HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-21-CPC-min1
Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Remote Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 879 8359 7646
4:00 PM
Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa (Chair); Jeanne Krieger (Co-Vice Chair),
Kathryn Roy (Co-Vice Chair), Kevin Beuttell, Christian Boutwell, Robert Creech, Robert Pressman
(arrived at 4:07 PM), Mark Sandeen, Melinda Walker.
Administrative Assistant: Thomas Case
Other Attendees: Sandhya Beebee, Liaison, Capital Expenditures Committee (arrived at 4:07
PM); Marian Cohen, Town Meeting Member, Precinct 2; Margaret Heitz, Housing Partnership
Board (HPB) (arrived at 4:06); Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development
(arrived at 4:01 PM); Sarah Morrison, Executive Director, LexHAB; Lester Savage, Lexington
Historical Society; Elaine Tung, Chair, Affordable Housing Trust; Betsy Weiss, Vice-Chair, HPB
(arrived at 4:01 PM);
Ms. Fenollosa called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM.
FY26 LexHAB Request and Straw Vote – The Committee continued and finished their discussion
on LexHAB’s CPA funding request for FY26 which began at the 11-14-24 public meeting. Ms.
Fenollosa conducted a straw vote of the Committee on LexHAB’s FY26 request. 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 LexHAB’s Affordable Housing Support,
Restoration, Preservation, and Decarbonization project (8-0-1). Mr. Pressman voted to wait,
citing his view that part of the decarbonization project is ineligible for CPA funding. In support
of this position, he referred to the nature of the request, the text of the CPA, and past CPC
practice.
FY26 Affordable Housing Trust Request and Straw Vote - The Committee continued and
finished their discussion on the Trust’s CPA funding request for FY26 which began at the 11-14-
24 public meeting. Ms. Fenollosa conducted a straw vote of the Committee on the Trust’s FY26
request. 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.
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The Committee voted by a roll call vote to support the Affordable Housing Trust Funding
request (5-0-4). Mr. Boutwell, Ms. Fenollosa, Mr. Pressman, and Ms. Walker voted to wait. Mr.
Boutwell expressed his support for pre-identified housing projects requesting funds from the
CPC before the Trust.
Mr. Pressman made a statement expressing his opposition to comments made by Ms. Fenollosa
regarding the Affordable Housing Trust’s request at the 11-14-24 public meeting and Mr.
Pressman also commended the Trust on the amount they have accomplished within a small
timeframe. Mr. Pressman noted in particular the excellence of the work of the AHT Chair, Ms.
Tung.
Ms. Kowalski, Ms. Morrison, and Ms. Tung left the meeting at 4:19 PM.
FY26 CPA Funding Request – Hancock-Clarke House Roof Replacement – Mr. Savage requested
$57,800 for the Lexington Historical Society to replace the Hancock-Clarke House roof. Mr.
Savage explained the current state of disrepair of the roof and shared photos with the
Committee of the current roof (see FY26 CPA Funding Application – Hancock-Clarke House Roof
Replacement and Conditions Report: Hancock-Clarke House dated November 18, 2024 for more
detail). Mr. Savage also shared that the current roof’s pine shingles would be replaced with
cedar shingles.
The Committee discussed the Historical Society’s request. Mr. Savage provided an update on
the previously CPA-funded Hancock-Clarke Barn Restoration project. Ms. Fenollosa shared a list
of Historical Society projects previously funded by the CPC (see List of CPA Funded Lexington
Historical Society Projects for more detail). Mr. Savage shared that the cedar shingles should
last 20 to 25 years. Mr. Creech expressed his support for using cedar shingles and for using a
breathable mesh under the shingles to help with weatherproofing the roof. Mr. Pressman
noted that there is enough funding in the Historic Resources Reserve to afford this project. Mr.
Savage explained that the higher cost of the roof is due to the roof’s design and shape, the
historical accuracy of having a wooden roof, and the desired quality of the new roof. Mr.
Savage shared that the project timeframe is estimated to be about 4 to 5 days. Ms. Creech
shared his insights on the increased costs of roof replacements over the last 20 years.
Ms. Fenollosa conducted a straw vote on the Historical Society’s FY26 CPA request and noted
that the vote would be for the Committee’s support of the project and its ability to fund it. The
Committee voted by a roll call vote to support the Hancock-Clarke House Roof Replacement (9-
0). Mr. Pressman noted that the Historic Resource Reserves contain an amount sufficient to
fund the two Historic Resources requests.
Ms. Cohen and Mr. Savage left the meeting at 4:34 PM; Ms. Heitz left the meeting at 4:37 PM.
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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 11-7-2024 (9-0).
After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote to approved
the minutes from the Public Meeting on 11-14-2024 (9-0).
Committee Business- Ms. Fenollosa requested that Committee members responsible for
sections of the Needs Assessment Report submit their section by Tuesday, November 26 to be
compiled and distributed to the rest of the Committee. The Committee agreed to meet next on
December 5, to review town counsel’s legal opinion of the FY26 requests and to discuss the
Committee’s finances. Ms. Fenollosa shared that the Committee’s public hearing on the Needs
Assessment Report will be on December 12.
After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote (9-0) to
adjourn at 4:42 PM.
The following documents were used at the meeting:
1) FY26 CPA Funding Application – Hancock-Clarke House Roof Replacement
2) Conditions Report: Hancock-Clarke House dated November 18, 2024
3) List of CPA Funded Lexington Historical Society Projects
4) Draft Meeting Minutes – 11-7-24 – Revised
5) Draft Meeting Minutes – 11-14-24
6) Draft Meeting Minutes – 11-14-24 - Revised
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas Case
Administrative Assistant
Community Preservation Committee
APPROVED: 12/6/2024