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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-11-01-CEC-min Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 1, 2017 Location and Time: Town Office Building, Parker Room (G-15); 7:30 A.M. Members Present: Jill Hai, Chair; Charles Lamb, Vice-Chair; David Kanter, Clerk; Sandy Beebee; Frank Smith Members Absent: Rod Cole; Wendy Manz Others Present (some arriving & departing during the meeting): John Wilson, Chief, Fire & Rescue Department; Derek Sencabaugh, Assistant Chief, Fire & Rescue Department; Mark Corr, Chief of Police; Nathalie Rice, Town Clerk; Melissa Battite, Director, Recreation and Community Programs; Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation; Christine Dean, Community Center Director; David Pinsonneault, Director, Department of Public Works (DPW); Shawn Newell, Assistant Director, Department of Public Facilities (DPF); Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer, Finance Department; Tom Case, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Department; Bob Pressman, Member, Community Preservation Committee; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Documents Presented: • Notice of CEC Meeting, November 1, 2017 • FY2019—FY2023 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) for Fire and Rescue Department, Police Department, Town Clerk's office, and Recreation and Community Programs • Fire and Rescue Department CIP Questions, prepared by CEC, October 31, 2017 • Police Department CIP Questions, prepared by CEC, October 31, 2017 • Email response from Chief Corr to CEC regarding CEC Questions on CIPs, October 31, 20177 3:38 P.M. • Ms. Hai's emailed CEC Questions regarding Town Clerk CIPs to Ms. Rice, October 31, 20177 12:12 A.M. • Email response from Ms. Rice to CEC regarding CEC questions on CIPs, October 31, 20177 2:58 P.M. • Recreation and Community Programs CIP Questions, prepared by CEC, October 31, 2017 • activitas "Town of Lexington Recreation Facilities and ADA Compliance Study", May 2017 • Email from Mr. Kanter to Carl Valente, Town Manager, regarding CEC's role as described in the Code of Lexington (Code) (§29-13), October 30, 2017 • Draft#3 Minutes of the CEC Meeting, October 12, 2017 • Draft Minutes of the CEC Meeting, October 18, 2017 Call to Order: At 7:30 A.M., Ms. Hai called the meeting to order. Review of the FY2019—FY2023 CIPs: Fire & Rescue Department Department staff responded to questions regarding their department's CIPs. Comments and discussion included, but were not limited to, the following: • #735 Ambulance Replacement: The last time the Town received a grant for purchasing an ambulance was in 2003; there is little grant money available for Page 1 of 6 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 1, 2017 ambulance replacements. The rotation schedule allows for older ambulances to be used as back-up equipment. Two ambulances are stationed at the Fire Department Headquarters; a third is stationed at the East Lexington Fire Station. The design for a new fire station allows for adequate indoor parking for the ambulances. An updated list of equipment will be provided when the new fire truck arrives, expected within a month. • #1018 Protective Clothing: Each fireman needs two sets of gear. Regulations identify a 10-year life span for the gear, which results in a five-year rotation schedule for this equipment. There has been a rash of new hires; each one receives a new set of gear and a hand-me-down set. Funds have been taken from the Operating Budget to outfit the new firemen, but additional money is needed. If the funding request is approved, as many new outfits will be purchased as possible for that dollar amount. • #1052 Replace 2004 Pumper: The pumper has to be certified each year. The current pumper has considerable rot and has been out-of-service for small things. The Town has had to periodically borrow a pumper from Arlington. Our 2004 pumper needs to be replaced rather than repaired. The estimated cost is based on recent information received from a dealer. Review of the FY2019-FY2023 CIPs: Police Department Chief Corr responded to questions regarding his department's CIPs. Comments and discussion included, but were not limited to, the following: • #967 Police Outdoor/Indoor Firing Range—Hartwell Avenue: The current training facilities (in the Police Station basement and outdoors on the Hartwell Avenue landfill site) have significant limitations. A feasibility study for siting both outdoor and indoor firing ranges at Hartwell Avenue is scheduled to begin after the Hartwell Avenue Solar Project is completed. Carl Valente, Town Manager, would like to see this project run parallel to a project to replace the Police Station. It is anticipated that sharing a training facility—not conflicting with the Town's needs—with local communities and Hanscom Air Force Base could help offset some of the costs. If training were to be provided in a new indoor facility, it would be possible to offer situational awareness training, which could also be shared on the same basis and could provide an additional financial advantage to the Town. Additionally, it may be possible to get State financial assistance for such a facility. Indoor facilities can be built to absorb the sound. Sound-attenuation techniques can be used to minimize the impact of an outdoor range. A Public-Address system would help coordinate activity holistically. The project would be managed by either the DPW or the DPF, depending on the scope. • #1020 Public Safety Radio Console Replacement: This project requests funding to