to reconvene in Open Session only to adjourn. Further, it is
declared that an open session meeting discussion may have a detrimental effect on the litigating
or negotiating position of the Town.
Ms. Ciccolo indicated she would not participate in the 20 Pelham Road discussion due to a
conflict of interest.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 to adjourn at 10:45 p.m.
A true record; Attest:
Kim Siebert
Recording Secretary
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Selectmen’s Meeting
FY2018 Budget Presentation #1
November 29, 2016
A meeting of the Lexington Board of Selectmen was held on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at
1:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of the Town Office Building. Chairman Barry, Mr.
Kelley, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Pato, and Ms. Ciccolo were present as well as Mr. Valente, Town
Manager and Ms. Siebert, Recording Secretary.
FY2018 Budget Presentations
Police Department
Chief Mark Corr and Captain Michael McLean said that the past year has been a relatively stable
one for the Police Department. Service calls remain at relatively the same level over time, as
does the amount of criminal activity. Last year, 200 incidents of identity theft using tax return
information occurred—causing a crime spike— but this year this type of thing did not occur.
The department currently has four vacancies—three patrolmen and one lieutenant—and the
process has been initiated to hire four officers. Chief Corr said this is a time consuming process
since it takes 16-18 months for an officer to complete Police Academy requirements and get on
the street. An in-house promotion to fill the lieutenant vacancy is also underway.
The Police Department budget, Chief Corr said, is essentially level with a $428 decrease,
attributed to lower gasoline prices and senior officer retirements.
The Police budget is largely driven by personnel costs. There are six unions represented in the
department. Chief Corr noted the contract for Superior Officers has not been resolved for five
years. When unresolved contracts are finally settled, an impact to the department budget will be
felt.
Noting that no Lexington residents are on the current Civil Service list, Chief Corr strongly
encouraged young Lexingtonians to consider taking the Civil Service exam. There are also two
Cadet-level vacancies, particularly for people with language skills such as Mandarin Chinese,
Hindi or Korean. With the exception of one young man in the job for about 3 months, these
vacancies have existed for two years.
Chief Corr said goals for the department for the coming year include purchasing the ProPhoenix
records system software program, to be shared with the Fire Department. The current software
was installed in 1990 so the new program will represent a significant change and steep learning
curve.
Chief Corr added that the department is working to advance the Police station re-model/re-build
project. He assured the Board that he has no intention to retire before the project is complete.
Chief Corr said that staffing has been stable. He noted an initiative started last year to share an
Animal Control Officer with the Town of Bedford has been very successful. Lexington pays
70% of the Bedford employee’s salary.
Captain McLean presented elements of the next few sub-program budgets that come under the
Police Department umbrella. Captain McLean highlighted the Police Administrative travel line
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FY2018 Budget Presentation #1 - November 29, 2016
item of $4,931.00 that is related to program support and continuing education for the new
software system.
Gasoline line items throughout the sub-programs all note the aforementioned price decline.
Captain McLean said that the overtime increase within the Patrol and Enforcement sub-budget is
intended to cover in-house staff training for the ProPhoenix computer program.
Ms. Barry asked whether there is adequate funding to train officers in the administration of
Narcan to address the opioid crisis. Captain McLean said there is a discussion now going on with
the bargaining units about Narcan and setting up training sessions with the Fire Department. He
does not believe additional funding will be needed. Ms. Barry said it is important for the
community to know that this emergency response training is an ongoing process.
For the “Traffic Bureau” sub-program budget, most changes from FY17 have to do with the new
parking meter program. There is a $30,648 increase in contractual services which represents
wireless and credit card fees anticipated from the Smart meters. Captain McLean said that the
2333.33% increase in “Equipment Service/Repair” is actually not an increase but a melding of
this line item and “Software Maintenance”. “Repair Parts” has been zeroed out because service
for the new meters will not be handled in the same way as it was for the old meters.
Mr. Pato noted traffic enforcement was increased in the Center and elsewhere this year. He asked
if the level services budget will sustain that effort. Chief Corr said it would be sustained and that
the department examined staffing with an eye to the amount and location of service calls.
Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., activity level is not as significantly as it was 15-20 years ago so the
nighttime staff is now smaller and personnel have been shifted to daytime hours. Enforcement
goals can be met without changing our budget.
