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Minutes of the
Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 20, 2017
Location and Time: Town Office Building, Reed Room (111); 7:30 A.M.
Members Present: Jill Hai, Chair;Charles Lamb, Vice-Chair; David Kanter, Clerk;
Sandy Beebee; Rod Cole;; Wendy Manz; Frank Smith
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Shawn Newell, Interim Director of Public Facilities; Sara Arnold,
Recording Secretary
Documents Presented:
Notice of CEC Meeting, September 20, 2017
Draft #2 Minutes of the CEC Meeting, September 13, 2017
Lexington ChildrenÓs Place (LCP) Site Plan/Site Master Plan and Option 0/ Floor
Plan Updated, September 19, 2017
LCP Project Cost, September 19, 2017
FY2019ÎFY2023 Capital Improvement Project (CIP) #989: Lexington High School
(LHS) Security Evaluation and Upgrade; Revision Date: September 20, 2017
Call to Order: Ms. Hai called the meeting to order at 7:32 A.M.
Approval of Minutes: A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #2 Minutes
of the CEC meeting, September 13, 2017. Vote: 6–0–1 (Mr. Lamb abstained as he had not
attended that meeting.)
LHS Security System Design (funding proposed under Special Town Meeting (STM)
2017-3, Article 11): Ms. Hai, Mr. Kanter, and Mr. Newell reviewed the history and provided
an update on plans to enhance security at LHS. On October 5, 2015, a CIP requested
funds for a security study for the school, and funds were approved at the 2016 Annual
Town Meeting (ATM). Based on the studyÓs recommendations, the 2017 ATM approved
funds for upgrading the LHS closed-circuit TV systemÏwhich was recently completed.
Securing visitor entry and the schoolÓs perimeter are complex because of the multiple
classroom buildings that are on the campus. The School Committee (SC) is supporting an
approach that brings the LHS closer to the security standards of the other schools in the
district with an estimated cost of $369,600. The new system would require some cultural
changes to the open-campus environment, special cards would be programmed to lock-
down doors, as needed, and control of all doors could be managed remotely. Some funds
are included for signage and traffic-control measures for adjustment of the usage of the
LHS parking lots.
A $31,000 request will be made at the STM for design and engineering funds for the project
with the now-estimated balance of $338,600 to be requested at the 2018 ATM. An updated
CIP is being prepared for that ATM.
A motion was made and seconded to support the LHS security project as supported by the
SC. Vote: 7–0
Discussion Relating to the September 13, 2017 Special Financial Summit Meeting
with the Board of Selectmen (BoS), the Appropriation Committee, and the SC:
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 20, 2017
Ms. Hai initiated a discussion about plans for a fall 2017 debt-exclusion referendum to
address the projects for replacing the Maria Hastings Elementary School (Hastings),
building a new Lexington ChildrenÓs Place (LCP) for the pre-school program, renovating
swing space at 173 Bedford Street for use during construction of a new Fire Headquarters,
and for replacing that Headquarters at its current position. Following approval by previous
Town Meetings, the Town has committed to purchasing two parcels for the Fire
Headquarters swing space and for the new LCP, although the exact method of funding
those purchases has not yet been determined.
Prior to the debt-exclusion referendum, the projects will be presented to the STM 2017-2
for approval. The Motions will identify whether the BoS is recommending that funding for
the projects be contingent on passage of each related question in the referendum. There
could be amendments to those Motions during the STM. If the funding of a project is
contingent on passage in the referendum and that question fails, the project would not
move forward until a funding source is approved. The BoS has not yet identified their
recommended contingency positions.
This CommitteeÓs discussion focused on the ramifications associated with making the
Hastings project contingent on passage of the debt-exclusion vote. There was consensus
that the Hastings project should move forward even if the referendum question does not
pass, because that schoolÓs infrastructure is currently a challenge to maintain, the
elementary schools are already overcrowded and need a larger Hastings School, and the
Town would lose its MSBA grant for the project. Funding it without the debt exclusion would
deplete other funding sources, impact the operating budget, and have to be confronted at
the 2018 ATM. If the specific impacts associated with the referendum failing could be
identified at this time, it would help voters understand the consequences of voting against
debt-exclusion for the project, but Carl Valente, Town Manager, has said that it is not
possible to provide such information within the time frame required. The lack of information
also made it difficult for this Committee to evaluate the pros and cons for making the STM
Motion contingent on passage at the referendum.