replace radio equipment over the next three-to-five years, starting in FY2020. The current equipment is reliable, but is becoming obsolete and would no longer be covered under a service contract after December 31, 2017. Maintenance would then be purchased on an as-needed basis. There is a good relationship with Motorola and continuing that way is considered acceptable by Chief Corr. Page 2 of 6 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 1, 2017 Mr. Kanter expressed reservations about waiting until 2020 to begin the replacement process. He also commented that he will be looking for an update from the Information Services (IS) department about the previously funded Public Radio Stabilization Project with regard to its status and the current evaluation of its sufficiency and its redundancy. Chief Corr said that a new cell tower behind the Police Station may address those latter two concerns. Review of the FY2019–FY2023 CIPs: Town Clerk's Office Ms. Rice responded to questions regarding her department's CIP. Comments and discussion included, but were not limited to, the following: • #307 Archives & Records Management/Records Conservation & Preservation: This long-term project had been put on hold temporarily because of staff changes and a focus on the Records Shelving Project. Ms. Rice reported that microfilm is still being used as it is more durable than other, common, digitized materials. Review of the FY2019–FY2023 CIPs: Recreation and Community Programs Ms. Battite provided an update on capital programs that were previously funded by Town Meeting. • The swimming pool project has been started and will continue this year as long as the weather permits. The IS Department is exploring possible funding sources for the installation of fiber cables to the facility. Access to Internet service would improve efficiency. It is expected that the facility will re-open in May 2018. • Quotes for the Bow Street playground project indicate that sufficient funds are available to cover the scope of work. • Equipment for Pine Meadows Golf Course has been purchased. An updated list of equipment and any unexpended funds for equipment previously purchased will be sent electronically to this Committee. The Committee commended Ms. Battite on the quality of the CIPs and the Americans with Disability (ADA)-compliance study (previously provided electronically to this Committee) that was recently completed. Mr. Kanter noted that the department is Recreation and Community Programs and requested that this be reflected in the CIPs—both in the Department field and, where applicable, in the descriptions. Ms. Battite clarified that all the funding requests are based on quotes received during this summer. There was discussion about the availability of CPA funds for all the proposed projects. Mr. Kanter requested: (1) That each CIP designating the use of those funds include advice of the Department's "Plan B" be identified if they aren't approved—whether because the Community Preservation Committee does not recommend support to Town Meeting or it does and Town Meeting does not approve the request; and (2) That Town officials need to discuss the Town's plan for making the rest of its facilities ADA compliant. Staff from the Recreation and Community Programs Department responded to questions regarding the department's CIPs. Comments and discussion included, but were not limited to, the following: Page 3 of 6 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 1, 2017 • #278 Athletic Facility Lighting: Ms. Battite was asked to add information to the CIP about the current $6,000 annual cost to maintain/replace lights on the field in relation to the anticipated $245,000 savings with the new system over its life. • #280 Pine Meadows Improvements: With regard to the FY2017 funded project that had planned to address both the reconstruction of the 4t" green and the 8t" hole tee box, the former work necessitated just about all the funds. The small residual balance reverted to the Recreation and Community Programs Enterprise Fund. #282 Park and Playground Improvements: Over a 15-year cycle, improvements are made at the 12 playgrounds. The Commission on Disability has provided a prioritized list for addressing accessibility issues based on neighborhood needs. Mr. Kanter suggested that text be added to the CIP(s) explaining that the facilities that are not currently ADA compliant are not required to be upgraded unless and until there is also other major work to be done to the facility. He also recommended there should be one or more CIPs—perhaps one for Recreation & Community Programs and one for the rest of the Town's facilities—for the incremental funding of all of the Town's actions to make all of its facilities ADA compliant sooner when there is no near-term funding in a CIP proposing a timely major change to the facility that, therefore, must include ADA compliance. • #518 Park Improvements—Athletic Fields: Fees for permits go into the Recreation & Community Programs Enterprise Fund, which is also used for maintenance and administration. The Diamond Middle School contractor completed the requirements included in the scope for repairing the fields impacted by recent construction. • #519 Pine Meadows Equipment: No additional conversation. • #532 Park Improvements—Hard Court Resurfacing: Resurfacing is about half the cost of reconstruction. • #732 Center Track and Field Reconstruction: Ms. Battite reported that she is a member of a working group regarding Lexington High School (LHS) renovations/reconstruction that may be pursued within the next 10 years. This