The “Investigations/Prevention” budget in which, again, lower salaries for junior employees
(compared to now-retired senior employees) and lower gas prices have caused decreases in the
“Wages” and “Gasoline” line items. It was noted that the $5,000 request for
“Memberships/Dues/Subscriptions” is for a one-time payment to NEMLEC (Northeast
Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council), a consortium of mutual aid police departments from
60 communities. NEMLEC has asked each member community for a $5,000 contribution to
purchase a 50 foot RV base of operations vehicle for emergency response.
For the “Dispatch” budget, the department is asking for a $17,990 increase in Overtime which
will cover emergency response training exercises to meet recently revised standards. The
department is required by law to review its own practices to ensure staff is adequately prepared.
Responses are now reviewed by the department on a weekly basis and additional training is
conducted where warranted.
Contractual Services for “Animal Control” projects a $2,400 increase which represents
Lexington’s share of the salary increase shared with Bedford. Ms. Barry asked how many calls
the officer responds to. Captain McLean estimated five calls per week for any/all kinds of
animals as well as proactive preventative patrols and public education. Ms. Barry said the job is
not highly visible so it is important for the public to understand the value to the community.
There are no PIRs for the Police budget but Chief Corr highlighted the two Capital requests:
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FY2018 Budget Presentation #1 - November 29, 2016
#967 Police Outdoor/Indoor Firing Range—Hartwell Ave and #1020 Public Safety Radio
Console Replacement.
The Chief said that the Firing Range project was postponed from last year when the solar array
project was being completed on Hartwell. At this stage, the department plans to bring in a
consultant in January/February to advise the Town about the site and what the benefits are of
building an indoor range at the Police station versus the Hartwell location. The cost of the project
will depend on the scope.
Captain McLean said the $370,000 Public Safety Console is critical for communication between
departments and surrounding communities. The current Motorola console is 15 years old and as
of July 1, 2017, service contracts will no longer be issued to support the system. Parts may be
available for the Motorola system for the next 3-5 years but there will be competition for them
with other communities who also have the old system. Some nearby communities have already
upgraded; having a comparable system will make it easier for Lexington to communicate with
these towns.
Not seeing comparable line items on other department budgets, Mr. Pato asked if the Police were
taking the lead on emergency dispatch training and then sharing the training with the Fire
department and EMTs. Chief Corr said he has included shared training as a function of the
dispatch personnel.
Mr. Kelley said the subject of the firing range has been a recurring one but asked, with so much
going on at Hartwell Ave, if another community or Hanscom AFB might host one for the region.
Chief Corr said many communities in the area are restricted from building or operating firing
ranges. HAFB has an excellent indoor range but Chief Corr said officers also need outdoor
training to prepare for incidents in the field. Lexington frequently receives calls from other towns
asking to use the Town’s indoor range.
The Town’s current outdoor range was built to accommodate shotguns and revolvers— weapons
that are no longer used in the field. At minimum, Chief Corr said an expansion of the current
outdoor range would better prepare staff for modern day armed encounters. There is an outdoor
facility at Devens but logistics and scheduling are difficult. Discussions about firing ranges are
occurring around the state, not only among police departments but also in private security.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if the new computer software will have the ability to capture bike and
pedestrian accident reports. Chief Corr replied that the program is used by 350 communities in
the Midwest and East Coast and has a robust accident reporting capacity, although he is not sure
until he works with it what capacity the system will have specifically for bike and pedestrian
incidents. The current system is limited to information the Commonwealth asks for, which does
not include this type of report.
Fire Department
Fire Chief John Wilson and Assistant Chief Derek Sencabaugh said the Fire Department, like the
Police Department, struggles with the lack of personnel and has lost 7 top step employees to
retirement. It will eventually hire 7 first step replacements. The Chief recently got word of an
additional retirement that will occur this January. Altogether, there will be one captain and three
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lieutenant positions to fill. There are 5 job offers out now and background checks are being
conducted.
This past fall, the department held both an entrance exam and a promotional exam and half the
current department passed the promotional tests. The written test is the first in a three-step
process; the remaining steps will take place this winter.
Last week, the department met with the architects to discuss program needs and it now looks
forward to seeing proposals for the new firehouse, as well as for the interim swing space at 173
Bedford St.
The FY18 Fire budget as proposed represents a 1.5% decrease from FY17, largely due to
retirements.
Some changes include:
Contractual “Emergency Services” has a projected $10,000 increase for ambulance
billing services. The company that performs this service takes a percentage of annual fees
so an increase in this line item reflects an expectation for increased revenue.
