Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-07-CPC-min1 Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, November 7, 2024 Remote Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 811 4096 2236 4:00 PM Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa (Chair), Jeanne Krieger (Co-Vice Chair), Kathryn Roy (Co-Vice Chair), Christian Boutwell, Robert Creech, Robert Pressman, Mark Sandeen, Melinda Walker. Administrative Assistant: Thomas Case Absent: Kevin Beuttell Other Attendees: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs; Sandhya Beebee, Liaison, Capital Expenditures Committee; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation; Dave Pinsonneault, Director of Public Works; Thomas Shiple, Town Meeting Member; Ms. Fenollosa called the meeting to order at 4:04 PM. FY26 CPA Funding Request – Park and Playground Improvements – Center Playground – Ms. Battite requested $1,490,000 to update and replace the Center Playground at the Center Recreation Complex. The current playground is approaching its end of life and the new playground will be more accessible; see CIP – Park and Playground Improvements – Center Playground for more details. Ms. Battite shared that the playground area is not expected to be impacted by the High School Construction project, but that access via Park Drive was still pending. Mr. Creech asked if recent inflation has significantly changed the cost of playground construction. Ms. Battite answered that the amount of pour-in-place surfacing and earthwork can increase costs, as well as installation costs, but that equipment pricing has largely been steady. Mr. Pressman shared that he would vote “wait” on all Recreation projects in the straw votes because Recreation’s total requests exceed the CPC’s Unbudgeted Reserve balance. Mr. Pressman added that there should be funding for recreation projects on the levy side of the budget, beyond elements ineligible for CPA funding. Ms. Battite shared that the Recreation Department and Recreation Committee submitted all eligible projects and that they are prepared to make contingency plans based on the CPC’s funding. Ms. Kosnoff added that department heads were directed to submit all eligible projects for CPA funding and that the Town is still developing its FY26 Capital Plan. 2 Ms. Walker asked if many complaints were submitted regarding the current condition of the Center Playground. Ms. Battite responded that they receive more concerns from monthly staff inspections and public reporting than complaints. Ms. Walker shared that she would vote “wait” on all Recreation projects in the straw votes until the Committee has the time to review all requests and finalize available funding. FY26 CPA Funding Request – Park Improvements – Athletic Fields – Harrington - Ms. Battite requested $4,190,000 to construct new athletic fields at the current LPS Central Office Building. The scope of the project will be dependent on design options pending funding at the 2024 Fall Special Town Meeting, but will include two side-by-side multi-purpose rectangular fields and would accommodate cricket. These fields would be expected to come online when the fields at the Center Recreation Complex are expected to come offline due to the High School project. The project includes an additional $2,000,000 from the General Fund to pay for the demolition of the Central Office Building. See CIP – Park Improvements – Athletic Fields – Harrington Fields for more information. Ms. Battite noted that the current fields located at Harrington Elementary School will not be impacted by this project. Mr. Shiple asked Ms. Battite about current plans to address the surplus of diamond fields and deficit of rectangular fields in Lexington. Ms. Battite noted that she was currently reviewing this issue, but that there are various problems with simple field conversions. Mr. Pinsonneault added that the High School project will take the three most used diamond fields offline, thus changing short term needs for diamond fields. Mr. Shiple and Ms. Battite discussed ideas to improve the Lincoln Park softball field, Ms. Battite noted that the field does not accommodate varsity softball. Ms. Battite shared that the demolition cost includes remediation of the soil under the Central Office Building. FY26 CPA Funding Request – Lincoln Park Field Improvements – Ms. Battite requested $1,235,000 for the end-of-life replacement and reconstruction of Field #3 at Lincoln Park. The project will match the previously approved field replacements on Fields #1 and #2 during the 2023 and 2024 Annual Town Meetings respectively. An additional $715,000 is included from the General Fund for synthetic turf. See CIP – Lincoln Park Field Improvements #3 for more information. Ms. Battite shared that the turfs shock-pad, infill, and synthetic turf will be fully recyclable and PFAS-free. Mr. Boutwell explained that the PFAS-free designation was based on a total organofluorine test that would detect all organofluorines quantities if an appropriate detection level were used. Mr. Boutwell could not recall the detection level. 