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Minutes of the
Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
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December 5, 2017
APRIL 19"
Location and Time: Town Office Building, Parker Room (G15); 7:30 A.M.
Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk;
Sandy Beebee; Frank Smith; Wendy Manz
Member Absent: Rod Cole
Others Present (some arriving & departing during the meeting): Aaron Henry, Planning
Director, Land Use, Health, and Development (LUHD)/Planning; David Kucharsky,
Assistant Planning Director, Planning; Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator,
Conservation/LUHD; Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development, LUHD;
Megan Zammuto, LUHD/Economic Development Coordinator, Economic Development
Office; Tom Case, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Office (IT);
Dorinda Goodman, Director, IT; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance;
Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer, Finance Department; Joe Pato, Member, Board of
Selectmen (BoS); Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary
Documents Presented:
• Notice of CEC Meeting, December 5, 2017
• Worksheet for recording members' positions on the CIPs
• FY2019—FY2023 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) for LUHD and IT
• Email from Ms. Manz to Ms. Kowalski; Re: Questions from the CEC on the Request
for Funds for the Stone Building for Our Meeting; sent December 4, 2017
• Email from Ms. Kowalski to Ms. Manz; responding with answers to Ms. Manz' email
Re: Questions from the CEC on the Request for funds for the Stone Building for Our
Meeting; sent December 4, 2017
• Email from Ms. Manz to CEC members and Ms. Arnold; Re: Questions Submitted on
Land Use Projects for Meeting 12-5-17; sent December 4, 2017
• IT CIP Questions from CEC, compiled by Mr. Lamb, December 4, 2017
• Map provided by Ms. Mullins identifying Parker Meadow's location in Lexington
• Map provided by Ms. Mullins identifying trails, ponds, streams, wetlands, and
conservation areas within Parker Meadow and the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway
• Diagram of privately owned parking areas between Clarke Street and Muzzey Street
that could help address public parking needs if the Town were able to find an
agreeable arrangement with the owners
• Network and Cyber Security Assessment Summary, prepared by Ms. Goodman for
CEC December 5'" meeting
• CIP #1054 breakdown of Application Implementation components and costs,
prepared by Ms. Goodman for CEC December 5'" meeting
• Draft #3 Minutes of the CEC Meeting, November 29, 2017
Call to Order:
At 7:36 A.M., Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 5, 2017
Discussion of the December 4th Debt—Exclusion Referendum Results
Mr. Kanter reported that the three questions had passed—with the cited "Yes"-vote
percentages of the total votes (including blanks)—on the referendum for excluding from the
limitations of Proposition 2'/2 the payments for the debt financing for (1) rebuilding the Maria
Hastings Elementary School (63.3%), (2) building a new Lexington Children's Place facility
at 20 Pelham Road (51.7%), and (3) rebuilding the Fire Station Headquarters (including the
necessary swing space) (65.4%).
Approval of Minutes:
Mr. Lamb commented that he has knowledge of residents reading the CEC Minutes,
indicating their value to others. Mr. Kanter read suggested edits for the Draft #3 Minutes of
the CEC meeting, November 15, 2017.
A Motion was made and seconded to approve said Minutes, as revised. Vote: 5-0
Review of the FY2019—FY2023 CIPs:
In preparation for meeting with Ms. Kosnoff and Carl Valente, Town Manager, on
December 20, 2017, the initial list of general comments to be shared with them about those
CIPs were identified, as follows:
• The funding-request tables need additional rows to avoid having repeatedly to ask
for clarification as currently multiple purposes have to be merged in the same row.
• The source and date for cost projections should be included in the CIP text.
• Out-year estimates should be in then-year dollars, and the assumptions used (e.g.,
escalation factors) should be identified in the Basis of Cost Projection.
• The text in the CIPs or accompanying back-up material (that had previously been
routinely provided) should be updated each year and should be robust enough for
the CEC's needs.
• The absence of such accompanying back-up material for many of the CIPs hindered
the Committee from making an informed review of those CIPs.
• The CIPs or accompanying back-up material should include a summarized update,
including fund balances (i.e., amounts not encumbered or nor expensed) on
previously funded projects that are still yet to be completed since the updates in the
previous year's CIPs and accompanying back-up material.
Using a worksheet for recording members' positions and comments on the CIPs, the
Committee began the process of addressing all of this year's CIPs submission. So far,
these CIPs were identified as needing additional discussion by this Committee:
• #967 Police Outdoor/Indoor Firing Range—Hartwell Avenue: This Committee
needs copies of the recently released report regarding this project. There was
concern that the solar-panel project has had a more-serious impact on the
composting capability and land-use than originally contemplated and, thus, may
have adverse consequences on the availability of land for a new firing range needs.
• #1020 Public Safety Radio Console Replacement: Because it is an essential aspect
of the Town's public-safety operation and maintenance starting next calendar year
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 5, 2017
will be on an ad hoc basis—which this Committee does not consider prudent—this
project should be an FY2019, rather than FY2020, request.