A deduction of $8,000 was noted in the “Small Equipment” line item since the equipment
was purchased last year and the allocation is no longer needed.
The $8,892 Lease Agreement line item under the “Fire Protection” (page 5) is for a trailer
that will not be needed once the new station is built.
In the realm of PIRs, there is one carry-over from last year which seeks to hire 2 FTEs to
complete the department goal of fully staffing Fire Suppression/EMS. This would allow the
ambulances to be staffed 24 hours/7 days a week. With the additional employees, the department
would end the practice of cross staffing with the ladder crew. It was noted that in FY16 there
were two occasions for which the ladder truck with its specialized equipment was unavailable
because the staff were out on ambulance calls.
Two years ago the Board authorized two FTEs that would have provided staffing for the staffing
for the second ambulance for additional hours but the plan was not implemented due to leaves of
absence and retirements. Full staffing will allow the Town to respond to more calls rather than
resorting to mutual aid. There have been 50 applicants for the jobs of which 37 passed the
entrance exam. The Chief believes the new hires will be on board by January and ambulance
service goals will be met.
Assistant Chief Sencabaugh spoke about the single FY18 Capital request—Ambulance
Replacement $280,000. There are currently three ambulances: two rotating in and out of primary
position and a third mechanical spare. Each ambulance is replaced after 9 years of service. The
ladder truck specs have been finalized and the purchase order will be placed in December. A
truck takes about 7 months to build, so delivery is expected in July 2017 or after.
The Fire Department’s two main goals are the new headquarters and implementing the Public
Safety software. Exercise area improvement has been put on hold pending the new station.
Ongoing: The department will continue its community outreach with education efforts and
collaboration with the Human Services Department and the senior population. The department
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will also continue active participation in the Middlesex Opioid Task Force and the SAFE
program at the elementary schools.
Mr. Kelley asked about lost revenues from the estimated 100 ambulance calls that were handled
by mutual aid. Chief Wilson said each call represents $800 in potential revenue but even with a
full staff, Fire would not have been able to respond to all 100 calls on its own. With the current
level of staff, ambulances are now staffed Monday through Friday, 8am until 6 pm.
Ms. Barry asked about the $67,500 Protective Clothing Capital expense for FY20. Chief Wilson
said each firefighter has two sets of gear and each set is good for 10 years. Usually, the expense
is covered within the operating budget but with new hires and other factors, the department has
to catch up from time to time.
Mr. Cohen asked if ambulance fees were in line with surrounding communities. The Chief
replied that the rates were a little below comparable towns but if they go up, collections suffer.
Belmont’s fees, for example, are 100% higher than Lexington’s but their collection rate is 50%.
Lexington increased fees in 2015 and the Chief says they are now right where they ought to be.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if the underground storage tanks the department oversees are mostly a thing
of the past. The Chief said the majority of remaining tanks are on commercial properties, like gas
stations. The department usually deals with tank removals when buildings convert to gas.
Information Services
Chief Information Officer Tom Case and IT Director Dorinda Goodman presented the FY18
budget, noting that Information Services serves all Municipal departments and the Schools. The
FY18 budget reflects a $107,516 or 5.88% increase over FY17 and includes a 10.88 % or
$112,175 increase in expenses. The major drivers of this increase are software and hardware
maintenance contracts, the transfer of responsibility for maintenance of VoIP telephone systems
from Facilities to IS, new applications, and an increase in contractual services.
Staffing will remain flat at 10 FTEs in FY18 with one vacant position now being actively
recruited. An upcoming retirement in January will result in another recruitment at that time.
Significant 2016 initiatives included: launching the new Town website; selection of the new
Public Safety Police and Fire system; VoIP telephone installation at Clarke and Diamond schools
and the Cary Memorial Library; expansion of data storage capabilities and continued migration
to electronic records; and numerous system level upgrades to the core business systems and
supporting infrastructure.
A town-wide network assessment will be conducted to provide guidance about how to provide
utility-class network services to the Municipal and School buildings. A grant has been secured to
fund the Town’s first cyber security audit.
In the area of Capital, Mr. Case said the department is asking for $350,000 in FY18 to continue
and/or complete project work approved in previous budget cycles. There is also a request for one
new project to support a pilot program of redundant connection to one of the Town buildings, a
first step to providing redundant connections to all Town buildings.