Mr. Lamb suggested that voters should understand the importance of the project and not
think that it will be easy to fund it within the tax-levy limit. He expressed concern about the
complexity of the campaign if the project is not contingent on the passage of the project, as
is expected for the other referendum questions. He noted that there would still be time to
hold another STM after the referendum and before losing the grant money, should the
referendum question fail. Mr. Kanter noted that it would be disingenuous for the Town to
say the project is contingent on passage and then find funding sources elsewhere.
Ms. Beebee added that Dr. Mary Czajkowksi, School Superintendent, does not want the
project to be contingent on the referendum given the projectÓs importance. Committee
members agreed that they should not be supporting a contingency position based on the
campaign issues, but on what is financially best for the Town.
A Motion was made and seconded to support a non-contingent Motion at STM 2017-2 for
the Hastings project. It was added that this is with the understanding that Mr. Valente and
Dr. Czajkowksi plan to work on funding-contingency plans should the vote fail. Vote: 7–0
Preparation of this Committee’s report to the fall STM 2017-2 and 2017-3: After a
review of the assignments for drafting the different portions of the report, the STM Articles
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 20, 2017
on which this Committee will comment in the report were briefly discussed and/or straw
positions were taken on them.
STM 2017-2:
Article 2: Appropriate for Hastings School Construction: Straw Poll: 7–0
Article 3: Appropriate Design Funds for Lexington ChildrenÓs Place/20 Pelham Road:
It was noted that the Conservation Commission had reviewed the site plans for this
project and some lay-out adjustments are being made to avoid problems with
infringing on the wetland 100-foot-buffer zone. The result is some reductions in the
potential additional parking for the Lexington Community Center. Straw Poll: 7–0
Article 4: Appropriate Design Funds for Fire Headquarters: Straw Poll: 7–0
Article 5: Appropriate for Temporary Fire Station Construction: Straw Poll: 7–0
STM 2017-3:
Article 6: Establish and Appropriate to and from Specified Stabilization Funds: No
position taken by this Committee as no information has been provided on any
action(s) under this Article.
Article 7: Amend Revolving Fund Authorization: No position taken by this Committee
as no information has been provided on any action(s) under this Article.
Article 8: Appropriate Design Funds for Visitors Center: It was reported that the BoS
had not taken a position, but it appears that they would not support a request for
$350,000. There was concern expressed by this Committee that the current estimate
of $4,315,000 as needed to complete the project was too high. No position was
taken by this Committee at this time.
Article 9: Appropriate for Solid Waste Collection Equipment: Although not so
stipulated by the BoS, this Article could well be indefinitely postponed. No position
was taken by this Committee at this time.
Article 11: Appropriate for Lexington High School Security System Design: Earlier
voted. (See above)
Article 12: Appropriate Community Preservation Act Projects: More information is
needed. No position taken by this Committee at this time.
Article 13: Appropriate for Authorized Capital Improvements: No position taken by
this Committee as no information has been provided on any action(s) under this
Article.
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It was agreed to meet on September 26 and October 4 to review drafts of the report with
the objective of providing it to the printer in time to enable release of the report not later
th
than October 9.
Ms. Hai agreed to ask Mr. Valente about several outstanding issues related to a Plan B if
the Hasting referendum question fails and to the funding of the two land purchases.
Member Concerns and Liaison Reports:
Mr. Kanter advised that the Board of Selectmen, at its meeting on September 18, 2017,
had discussed whether to pursue the purchase of a now-vacant lot at 44 Adams Street as
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
September 20, 2017
open space using the TownÓs Community Preservation Funds. That lot is adjacent to the
Townowned Chiesa Farm conservation land. Mr. Kelley reported on his discussion with
the current owner. The BoS directed Carl Valente to obtain an appraisal of that property
and to submit it and an application for such a purpose to the Community Preservation
Committee.
Mr. Kanter initiated a discussion about the role Committee members might play in political
and issue campaigns. Ms. Hai and Mr. Kanter asked that Committee members consider
how their actions might influence a campaign or how their actions may be perceived as
resulting in inappropriate influence. They expressed their preference that members avoid
taking an active role in a campaign, or publicly endorsing or sponsoring candidates, or
making major contributions to a candidateÓs campaign. Regarding issue campaigns, this
caution does not apply if this Committee has taken a position on the issue, such as the
upcoming debt-exclusion referendum questions, but it would apply, for example, to the
Streetscape Project on which this Committee will eventually take a position. Spouses are
not affected by this request.
A Motion was made and seconded to support the approach described for involvement in
Lexington campaigns. Vote: 7–0
Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 9:07 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 7–0
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on October, 4, 2017.
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