will be a great help in her knowing of impacts a major high school project would have on the athletic facilities located in the center complex. In the meantime, the center complex track & field facilities are identified for reconstruction in order to ensure they can be used safely on a continued basis. • #893 Recreation Site Assessment of Potential Land Acquisition: This is a placeholder, created primarily because the Minuteman Technical High School is going to be rebuilt, which means there is potentially some space in Lexington that might be appropriate for new athletic fields. It is not expected to be an FY2019-funded project. • #1013 Outdoor Pickleball Court Construction: Currently there are no outdoor pickleball courts in Lexington. Pickleball is a fast-growing sport, and the Recreation Committee now wants to pursue the possibility of multiple uses of recreation facilities to provide that sport so this Committee expects this CIP to be withdrawn. • #1014 Cricket Field Construction: Currently the LHS football field and fields at Harrington Elementary School are being used for cricket, but these are not adequate for competitive needs. The Recreation Committee would like to be supportive of Page 4 of 6 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 1, 2017 those interested in the sport. Mr. Kanter suggested any funding for this project be slipped from FY2022 to FY2023 and, in any case, any CIP that potentially involves a change in recreational use should provide data that reflects the trend of the use for the sport that would be replaced. • #104601d Reservoir Bathhouse Renovation: An additional $75,000 is being requested to complete a feasibility study that was more expensive than anticipated. Mr. Kanter suggested that the project include schematics and that it be a DPF project. • #1048 Community Center Campus Expansion: This project supports an expansion of the Community Center on one of the two sites included in the August 2017 DiNisco Design's campus plans: On the Pelham Road property recently purchased by the Town or on the land behind the current Community Center—the originally proposed location. Mr. Lamb and Mr. Kanter expressed opposition to the CIP, noting that the project was not included in the financial master plan, and such a project is inadvisable considering the other capital demands. Ms. Battite noted that the Recreation Committee does not want to lose track of the envisioned Community Center portion of the Pelham Road purchase. (However, that is memorialized in the cited campus plans.) She added that there is demand for additional Community Center space—residents are being turned away from programs. Ms. Hai commented that before the Town owned the Pelham Road property, the Town had rejected an expansion such as is included in this CIP, except as a possible long-term consideration. • #1049 Pine Meadows Clubhouse Renovation: This project is designed to address an aging building, while making it ADA compliant. Mr. Pressman noted that the Recreation and Community Programs projects request approximately $1.0 million more in CPA funds than will be available, and they don't include the sidewalk for the Community Center that has been a long-time goal of the Town. Member Concerns and Liaison Reports: Mr. Kanter reported having discussed the CEC's role with Suzie Barry, Chair, Board of Selectmen, and Mr. Valente because Mr. Kanter has found that neither the Code nor the Charge for this Committee identifies what this Committee actually does. Both documents only identify this Committee reporting to the Annual Town Meeting, while this Committee actually interacts on multiple levels, working all year on financial issues. He shared an email that he had sent to Mr. Valente to this effect. He is interested in amending the Code and the Charge to reflect the current activities performed by the Committee. There was agreement that the Committee does more than just report to the Annual Town Meeting— not to mention Special Town Meetings—and there was no opposition to the pursuit of making changes in the Charge and Code. Mr. Kanter has informed the Appropriation Committee of his plans regarding this matter and will next advise the Town Moderator who is responsible for oversight of, and the assignments to, this Committee. It was agreed to invite Jon Himmel, Chair, Permanent Building Committee, to a meeting on November 8t" to discuss the project process and which stakeholders are involved and when. CIP discussion with other departments will resume on November 15tH Ms. Hai departed at 9:20 A.M.; Mr. Lamb assumed being the Chair of this meeting. Page 5 of 6 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 1, 2017 Approval of Minutes: Mr. Kanter presented an amendment to the Draft #3 Minutes of the CEC meeting, October 12, 2017, to add the reason for the split vote in support of the text in this Committee's report on Special Town Meeting 2017-3's Article 12: Appropriate Community Preservation Act Projects: Purchase of 44 Adams Street Property. A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #3 Minutes of the CEC meeting, October 12, 2017, as amended. Vote: 4-0 Mr. Kanter presented an amendment to the Draft Minutes of the posted CEC meeting on October 18, 2017, to delete an inapplicable clause. A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft Minutes of the CEC meeting, October 18, 2017, as amended. Vote: 4-0 Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 9:28 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 4-0 These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on November 15, 2017. Page 6 of 6