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The phone service project will wrap up this year with the completion of installation at Fiske and
Harrington schools and the Municipal technology improvement program continues with
investments in additional computing servers and associated disk storage and licensing.
A single PIR requests $16,000 for replacement of a heavily-used, large format scanner at Hadley
Public Services building. The amount includes the service contract.
Ms. Goodman noted “General Government” shows funding for a Project Manager that was
shifted from the Town Manager’s office and reduced to a .8 FTE. Once the current person retires
from this position, the job will be reposted as full-time. Ms. Goodman said this slight upgrade
will not impact the Compensation line item because the new position will be at a lower salary
than the previous position.
Ms. Goodman detailed increases saying that hardware and software maintenance and cloud
storage are the drivers of the biggest changes. Utility increases ($17,000) include impacts from
Town and School phone costs and addition of redundant bandwidth. Contracted Services are
projected to increase by $10,000 to reflect the wider scale of services, infrastructure expansion,
and audit needs.
Ms. Goodman said that the Town of Lexington’s Information Services department has been
recognized as an industry leader that strives to meet the unique needs of the Town with up-to-
date knowledge and skill for as low a cost as possible.
Ms. Ciccolo was impressed with the list of goals found in the presentation and asked for a status
report about the Town-wide scheduling software previously discussed with Community Center
staff and others. Ms. Goodman said IS thought it had found a suitable software package but it did
not fit the needs. There is funding in the budget to purchase and implement the right system once
one is found.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if the Town’s general liability insurance policy has a cyber security rider. The
department replied there is no current coverage but options are being researched.
Ms. Barry asked which department is responsible for the Novus system expense used by the
Selectmen’s office. Ms. Goodman said Novus is in the IS budget.
Mr. Valente directed the Board’s attention to capital project #855— Network Redundancy
Improvement Plan. For a couple of years, IS has been looking for a way to provide a back-up
communication system so that Town never loses building interconnectivity— a Public Safety
concern. Working with the Communication Advisory Committee, IS wants to be able to create a
system that would include both wireless and fiber optics technologies.
th
To this end, the Board of Selectmen will hear a presentation at their December 5 Board Meeting
about adding a cell tower on the Town Office campus. The Historic District Commission is
supportive of the project. An RFP will be posted for the cell tower which will include
specifications so that the Town can add wireless dishes, a component of the redundant network.
The ability to do this lowers the overall cost of the redundant system. Mr. Valente said the
project is a high priority but the process is long and being accomplished piece by piece.
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Town Clerk
Chief Information Officer Tom Case and Town Clerk Nathalie Rice presented the department
budget proposal for FY18 which represents an overall decrease of 5.76% ($28,423) from FY17.
It was noted that FY17 included a Special Town Meeting supplement of $6,250 for early voting.
The majority of the decrease ($23,106) is in Compensation and the remainder is in Expenses.
Mr. Case said the Town Clerk’s budget varies year to year, based on the number of Town
elections. In FY16, there were three elections and six Special Town Meetings. Year to date in
calendar year 2016, there have been six elections and five Special Town Meetings. For FY18, the
Town Clerk anticipates two elections and one Special Town Meeting. Staffing for FY18 will
remain flat with 3 full time and 3 part time staff. The department is looking for a third Registrar
of Voters due to a recent resignation.
There are no Capital requests for FY18 but one PIR asks to add 7 hours/week to a part time
employee’s schedule for a total of $24,468. Four drivers prompt the request: AP and payroll (this
responsibility shifted last year from the IS department); compliance with Electronic Reform
initiatives which include Early Voting and pre-registration of 16 and 17 year olds; compliance
with Public Records reform; and meeting the demands of electronic records management.
Ms. Rice listed her department’s goals for FY18: continue to emphasize timely customer service
for Town records and to meet the expected increase demand for Public Records; satisfy election
administration compliance with related statutory requirements; continue effective use of the
Commonwealth’s Electronic Vital Records systems; continue to develop coordinated Archives
and Records Management Program; enhance and further implement Laserfiche document
imaging for records; prioritize Laserfiche migration of historic documents for public access.
Ms. Rice said because Public Records reform was passed in 2014, she anticipates growing
demand levels. Archives and Records Management is also important, particularly with updated
Open Meeting regulations and increased government transparency. The minutes and meeting
documents of the 99 Town Committees are archived permanently.