• #647 Municipal Building Envelopes and Systems: There was discussion about
expenses that are shared expenses (i.e., outside the municipal and school
budgets—called above-the-line expenses) and those that are covered separately in
the municipal and school budgets (called below-the-line expenses). So while there
was an override that had enhanced the funding for this CIP—which is the
justification for this CIP's full funding to be above-the-line, it was noted that the tax-
levy support of the Lexington Community Center program's operations did not have
a comparable justification for being above-the-line.
• #835 Visitors Center: Mr. Kanter reported that he opposes this project until there is
a demonstrated, concerted, effort to reduce the cost. Ms. Manz noted that the
architect for the project is supposed to be doing this.
Discussion of the LUHD CIPs stemmed from the questions submitted by this Committee to
the department. For many of the CIPs, this Committee requested information about the
basis of the cost estimates for FY2019 and outlying years. Comments included, but were
not limited to, the following:
• #882 Parker Meadow Accessible Trail Construction: Bandwidth issues have caused
delays, but a Request for Proposals is scheduled to be issued in January. The trail
will meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
• #981 Transportation Mitigation: These funds would be used to address currently
unidentified projects that usually come to the attention of the Traffic Safety Group
during the fiscal year. Past uses of such funds have included surveys for sidewalks
and signage. Mr. Kanter asked that future CIPs provide some information on the
past year's use of this funding, which is requested annually, but is not treated as a
1-year funding as is done with the comparable, in his view, Department of Public
Facilities Bid Documents funding. He believes this CIP's funding should be treated
as 1-year funding.
• #983 Parking Lot Consolidation and Repaving: This project would support the
aggregation of privately-owned parking areas between Clarke Street and Muzzey
Street for public parking, but the initiative is complex. There will be legal fees
associated with the project. Estimates are based on $20,000 per parking space plus
yet-to-be-determined site costs; 50-55 parking spots could be realized. (The CIP
cites a net of just 50.) There has been initial communication with the owners of the
properties, but more easily attainable efforts to increase parking spaces in Lexington
center are being pursued first.
• #1019 Hartwell Area Transportation Management Overlay District (TMOD) Plan. The
Hartwell area TMOD plan is outdated. A previous funding authorization is being used
to identify the impacts of changing the zoning in this district. Mr. Henry agreed to get
additional information about the planned use of the Transportation Mitigation Overlay
District fund that had originally been used to fund this CIP.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 5, 2017
• #1032 Stone Building Analysis: The project has not changed from the one presented
to this Committee last year. The BoS has not determined whether to hire a
consultant or find volunteers, or a combination of the two, to analyze potential uses
for the building and identifying demand, while taking into account the deed
restrictions and the Department of the Interior's standards. Volunteers would need a
variety of high-level skill-sets to be able to address the envisioned scope of work.
• #1037 Conservation Land Acquisition: As this is acknowledged to be just a
placekeeper for a yet-to-be-specified acquisition, there was no discussion.
Discussion of the IT CIPs stemmed from the questions submitted by this Committee to that
office. For many of the CIPs, this Committee requested information about the basis of the
cost estimates for FY2019 and outlying years and for additional background and historical
information. It was noted that this Committee has a responsibility to consider that capital
projects are implemented after gaining an appropriation before providing new funding.
Mr. Case prefaced the discussion of the CIPs by saying that he supports maximizing the
systems that are already owned by the Town while transitioning to Cloud-use for storage
and a variety of other services. He expects capital costs to decrease in the coming years
and operating costs to increase as additional service contracts will be a result of that
transition. He noted that the School Department has comparable plans and the two
departments are working together where appropriate. IT changes rapidly so it is difficult to
generate reliable cost estimates for out-years.
Mr. Case noted that there are four legacy CIPS and one new. Additional comments
included, but were not limited to, the following:
• #553 Phone Systems & Unified Communication: Now in the process of wrapping up
the conversion to voice-over-IP. It is being added to the Police and Fire & Rescue
Departments and will increase portability. Some equipment costs will support unified
communication. There will be a move from ownership of equipment to paying for
services.
• #556 Network Core Equipment Replacement: Ms. Goodman used a handout to
review the network and cyber security assessment process, results, and actions.
Critical components include redundancy, additional hardware/software
segmentation, and employee awareness regarding the use of social media.
• #708 Municipal Technology Improvement Program: Capital expenses are expected
to decrease with the move away from hardware ownership to the use of services.
Funding for a generator at the Lexington Community Center has not been approved,
but it is on the Town's "wish list" in conjunction with enhancing the server capability
at that location.
• #855 Network Redundancy & Improvement Plan: The network assessment is
complete and remediation measures are being pursued. The Historic Districts
Commission must review the plans for a new cell tower behind the Police
Headquarters that will expand redundancy and provide better service to the Town
Office Building.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
December 5, 2017
• #1054 Application Implementation: This is a new project to address, among others,
the outdated MONIS system and, as one aspect, to install an automatic vehicle
locator (AVL) system on Town vehicles. The AVL system is also capable of logging
pavement conditions, including road temperature. A handout, which identified the
elements associated with the two components, was discussed.
Committee members noted the importance of all of these projects.
Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 9:24 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 5-0
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on December 13, 2017.
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