3 FY26 Recreation Requests Straw Votes – Ms. Fenollosa conducted a straw vote of the Committee on each of the Recreation projects presented. Ms. Fenollosa prefaced the straw votes on the fact that the CPC does not have enough money to fund all requests for FY26, and so the straw vote should be based on the merits of the project and not the CPC’s ability or commitment to fund it. The Committee voted by a roll call vote to support the Center Playground project (5-0-3). Mr. Pressman, Mr. Sandeen, and Ms. Walker voted to wait. Mr. Sandeen shared his support for the playground, but expressed his concern for its accessibility during the High School project. The Committee voted by a roll call vote to support the Park Improvements – Athletic Fields – Harrington project (3-1-4). Ms. Krieger voted no and Mr. Pressman, Ms. Roy, Mr. Sandeen, and Ms. Walker voted to wait. Ms. Krieger and Mr. Sandeen expressed their concerns for the potential for this project to utilize synthetic turf; Mr. Sandeen noted that he would have voted yes if the project was guaranteed natural turf. Mr. Creech asked for clarification of the NO vote since he understood that both the base pad and the synthetic turf were fully recyclable. Ms. Krieger said that the issue was the release of micro-plastics by the synthetic turf regardless of it being recyclable. The Committee voted by a roll call vote to support the Lincoln Park Field Improvement #3 (3-2- 3). Ms. Krieger and Mr. Sandeen voted no and Mr. Pressman, Ms. Roy, and Ms. Walker voted to wait. Ms. Krieger and Mr. Sandeen expressed their opposition to synthetic turf. Ms. Fenollosa thanked Ms. Battite and Mr. Coleman for sharing their projects with the Committee and informed them that the CPC will be unable to fund all projects fully for FY26 but that the CPC will keep Recreation informed on their eventual funding decisions. Ms. Battite, Mr. Coleman, and Mr. Pinsonneault left the meeting at 5:00 PM. CPA Fund Balance – Mr. Case and Ms. Kosnoff presented the CPA Summary FY26 Budget dated 11-7-2024 and discussed the CPC’s finances for FY26. Mr. Case noted that the Department of Revenue’s state match would be announced and distributed soon, likely changing the projected fund balances slightly. Ms. Kosnoff added that since the CPC’s last update in September, the financial books for FY24 have been closed. Mr. Boutwell asked about the difference in fully funding or partial funding projects. Ms. Kosnoff explained that for accounting purposes, fully funding a project from one source is preferred. Ms. Kosnoff also cautioned the Committee against debt financing projects given the debt financing for the High School project. 4 Ms. Kosnoff shared that Town projects are sometimes able to be significantly pushed out a year by utilizing the Town’s 5-Year Capital plan. Ms. Kosnoff also shared the Town’s aversion to funding projects with the capital stabilization fund because the fund is used to mitigate the impact of excluded debt projects. Ms. Walker highlighted the many recreation needs and requests as a result of the High School project and expressed her concern for funding them all with CPA funding. Mr. Boutwell expressed his support for the need of effective communication regarding decreased available funding for recreation projects since the majority of recreation projects are for end-of-life replacement or repairs. Mr. Boutwell also advocated for cooperation between recreation and community housing advocates, specifically highlighting Recreation’s ability to project long-term needs and communicating with housing when Recreation may need more or less funding than usual. Mr. Shiple left the meeting at 5:28 Minutes - After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote to approve the minutes from the Public Meeting on 10-24-2024 (8-0). Committee Business- Ms. Fenollosa conveyed with the Committee that their next meeting is scheduled for November 14 to discuss Community Housing in Lexington and discuss the FY26 CPA requests from the Affordable Housing Trust and LexHAB. The Committee discussed priorities and discussion topics for the meeting. Ms. Krieger left the meeting at 5:45 PM. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote (6-0) to adjourn at 5:48 PM. The following documents were used at the meeting: 1) CIP – Park and Playground Improvements – Center Playground 2) CIP – Park Improvements – Athletic Fields – Harrington Fields 3) CIP – Lincoln Park Field Improvements #3 4) CPA Summary FY2026 Budget dated 11-7-24 5) Draft Minutes 10-24-24 6) Draft Minutes 10-24-24 – Revised Respectfully submitted, Thomas Case 5 Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee APPROVED: 11/21/24