Ms. Rice said the FY17 budget was offset by a $4,100 check recently received from Minuteman
Technical High School to assist with costs for the district election held in September. Ms. Rice
also applied to the State for a $1,750 Early Voting partial reimbursement for Saturday hours. The
Town will continue to receive State election reimbursements as they occur.
Currently, there is a $36,000 balance of CPA funding for an ongoing project that has shifted its
focus from archives preservation to records migration to make documents more publicly
accessible. The Town Clerk’s office has what Ms. Rice called a $20,000 standing placeholder for
CPA funds which, due to the $36,000 in hand, would be re-initiated in FY19. The funds will be
used similarly for ongoing records management and migration.
Mr. Pato confirmed that no further funds are needed to complete or continue last year’s efforts to
refresh the Town’s voting technology. Ms. Rice said that even though the Town approved the
expense to replace the old AccuVote scanners, she chose not to add to the election workers’
burdens by requiring them to operate new machines in this last election cycle. The funding is still
available and Ms. Rice plans to research available options with an eye to rolling out the new
technology next November.
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Mr. Cohen asked if the Town Clerk’s office provides names of citizens for jury duty. Ms. Rice
said it did and that it is done through the census, which she understands is one reason people are
reluctant to fill out the forms. The census goes out each year to 11,000 Lexington households;
the returned forms are processed individually.
Ms. Ciccolo said early voting was very organized and went smoothly. She wondered, however, if
Cary Hall would continue to be used for that purpose because parking was problematic. Early
voting had designated parking spaces—which was helpful— but Ms. Ciccolo asked if the added
handicapped spaces (although not the official ones) could be used by other voters such as those
with young children or seniors. And, if early voting moved to another location, would it impact
staffing?
Ms. Rice said she has given a lot of thought to the next election with early voting in 2018.
Because there is less turnout for State elections, the polls will stay where they were this year. She
believes the heavy volume in 2020 may require using Battin Hall itself, however, because every
precinct will need to be represented. Anywhere that early voting is located has to close down to
other operations for the two week duration.
Early voting not only presents logistical challenges, it presents costs to the Town, Ms. Rice said.
With the State reimbursement, the Town is out of pocket about $3,000 but the election was a big
effort. Ms. Rice acknowledged the dedication of 150 poll workers and the office staff who
worked late, came in early, worked Saturdays to process and bundle 8000+ early voting ballots
to make them ready for the precincts.
Mr. Valente focused attention on the single PIR for 7 additional staff hours/week, saying that the
request could be considered maintenance of service since most of what is driving the request is
due to new unfunded mandates from the State.
Ms. Barry asked Ms. Rice to convey the Board’s appreciation to the department staff for
continually rising to the occasion, particularly in a very complicated, busy year.
Human Services
Charlotte Rodgers, Human Services Director, introduced Kelly Axtell. Assistant Director of
Senior Services; Jeanette Rebecchi, Transportation Manager; Gina Rada, Veteran Services
Coordinator; and Kristie Demirev, Youth and Family Services Social Worker to talk about the
Human Services Department and FY18 budget. Ms. Rodgers said the numbers of residents
coming into the new Community Center has been very exciting and has increased the
department’s visibility and outreach capabilities.
The department is requesting a level service budget for FY18 for a 3.88% increase over FY17.
This includes a new Lexpress contract, now in the remitting process.
There are four notable initiatives for FY18:
Work toward implementing department-wide financial and electronic records keeping.
Continue collaboration with Rec and Community Programs department to provide best
practices in shared customer service, operations and safety.
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Interdepartmental collaboration to assess unmet needs for youth and family and provide
relevant programming at the Community Center and in the community at large.
Continue expansion of recruitment and development of volunteer program to reach all
ages.
There are no FY18 PIRs.
Senior Service
Calls have tripled to over 500/month since the office moved to the Community Center. Walk-
ins number over 100 a month. Blood pressure clinics now average 20 a month, up from 5.
Senior Services implemented a couple of working groups with the COA to understand what
seniors would like for trips and programs. Staff also participate in wellness fairs, the
Farmers’ Market, and the Fire Department open house. The calendar is now back in the
Senior Newsletter, a return that has been well received. The age at which residents receive
the newsletter is now 60, rather than 65; they are always translated into Mandarin Chinese.
