HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-26-AC-min
09/26/17 AC Minutes
Minutes
Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC)
September 26, 2017
Place and Time: Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m.
Members Present: John Bartenstein, Chair; Alan Levine, Vice-Chair & Secretary; Ellen Basch;
Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier, Andrei Radulescu-Banu; Sanjay
Padaki; Jian Helen Yang; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager,
Finance (non-voting, ex officio)
Members Absent: Lily Manhua Yan
Other Attendees: None
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m.
1. Announcements
Andrei Radulescu-Banu noted that he had met with Kate Colburn and Rod Cole, who reported that
both middle schools are completely full with students and that the high school is overcrowded.
Carolyn Kosnoff reported that the town accountant had resigned after taking off some time under
FMLA. The town is looking for a person with five to seven years of accounting experience to
replace her.
Carolyn Kosnoff then provided an overview of the new capital financing model and explained that
the selectmen had decided that the purchase of property at Bedford Street and Pelham Road would
be pulled from the debt exclusion, thus reducing the total amount to be voted on. There was an
extended discussion of alternatives one and two under the new capital financing model. Debt costs
for the VCenter are not included in the model because it is not anticipated that this project
will be funded with excluded debt.
Alan Levine distributed a memorandum addressing how the construction of a new Hastings School
might be financed within the levy and the impact this would have on the annual operating budget.
An extended discussion followed.
2. Discussion of Articles for Special Town Meeting No. 2.
Article 2.2 Hastings School Construction. A draft report was discussed. The committee voted 7-
0-1 to support the requested $63,059,418, which is anticipated to be offset by a grant from the
Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) of $16,513,723 for a net cost to the Town of
$48,765,695.
Article 2.3 Design Funds, LCP, 20 Pelham Road, requests $2.5 million in design, engineering
(including demolition and hazardous waste removal) and architectural costs. The Committee voted
to recommend approval, 7-0-1.
1
09/26/17 AC Minutes
Article 2.4 Design Funds, Fire Station Headquarters. Alan Levine reported that a preliminary draft
report has been circulated to Fire Chief Wilson and the Capital Expenditures Committee; however,
a draft has not yet been provided to the AC members. The Committee voted to recommend
approval of the $676,300 request, 8-0.
Article 2.5 Temporary Fire Station Construction. Again, a pre-draft had been circulated, but not
to members of the Committee. The Committee voted to recommend approval of the $2,141,000
requested, 8-0.
3. Discussion of Articles for Special Town Meeting No. 3
Article 3.5, to amend FY2018 operating and enterprise funds will be discussed next Tuesday.
Ellen Basch, the AC member drafting this part of the AC report, explained that she is waiting for
additional information.
There was also discussion of other Articles for the fall town meetings; however, no votes were
taken.
Future Meetings.
The next meeting will be held on October 3, 2017.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard Neumeier
Approved: October 3, 2017
Exhibits
Agenda, posted by John Bartenstein, Chair
Capital Financing Model and Property Tax Mitigation Plan, 9/25/17, provided by Ms.
Kosnoff
Notes on plausibility of financing capital projects without seeking debt exclusions, 9/26/17,
provided by Mr. Levine
2