Senior Services added a Diwali gathering and a Chinese Autumn Moon festival. This year the
department is partnering with the Lexington Housing Authority to provide health and wellness
opportunities to residents of Vinebrook Village. Due to Executive Office of Elder Affairs
funding and the Dana Home Foundation, a volunteer coordinator and a registered dietician were
hired— two, part-time, non-benefitted positions.
As many as 14 senior programs have been added at the Community Center such as “Love Your
Life Well”, a fitness sampler, a Wilson’s Farm cooking demonstration, a senior night out, and a
wine and craft beer tasting. Two tests of virtual programming yielded mixed results so the staff is
working out the bugs.
Youth and Family Services
The FY18 budget will see a 3.87% increase over FY17, mostly due to wages and supply costs.
The Community Center location of the office has allowed for increased outreach. In the last year,
there have been two free groups for middle school students and LYFS partners with Recreation
to provide monthly family fun nights. Three parent workshops were hosted presenting talks by
area clinicians. With Recreation, LYFS collaborated with the LHS S.A.D.D. program to host a
games night for middle and high school students and a peer-run collaging event with students
from the Youth Services Council.
The number of people seeking services has increased with requests for counselling, referrals, and
basic consultation. There are about 200 emails and 100 calls a month seeking information. Since
Ms. Demirev is more accessible at the Community Center, it has allowed for more flexible
appointment times and she noted that walk in activity has more than doubled.
LYFS received 20 requests for referrals from the Schools this year for support or intervention.
The cases being seen are more complex and require more ongoing support and collaboration. At
risk youth screening is another function of LYFS as are other collaborative efforts such as
programs on the opioid crisis. The office also supervises two Masters of Social Work student
interns who have initiated and organized youth programming.
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Lexington-Bedford Veterans Services
The FY18 budget will seek a decrease in funding from both the General and the Regional funds.
Effective July 1, 2016 the office was re-authorized by the Massachusetts Office of Veterans
Services to continue operating as a district until June 30, 2018.
Since moving to the Community Center, the volume of clients has more than doubled, Ms. Rada
said, with the majority of inquiries and visits pertaining to federal benefits. Completed
applications for VA disability and health care have increased by roughly 37% on a monthly
basis. The opening of Bedford Green at the Edith Nourse Veteran’s Facility in Bedford is a
factor in the increase. Bedford Green houses a total of 69 veterans 55 years or older, 35 of which
are eligible for Ch115 services. The funding for Ch115 comes from the Town of Bedford but Ms.
Rada handles the VSO case management for Bedford Green.
Outreach is a big priority for the Lexington-Bedford Veteran’s Services office and Ms. Rada has
given a number of informational workshops and created LexMedia programming to help get the
word out.
Lexington was also a participant community in the Vietnam commemoration ceremonies held
this year. Lapel pins were distributed at the annual Veterans Day breakfast to all Vietnam
veterans and the contributions of some of the local veterans were highlighted during the Veterans
Day services. Additional ceremonies and programs will be held in coming years in accordance
with commemoration objectives.
An online registration system was developed in conjunction with the Town Celebrations
Committee to identify veterans interested in participating in Veterans Day. The system will also
help spread information that will be of interest to this population. Identifying more veterans from
the Vietnam era has led to an increase in claims for disability. Ms. Rada has filed claims for
exposure to Agent Orange that contribute to diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Lexington has become a Purple Heart community and the office will increase public awareness
of local recipients.
Transportation Services
This budget is projected to increase 13.54%, due almost entirely to an anticipated increase in the
Lexpress contract which will begin July 1, 2017.
Overall, Lexpress provides 75,000 rides per year although last year that number declined about
2 ½% from the five year average due to unknown factors. Ms. Rebecchi suspects the decline may
be attributed to more grade school students using the school buses. Senior ridership continues to
grow and now makes up about 38% of the total. Overall, Lexpress takes in about $80,000 from
fares but it also provides over $20,000 in free Lexpress passes for low income residents.
The LexConnect Taxi voucher program is entirely gift-funded. 86 new seniors signed up for the
program last year and close to 500 are enrolled. This service provides door-to-door transportation
for those who cannot access the Lexpress fixed-route transportation.
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Mr. Cohen said the reorganization of the Human Services Department is extremely impressive.
One thing he hears from business owners in the Center is the need for staff. He hopes
Transportation Services will look into a way to assist so that workers are able to get to
Lexington.
Ms. Rebecchi said her office and the Transportation Advisory Committee, with the support of the
Selectmen, have continually lobbied the MBTA for better service from Alewife on nights and
weekends. She is also working with Minuteman Vocational School to create a work-study
relationship with center restaurants and other businesses.
Mr. Valente said that there will be more discussion about Center business employee
transportation at the second budget session when Economic Development gives its presentation.
Mr. Kelley wondered if Uber and Lyft services might be tapped to improve transportation and if
a subsidy program could be developed. Ms. Rebecchi said these services are more urban focused
but she noted that the MBTA’s The Ride has started to use Uber to serve its clientele. She is
interested to explore these options with Economic Development Officer Melissa Tintocalis.
Ms. Ciccolo asked for more information about the volunteer program. The department noted
there are about 120 volunteers working in community and senior programming. These volunteers
are overseen by a 10-hour/week Volunteer Coordinator although all staff oversee volunteers.
Having a dedicated person in the position provides better opportunities for program expansion.
Library
Library Director Koren Stembridge and Assistant Director and Head of Technology Emily Smith
th
said that the Cary Memorial Library is the 6 busiest out of 350+ libraries in Massachusetts.
Cary has the highest circulation for a town in Lexington’s size category. Last year, library users
borrowed 853,000 items, up more than 25,000 from the previous year; 22,000 of those items
were from the Children’s Library collection. 550,000 visitors come to Cary Library annually.
A Cary Library Foundation project, named Transformative Spaces, spearheaded an internal
renovation and reorganization initiative. The renovated space re-opened in October. The majority
of the project was funded by a capital campaign that enjoyed the support of 1,300 individuals
and families and allowed the project to go forward without Capital funding from the Town.
The 400+ members of the Chinese American Association of Lexington gave a combined total of
$73,000 and the Friends of the Cary Library pledged $50,000 in addition to their ongoing, yearly
support. Smaller portions of the project were funded by the Library’s unrestricted endowment
funds and by the Public Facilities budget for ongoing maintenance of Town buildings. Ms.
Stembridge said that the well-considered work done during the larger renovation some years ago
allowed for the possibility of future space reconfigurations as the library responds to changing
needs over time.
The so-called crown jewel of the project, Ms. Stembridge said, is the new dedicated Teen Space.
The space overflows on a daily basis and has magically shifted how the library is used so that the
adult space is now quieter in the after school hours. The reconfigured adult level now includes
Fiction and World Language collections. An idea wall for public art installations is another new
feature. Four new study rooms are filling up quickly. The Circulation Desk is more approachable
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and augmented by self-checkout stations. The atrium of the library creates a living room effect;
all furnishings are mobile and can be reconfigured as needed to accommodate programming.
Ms. Smith spoke about the FY18 maintenance of service budget. Two items were highlighted: A
Contractual Services increase of $1,969—representing a 24.52% increase over FY17—to cover
annual fees for website hosting, copy/scan station maintenance, people counter, and the RFID
system. On the Small Equipment line, there was a noted decrease of $3003 that is partially offset
by an increase in Equipment Service and Repair. There is a 5% increase to the materials cost in
order to achieve a prescribed level of materials spending to maintain State certification and
associated funding. The bulk of this increase will be applied to the Children’s materials budget.
The one PIR is a request for $5,739 for Teen Space staff wages to cover hours of operation on
the 41 Sundays the Library is open. Ms. Stembridge and Ms. Smith expressed thanks to the
Library staff for its patience and grace during the renovations.
Ms. Ciccolo said the Library’s Strategic Directions narrative included in the budget material was
quite visionary. She asked, when the directors have caught their breath from the renovation, that
they give thought to a list of concrete goals for the Board to consider.
Mr. Pato, a member of the Trustee Executive Committee, said he found it easy to make decisions
about the renovations because matters were brought before the Committee directly and clearly by
the Library leadership.
Ms. Barry asked for information about a new initiative called the “Library of Things.” Ms. Smith
said this program is an opportunity for patrons to take home objects such as games, instruments,
tools, technology, beginning coding kits, telescopes, etc. Input about additions to the collection
is welcome. Policies and guidelines for selection are now being developed. There will be
information about the Library of Things on the website, in a catalog binder, through targeted
demo programs and displayed through a windowed storage closet.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to adjourn at
approximately 3:30 p.m.
A true record; Attest:
Kim Siebert
Recording Secretary